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The one interview trick I ignored for 6 years that finally worked
I spent years going into job interviews trying to memorize answers to every possible question they might ask. I had whole pages of notes about my strengths and weaknesses and all that stuff. Then a buddy in construction told me he always asks the interviewer a question at the start about what success looks like for this role in the first 90 days. I thought it was just some slick sales tactic but I tried it last summer at a company in Denver. The interviewer actually stopped and thought about it for a minute and then the whole vibe changed. We started talking like we were solving a problem together instead of me just answering test questions. Has anyone else found that one simple question that broke the ice in an interview?
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gavin2281mo ago
Straight up game changer right there.
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smith.parker1mo ago
Whoa, I gotta disagree - most interviewers I've met love their script because it keeps things predictable and safe for them.
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Oh man, this is the stuff right here. Totally agree with @gavin228 that it's a game changer but I think the real reason it works is because most interviewers are just as nervous as you are. They hate the scripted Q&A format too. Asking them a smart question like that flips the power dynamic and makes them feel like they're having a normal conversation instead of judging you. It also shows you're thinking about the job from their side, not just your resume. I had a hiring manager tell me once that people who ask stuff like that are the ones who actually care about the work, not just getting a paycheck.
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