Career Relaunch – Medium: Coming out of college I was interviewing so frequently that it was nearly an athletic experience, and I found a pattern. All interviews tend to wind down the same way. Regardless of how painful or pleasant they were, just before you’re ushered out the door, someone will ask you something along the lines of, “So… Any last questions?”
20 comments:
I enjoyed the simplicity of this article. The author claims that this one closing phrase will gain you insight to a company, but also make your interview stand out. I think the idea is wonderful; it sounds "just that easy!" It is interesting that he mentioned that this question could also put you in a uncomfortable position for seeming too prying or personal. I do think it can give you an edge up though by bringing personal experiences to your interview. I believe it humanize you as a person rather than a number in a line of applicants. WHen the situation calls for it, such as jobs where compassion and empathy is wanted, I believe this question can play a great role in giving you a leg up. I often find myself feeling pushy or overbearing when I don't just leave after the deadening "Any last questions?". I guess that is something that will adjust or get easier as I get older and interview with more confidence. Also, before now the interview training I've learned has been in an academic setting: interviewing for colleges, scholarships, theatre jobs within school. I am excited to learn more over this topic of interviewing outside of academic settings.
This article piqued my interest because I haven’t had much practice interviewing. I think the most I’ve done is when I was applying to grad schools and ran the gambit of interviewing at schools. I liked that the article said “In answering this question, a hiring manager will give you their very personal definition of success and, by extension, what kind of achievement they value most. If your value structure doesn’t align with theirs, maybe this isn’t the person you should be working for.” I think the answer to this question is a good indication of what the company’s values are. I think I might be a little hesitant to actually use this question in an interview, it almost seems a little too personal to ask of someone you’ve only met twenty minutes ago. I think I’d have to get a feel of the person who was interviewing me before I felt brave enough to ask what their favorite memory of their job is.
With only a hand full of interviews under my belt, I still know the awkward ending feeling. Most of the time at the end as a wrap up it wasn't "Are their any last questions" it was something more along the lines of "well I think that covers everything..." and from their it is the odd handshake and exit. This question the author uses is very interesting, because not only is it personal about the business its also asking a question personal to the interviewer. I think that it is unique enough not to sound too generic but I worry it would make someone uncomfortable. If I was in their shoes, I don't think I would be expecting something like that, but I also don't know if I would mind it. The only thing I can think to compare it to, is at big family gatherings and everyone of my aunts and uncles asks what my favorite part about school is; and normally the answer is vague and unspecific, like my friends, a certain class. The author uses the word "moment" I wonder if that changes the question enough to not get a generic 'this is a great thing' answer.
On this blog alone, I've seen a number of interview strategy articles and this one appears to be the most helpful. It is a simple article, but the small piece of advice is one that is easy to remember and effective. I am only a Freshmen in college at this time, so all of my interviews have either been for scholarships or retail positions, but practicing good interview habits with lower staked jobs is helpful. I personally, will be taking this advice. I really agree that if your employer can not give you one positive memory from their experience working at that company, why would you want to work there? Of course, sometimes we just need a job. That much is understandable, but enjoyment and happiness is also an important factor of choosing a career if it can be helped.
First off, this is the most unprofessional article title about interviews I have ever seen. It makes me wonder how good the information is. But the question is actually valid. I always forget to ask something like this when I interview but it’s a really interesting question and can really give you an insight into how the company works. And like the article says, if they don’t have an answer, it probably means that the company isn’t that good and you should reevaluate if you actually want to work there. I would want to know the answer to this question because i want to know more about the person who will be my boss, but it’s also great to figure out what your boss will value the most so you can do that when you work there. It’s a sneaky (but not in a bad way) way to be one step ahead on your first day of work (assuming you got the job). Lastly, I don’t know how I feel about how this question will make the interviewer subconsciously connect their best emotions about the company to you, that sounds like a real stretch. They might remember that you asked something personal about them and not just the company, which in turn will make them like you, but it won’t be the resurfacing happy memory that they tie to you.
This article is a little bit of a mess, and it is just one guy so I guess you have to take it with a grain of salt, but I do think that he makes some very good point. If there is one thing I have learned in my experience interviewing is that people love to talk about themselves. Everyone is looking for a chance to say something personal or talk about their success like 100 percent of a time. It always helps to make someone feel like you care about them even when the setting your in suggests that they are supposed to care about you. Chances are the person interviewing you has been interviewing all day and is so sick of hearing about your strengths and weaknesses they want to talk about anything else. I imagine that this works pretty well, and I plan on trying it the next time I get asked that question but lets not forget how difficult it is to interview and that this line alone will not save you if you haven't put down the ground work necessary at the beginning of the interview. As far as I know interviews are a little more about what you say when they ask you the question not what question you ask. I'm a little iffy about how much to trust this man, and part of me is glad that he is doing well with this question, but I'm also a little sad that he telling people all they have to do is say one thing and they are set, because it be littles the people who do prepare for interviews.
