INTERVIEWING: Questions Control Conversations
Posted by Mike Thomas at 2/5/2010 5:03 AM 
Categories: INTERVIEWING
Tags: Control Interviewing Questions Job Interviews Power
Categories: INTERVIEWING
Tags: Control Interviewing Questions Job Interviews Power
What makes suspects sweat when questioned by cops?
The same thing that makes some job seekers' skin crawl in job interviews: questions.
That's because the person who asks the questions has the power. Questions control conversations. No questions, no power.
But being powerless in job interviews doesn't help your cause.
Why interviewers have power. They ask the questions. Their questions are designed to get information from you and sometimes even a reaction. When you're in the "hot seat," you can feel like you're getting grilled by a prosecuting attorney. Also, the person who asks the questions determine the topics covered. And when only one party knows what's coming next, it puts the other party at a disadvantage.
Share the power. Back in the day, hiring managers would pepper job seekers with questions like a champ jabbing a challenger with his back against the ropes in a prize fight. Please don't fall into that during a job interview. I encourage job seekers to make the interview a conversation and ask questions throughout. This forces the power to be shared. This also demonstrates that you know what you bring to the party and the value you bring. Asking questions during the interview actually elevates you in interviewers' eyes.
Don't dominate. Some job seekers ask too many questions during job interviews, which can be as detrimental as asking none at all. While there are no hard and fast rules, I routinely recommend job seekers ask slightly fewer questions than the interviewer. That way, the power is still shared and it doesn't look like the job seeker is trying to dominate the conversation.
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