The Most Important Question You Need to Ask in an Interview

Every interview is a source of stress. You need to prove yourself by answering all the questions relevant to the job correctly (and well). But you also need to stand out from the crowd. While the first thing depends a bit on your field, the second is universal. Here’s the bottom line. In an interview situation, you and your future employer are both trying to figure out whether you would work effectively together. They want to know whether you will succeed in the position. You do too! So how do you find out? Try asking the following when it comes time for you to ask “whatever questions you might have”: “How would you define success for this position?” Right away, you’re going to get insider information. Your interviewer is about to spill the holy grail with juicy tidbits such as: strategies and specific skills the job requires, priorities the job demands, and the culture of the company itself. You ask this question and it will be immediately clear that you’re taking the job and the process seriously. You’ll have expressed interest in the nuances of the job, and you’ll show off some truly snazzy communication skills while you’re at it. It won’t guarantee you’ll get the job, by any means, but it will put you in a great position to see whether you’d find it a good fit, and to prove that you should be a strong contender.