I do like the phrasing of this question, acting like it only just occurred to you, and ending with “so far,” because of course there will be so many more amazing moments at this company. It’s simple, but delivered well, would reinforce that you are excited at the idea of working with them. At the same time, I wouldn’t want to use this question, which is encouraging more discussion, when the interviewer is clearly trying to wrap it up. Maybe that’s a bad interview habit. I think that college interviews were a lot easier than a normal (read desk) job interview would be, because I was so genuinely excited. Particularly for one on one interviews, it was easy for me to talk about something I’m interested in, and when I hit something they were interested in, to let the interviewer talk for a while. In hindsight, I actually think my tendency to go off on tangents helped me build connections with interviewers.
This is such a perfect question. It provides a lot of information, leaves a good impression, and, at least in my mind, is actually a genuine question. When I was reading this article first I was a bit skeptical of the idea of a question to use in any interview, since typically I like to try to have my “any questions” question be a question inspired by what is discussed during the interview, and I also tend to not like to make interview formulaic because it starts to feel false. But this question both does everything it needs to do as part of an interview, and it is also a question that I sincerely want to ask. I will definitely be using it in my future interviews, though I’m not sure if I will use it every interview, or if I will continue to try to come up with a question specific to the interview if I can.
Issues and possibly questionable parts of the article aside, this is the best advice I’ve seen yet for how to deal with that end of interview question. I’m bad enough at having questions to use during the actual interview part of the interview process. When it comes to having a question for the end if/when they ask for any last questions I’m down right terrible. But this question is a good one. I don’t know if I buy that part about how it’ll make the interviewer associate you with a positive memory but the rest of it sounds accurate. It’ll definitely give you an insight into what the company values and how it works and like the article said if the interviewer can’t come up with one then that’s a good warning sign that working there may not be the best idea. I also like the proposed wording, it strikes a balance between formal enough to fit in with the interview and casual enough that it doesn’t seem rehearsed.
I think this is really solid advice. The article prompted me to sit and think a bit about the questions I ask when I’m being interviewed and oddly enough, I do ask a slight variation on this question in most interviews. My version: “what do you enjoy most about working here?” I’m undecided whether I think the author’s question or my question is more useful. His question is certainly more specific, which could be good for some interviewers, but could be difficult for others. I’ve never conducted an interview, but I’ve been a part of a few, but I often, despite thinking regularly about goals and achievements, have difficulty coming up with specific “bests” and “favorites” on the spot. My question has a similar function to the author’s. It leaves your interviewer with a positive association while also gauging what they value and how the express that appreciation. It also bends more toward enjoyment and fulfillment rather than achievement, which, I’ll be honest, suits my priorities.
I'm really confused about why everyone is so upset over the professionalism of this article. It's a quick advice piece. It's really fine.
Anyway. I think this is really solid advice. I wouldn't personally focus so much on the part about meddling with their subconscious, though it's a valid point, but rather the fact that this question can help you learn something about the company that you can't find on the website or from a more general question. People will always answer "What's the community like?" or "What's the day-to-day feeling of this company?" the same, broad way. The moment you make it personal, you're going to get a more truthful answer. I think that's really the most important thing, to get to the depths of what really goes on, what people really care about. Because an interview goes two ways. You should be getting a feel for what the company is like as much as the company should be getting a feel for what you are like. Another question I've asked in the past is, "Knowing what you do about me from my experience and from the conversation we've just had, do you think I would be a good fit for the company?" Even though it doesn't single out the interviewer about their personal experience, it does single YOU out, and make them look closer at you and how you fit into their experience. In a way, it allows them to tie you to themselves and the company, if only for a moment to imagine what it would be like. For a moment, in their imagination, you have the job. And it will be more clear to them and to you after that whether you should proceed.
This article was surprisingly helpful. I was expecting a piece of advice that wouldn’t actually pertain to me, but this is a great question to ask at the end of an interview. I know that I always struggle with the “Are the any questions?” part of an interview, so hopefully this will help. The reasoning behind it the author gives is actually really interesting as well. How this one question can give you more insight than all the brochures in the world into a specific company, both in its culture and work style, is amazing. I never would have thought of this question on my own, but it makes perfect sense when thinking about it. Other person specific questions I have been told to ask interviewers before always seemed too personal, but this question strikes a good balence between personal and professional.It is also really cool how it plays on psychology by having the interviewer attach you to their fondest memory at that company. I will definitely use this question at the end of my next interview!
I have always been told to have a questions at the end of interviews, though the advice has differed between general sweeping questions and specific questions about the company. I do agree that asking another specific questions about the inner workings of the company is probably annoying and should have been placed somewhere in the body of the interview, but I'm not sure sure I agree with such a general, yet kind of personal question. I definitely know people who have conducted interviews that, if asked this questions, would simply be annoyed and not really want to answer a "so, why are happy that this is what you've done with your life?" Because of this, I'm not sure that this will work as often as the author claims, but I definitely also know people that would love this questions and would probably add an extra 15 minutes to an interview with a story. Overall, I think it's sound advice, but I also think that the author needs to add disclaimer or an addition to make sure to read the person and situation before asking this questions.
