In a recent TikTok video that has since gone viral, Jennifer Reardon shared a question that has helped her nail the job at every interview she has attended. Reardon explained that asking the said question at the end of the interview will help a candidate win a major point with the interviewer(s).
Here is her question: “Are there any concerns that you have about me that we can address before we end?”
Reardon believes this question would help a candidate de-escalate any reservations that the interviewers may have gotten in the course of the interview. Luckily, you get to address whatever issues are brought up and walk out of the session with confidence that you’ll get the job.
Reardon was of the opinion that since there is no perfect candidate, there will always be an issue with every single one of them. So, addressing that issue before the interview session comes to an end may give you that much-needed edge.
While Reardon claims this stunt has worked for her at every interview in which she has applied it, some TikTok users in the comment section did not entirely agree with her.
For example, one user feels Reardon’s question would unnecessarily put an interviewee on the spot, a situation where you may not want to find yourself, particularly in an already tense interview.
Likewise, another commenter acknowledged having asked Reardon’s interview question once, and they claim to have gotten an awkward and indefinite response from the interviewer.
Interestingly, someone else suggested rewording Reardon’s question so as to add a punch to its effectiveness. They said the question would be better this way: “What reservations do you have about my abilities to perform in this role?”
But what do the experts believe? We decided to consult the Harvard Business Review on how best to prepare for your next interview. While there is a wide range of questions asked by interviewers, a trend is becoming repetitive in most interviews. Interviewees are often given an open check to ask whatever questions they have.
This phase often comes up at the end of the interview, and the interviewer throws open the opportunity in a lighthearted manner. However, recruitment and human resources experts have pointed out that this portion of the interview could become a game changer, as earlier suggested by Reardon’s TikTok post.
According to the Harvard Business Review, here are three interview questions that could change the tide of an interview in your favor.
Questions about job specifics. For example, “What are the major responsibilities I will be required to take on in this role?”
Questions about your work team. For example, “Could you give me a brief description of the kind of team I’ll be working on and the people I’ll be working directly with?”
Questions about your boss. Some work roles may require you to work directly with a sectional head or some other top administrator of the firm. It won’t kill anyone if you ask to know a bit more about them.
So, the next time you have an interview, try out these questions and let us know how it goes.
