The one question you should always ask at the end of a job interview

10/3/2016
Jacquelyn Smith

Job interviews should be a two-way street in which both parties — the candidate and the employer — have the same goal: to figure out whether there's a fit.

The best way to do this as the interviewee is to ask questions.The right questions.

Career experts Katharine S. Brooks and Lynn Taylor say that what you ask may vary depending on the industry, company, or job you're applying for, but they agree on one question all job candidates should always ask, no matter what the situation: "Who succeeds in this position?"

Another way to phrase it: "How would you define success for this position?"

"This question gives you 'insider information' about the position and the interviewer's perspective on the organization," says Brooks, the executive director of Vanderbilt University's Center for Student Professional Development. "This is the type of information you can't find easily on the internet."

Taylor, a national workplace expert and the author of "Tame Your Terrible Office Tyrant: How to Manage Childish Boss Behavior and Thrive in Your Job," says that as the hiring manager answers this question, they will provide insight on how your career goals align with the company's priorities.

"Their response will likely elicit such invaluable input as specific skills they seek (you'll pick up a lot more nuances than what's included in a written job listing); the real priorities for the job (you'll know this because of emphasis and time spent on each); an inside perspective of what it takes to secure the position (they're in effect telling you specifically how to sell yourself according to their needs); and their culture, work ethic expectations, and style," she says.

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