There are many parts to a good job interview preparation process:
- Research
- Planning stories
- Writing out answers
- Role-Playing
…but one of my favorites is this one:
Preparing questions to ask the interviewer
Why do I like it so much?
This is the part of an interview where the candidate can really take control of the conversation. You’ve gotten (I hope) plenty of information already about the culture, the expectations and the role, not to mention about the interviewer him or herself and what kind of interviewer they are.
This is your chance to either:
Find out what is the most important quality they need in the role and pitch yourself as having it
or
Find out if the role has the most important element that you need it to have and determine whether you actually want the position.
You also have an opportunity to get inside that interviewer’s head a little bit and give them what they are looking for, but for that you have to be great at analyzing people on your feet. If you are listening actively, not only to verbal communication but also to nonverbal cues, then you have a lot to go on. What does the interviewer want to know about you that they have not yet learned?
This can be the most important—make or break—moment of your interview. Don’t throw it away!
Wendy Stackhouse, for Artisan Creative