Honestly, I enjoyed this short, advice-filled article. I understand that it may not fill the typical editorial style of writing, but it accomplished its purpose. I like the advice it gives as well. I've always been stumped at job interviews when asked "any last questions?" It's always seemed futile to me to genuinely ask a question, as this is a clear indicator that the interview is over. I like this question as it still involves the job you are applying for, but also asks a more personal question of the interviewers. I think it is always a good idea to engage our interviewers in some way beyond asking them logistics of the job. I think this question suits that goal. I'm interested to try this question out to see what sort of answer I would get.
I think that this article gives very good advice. I always struggle with finding questions to ask at the end of an interview because most of my questions are already answered during the interview itself. Asking your interviewer to tell you their best story about the company is a great way to learn about the culture of the company in general. If they have a positive story that they can think of right away then it is usually a good indicator of the environment in the company. If they do not have a good story or cannot think of one, then you might want to reconsider working there because you do not want to step into a company that is not enjoyable to work for. This would be a very good question to ask for a summer stock job because many places have certain reputations that may or may not be true. If you hear first hand from someone who works there, you will get a better sense of what it is like.
This article is very interesting, mainly because the question I use to end all my interviews is the exact opposite of the one the author described (but it also achieves the same effect). I might actually start ending my interviews with two questions – mine and his. The question I use is some variation of: “if there is one thing you could change about [company name here], what would it be?” This question, like the author’s question of “what was your best moment at [company name here] so far?” brings out a lot in an answer, but in an opposite sense. For example: “1. The answers they give will grant you an intimate look into what it is that they value.” With my question, you get to see the things that an interviewer values by finding out what he/she doesn’t value about his/her company. In this sense, you can get a grip on what sorts of features the company does not have that an employee may like. Though “2. This question packages you” is not quite a result I would say my question gives an asker, it does allow the interviewer to know that you are more creative than simply asking “what do you not like about your company?” In fact, it usually allows for deeper thought because of the way it is worded (what would you change? Translates to: what is that one thing you wish was different?). Additionally, “3. if they can’t think of one, you should reevaluate if you want to work for their company.” Absolutely. No company is perfect. There is always something, whether it be big or small, that someone does not like about a workplace. I find CEO’s have often given me some of the most honest responses that I have ever received, and it’s very humbling to see someone with such power act in such a humble way when thrown a question like the one that I ask. All in all, I definitely have received a lot of “oh, man…that’s such a tough question” and then moments of silence and thought as a result of my question, and I definitely like that a lot, because it indicates that my question adds an element of surprise. There is almost always a way to say something good about a company (assuming you are happy with where you are and interviewing because of it), but there is an added nuance when you explore the things you may not normally tell someone about your company – e.g., the stuff you would change.
This article popped up on my Facebook feed earlier this week. It's a good read and there's some pretty solid tips in it. Asking what the best part of someone's job is can give you a really good insight into the dynamic of the company you are interviewing for. Asking your interviewer what the best personal experience they've had is does the same thing, but it also reinforces your interest in the company. There's a lot of interview tips articles posted on the Greenpage, but I would say this is the most helpful article to date. Connecting with your interviewer on a personal level is going to help them remember you, which is always a good thing. The author mentioned that he, at some interviews, had his interviewers in tears recounting their best memories working at company X. If you can make your interviewer cry (in a positive way), then they will surely not forget you.
I think this is solid advice as well. Not only does it help you get to know the person behind the desk, it also shows them that you're truly interested in the job, not just the money that comes with it. At college interviews, I always asked about what shows the university was or had done recently, and what shows the interviewer was partial to. While I'm not sure if that helped my acceptance at all, the goal of it was to show my interest to those interviewing me and also get a look at the school from a different perspective--one that the information on websites often couldn't give me. I think this is great advice--it shows the person interviewing that you're interested, and also gives you a good idea whether or not you want to take that job if it was offered.
This is an interesting little article. Over the past year and a half I have read a lot of articles about interviewing or searching for jobs, or even talking about interviewing in classes like production personnel management. I couldn’t tell you a lot of what I’ve actually read in those articles because many of them have the same information and are just presented a little differently. Instead of focusing on how to nail an interview or how to answer each question, this article focuses on that one final question before you walk out the door. I think this is a piece of information that I’ll hang on to because it is useful, different, and simple. By knowing what someone else likes about the company or what their best moment was, it could give great insight into the company and if you really want to work for them.
I love advice and interview articles. This one is short and sweet, but offers some serious valid advice. I think it ties most heavily back to the idea of people loving to talk about themselves. This isn't necessarily a bad thing. I actually think its a good thing. The question of fond memories with a company can be so telling of the experience that one might have if they chose to join the team. I like the idea but now that the trick/question has been posted on the internet I wonder how valid the trick really is. I will now spend time exploring different synonymous questions that trigger the same result.
So often I find the end of conversations, whether they were good or bad, awkward. Like what do you say at the end of a conversation with someone who you don't know that well? "Okay, well bye." "Thanks so much." "Looking forward to hear from you soon." They all sound not bad, just not great. Ending a conversation with a question, especially about your opposite is such a strong move on the interviewee's part. It will keep the interviewer happy, and thinking about you long after you leave the room.
I look forward to pulling out this trick in the near future.
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