Interviews are one of the most nerve-wracking experiences out there. You can never tell quite what to expect, except that you should probably expect the unexpected.
Thankfully, you can rest assured there's one question that ought to come up every time: whether or not you have any questions for the panel.
A popular final exchange, it's often fun to turn the table on your interviewer. But it can also be a real head-scratcher. What do you do if all of your burning questions have already been answered? And should you try to show off while you respond, as some people suggest?
One recruiter who is often quizzed on the topic has shared the best answer he's ever received. Shedding light on the matter in a video posted as @realisticrecruiting, Mike told followers: "I don't love pre-scripted questions to ask on job interviews. I think the best questions come from a place of genuine curiosity about what you've learned so far in the interview and about the company."
He added: "Asking things like 'What does success look like?' or 'What are the key attributes of the role?' are often already answered during the interview and sound like something you've asked everybody. Is it a deal breaker? No. But does it make you stand out? Also, no."
Thankfully, he followed up with insight into how to craft a positive question - using a real-life example. "Every time someone asks me about the best question I ever got, I always think about the same story," Mike revealed. "I was interviewing for an internship, they were junior level - had no real experience, they were still in school, that's how internship programmes work.
"When I interview interns I often like to ask about learning style because I think that's the best thing an intern can really present. So I ask every intern, 'What's the last thing you learned outside of class and how did you learn it?'
"So later when this intern candidate asked me the last thing I learned to grow myself professionally and how work supported me learning it, I thought it was a great question." Breaking down the pros, Mike added: "It showed they were paying attention. It showed they were asking questions about things that actually matter to them, and it gave me a chance to brag a little bit about the company."
He concluded: "It's something to try and make an effort to do but it's not a deal breaker for interviews. Try and show that you have an interest in what they're talking about and have questions that come up based on how the conversation has gone."
Responding to the video, one of several shared by Mike in his quest to dish out 'realistic job advice', commenters were quick to thank the pro. One replied: "Good advice." A second joked: "Well now I can't use that one." Meanwhile, someone else commented: "I always ask an interviewer - What is the last thing you changed in the business based on employee feedback? the answers can be very enlightening!
And another wrote: "I've asked about how the organization handled the early days of COVID (and if possible) what they learned and are applying to their company ethos now."
Do you have a story to share? Email amber.oconnor@reachplc.com
