The best question to ask at a job interview if you want the job

A job interview can often feel like an inquisition. It’s not easy to talk about yourself in the job interview process, but your conversation is the key to your success. You may be wondering, “Is this experience relevant? Am I messing up? How do I land on…?” as you go through the interview process. But none of these questions are the best questions to ask yourself or anyone else in your job search. Beyond these mental traps of the mind (a fancy way of saying “uncertainty”), there’s a better question to ask at a job interview.That’s right, while you’re being asked questions—and given the answers—think of a proven path that can help you keep your stories short, to the point and clear in the job interview process Discover the best question for your job interview and you’re one step closer to landing the gig.

Sometimes interviews are designed as “one-way” conversations – in other words, a job interview is really an interrogation where the company asks the questions and you have the opportunity to verbally share your skills and talents. In this case, the job interview is not a dialogue – in fact, there is no opportunity for conversation. Many companies turn to this type of screening interview as a means of further refining your resume. But what every job seeker wants – and needs – is a conversation. After all, how can a company make an informed decision without answering job interview questions? In a dialogue rather than an interrogation, the candidate (that’s you) has the opportunity to share some curiosity and inquiry, in addition to all the experience you’ve accumulated. You have to wonder if companies that use one-way interviews really care about listening to their employees – especially if they won’t listen to feedback or questions from a candidate during the job interview.

Whatever skill you want to illustrate in a job interview—such as your financial acumen, your attention to detail, your ability to lead others, or your attention to the customer experience—be sure to think like a lawyer in the job interview process. It may sound strange, but a lawyer knows that you cannot discuss something that has not gone into evidence. Adjectives are not evidence. Spitting out adjectives about yourself is just bragging—or maybe a lack of awareness about how job interviews really work.

Court is in session: Talk about your past at the job interview

Without the facts of the case, attorneys could misrepresent their clients and could be admonished (or even punished!) by the judge. Without evidence, the story sounds contrived, irrelevant and unrelated to the case at hand. In other words, if you want to present something as evidence (like the fact that you have a great knowledge of ERP systems or are brilliant at cost accounting procedures), the evidence of your skills comes in the form of a story. Stories support your claims and provide evidence that is persuasive in the job interview process.

Focus on sharing your stories in the job interview: The proof of your skills

Instead of worrying about how you’ll present yourself in a job interview, focus on what really matters: telling a short and compelling story that illustrates your skills and talents. If you think you’re a determined loner, what’s the story that supports that view? What is the proof of your skills shared in a concise story? That way, a job interview isn’t just a bunch of bold statements or self-indulgence—it’s an evidence-based study of stories that demonstrate you have the abilities needed to get the job.

And then: get curious.

Ask yourself how you might fit into the organization, assuming the job interview goes your way. Isn’t that really what a job interview is all about, from both sides of the desk? The company wants to know if you are a good fit. Want to know if you’re eligible. So the best question you can ask in a job interview is the one that points to what you want: to be the right one!

Remember, the job search process is a process – and there’s no need to throw tact out the window. Of course you would never make inappropriate pleas – “Just hire me, I’m so desperate!” ike It’s like proposing on the second date. Or turning the job interview into a hostage situation. How do you think this will end? Probably fast, not as you want.

The interview process is a give and take where a job interview is a conversation. From a place of understanding, not despair or uncertainty, notice that the interview is an opportunity for discovery. Namely to find out if you are suitable for the role! Instead of deciding in your own mind that you’re not right, that you’re not a good interviewer, or whatever other kind of mental garbage is going around in your head – why not turn to the person right in front of you and check to see are you on your way See, any conversation that is looked at from the inside out will look like a series of mistakes and confusions. That’s why it’s vital to get out of your own head at the job interview. Focus on service and share your story. Because your conversation might just be stronger than you think!

Share your curiosity about the next logical step—and you’ll demonstrate that you’re clear-headed and focused on the job interview process. Isn’t it logical and reasonable to want to know how your stories and evidence can fit into the corporate culture? Don’t you want to know how your experience can be useful to your potential employer in the job interview?

Don’t wait: Ask the important job interview question

Asking how your stories and skills fit together is the most important question you can ask. Alignment is the goal. For example, if you are asked about your work ethic and dedication, share a story that shows how you come in early and stay late, with examples of impact and collaboration. Share a story that is your personal connection to the Nike principle “Your work isn’t done until on the job is done.” Then, since you’ve offered a memento as evidence at the job interview, don’t stop. Stay curious.

“How does this experience align with your vision for the role?”

This is the question that can matter in a job interview because it opens up the dialogue. This is an opportunity for the interviewer to consider you and your experience in the position. While there’s no guarantee you’ll get the job, you’re at least opening up the possibility — and an opportunity for more in-depth discussion.

For example, if you ask the best question in the job interview process—“How does this story fit in?” or “How does this align with your goals for this position?” the interviewer might say, “Well, I think you envisioned more experience with SAP software for this position.” Instead of jumping to the conclusion that all hope is lost (because hope is never lost, we just don’t always know where to find it), remember that this response, like any feedback , is a gift. Now you have the opportunity to share more about your accounting experience through a story. “I’m glad I brought that up,” you might say at the job interview, “because it reminds me of a story I forgot to share…” A new set of skills can be introduced in the form of a story followed by an edited version of the best job interview question: “So, does this fit what you’re looking for in this role?”

Follow me at Twitter or LinkedIn. Take a look my website or some of my other works here.