Interview 'question you'd like to ask us' how can I say this properly?!

t0rt0ise

InsideInsurance wrote: »

No, you should always have questions to ask, ideally ones where you can respond to what they say by giving more positive examples. The most common types of things are like "what are the biggest challenges you see in this role?" and then come out with how you've dealt with similar issues before and increased business/ cut costs/ exceeded expectations etc etc

That sort of question makes it look like you don't know much about the job you have applied for so not a good idea. It's the sort of question that the interviewer would be asking and not the interviewee.

I think it's dangerous to ask questions that you don't really have as it always sounds phoney and it's obvious that the person has only asked the question because someone has told them they need to ask something. It's quite alright to say that everything has been covered thank you.

chocsessential

I would not ask this question for two reasons. (1) It might make the interviewer feel embarrassed. After all, in a round about way you are asking them to criticise you. They have only just met you so probably won't feel comfortable doing that. (2) Why would you want to draw attention to your negative aspects? Ending the interview on a negative note will not produce a good outcome, i.e. a job offer, surely?

In_the_red

ahh I will be leaving that well alone then. Lots of conflicting advice but I guess leaving it out and asking another question is better than having a 50/50 chance of insulting the recruitment team.

I am having a really bad time today, I'm stressing so much tryna make sure tomorrow goes perfect. The email conformation of the job post says 'smart business dress is appropriate' obviously I am going to go smart but I've been trying to find a jacket/blazer and none will fit because the size of my chest I'm really panicking that appearance may deter them from hiring me, would a black shirt and (knee length) pencil skirt with (mid)heels be okay without a jacket?

Ahh I'm having a mare, everyones telling me to chill out but everything I;ve read online it seems so strict about attire.

smileylondongal

Is there anyone you could borrow from and from those jackets you do have, do they fit without being done up? I think people can forgive your not doing your jacket up due to the weather but if they're as strict as you say on attire, then you prob should make the extra effort in this case.

You've already made up your mind about the original question, but just to say you're doing the right thing by not asking this question. In no way would they tell you there and then if they had any concerns and you'd only be doing yourself an injustice by asking it.

Best of luck with the interview and my advice is to prep by thinking of all of the competency questions they'll ask you and writing these down, and then by each one thinking of two really solid examples. Don't over rehearse as they'll sound so, and if they ask a question you've not prepared it might throw you!

Take care.

EchoLocation

MoneySavingUser wrote: »

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I'd try and keep it simple mentioning if there is anything that has been said in the interview they would like clarified/expanded on and if there are any aspects of the job specification which they think have not been covered so you can say a few things on those parts

I suppose it will also depend on the type of interviewer you get and how formal/informal the interview becomes

This.

I'm a great believer in being natural, and talking TO, as opposed to AT, the interviewer. Of course this does depend on the type of person they are, but I wouldn't so much ask it as a question but just as part of the conversation at the end of the interview. If you mention it in a genuine way amongst any other 'summing up' bits and pieces, I think it shows your interest in a good light.

The last thing you want, particularly if this is a competancy based interview, is to be told that you didn't get the job as you hadn't elaborated enough on key points - I had a phone interview once where this exact thing happened, I couldn't believe it, my reaction was "well, if you'd just asked me to elaborate a bit more the answer I would've!".

Also, don't let your practice and rehearsal turn you into an 'answering machine'. Just relax and be natural. Good Luck!

In_the_red

I don't own a jacket/blazer no more. I spent 2 hours in next this afternoon and tried every single one they had on, not 1 fit me correctly. I never even thought of wearing them open!! Do you think If I went in and said 'you'll have to excuse my attire the suit I ordered never came on time' type of thing it would bring it more so to there attention and go against me. I just don't want them to think that I'm the type of person that thinks jacket isn't needed if you know what I mean.

Can you tell how much I want this job, I'm proper panicking and over assessing everything :eek:

smileylondongal

Bless you! What time's your interview - do you have time to pop over to a cheap store like Matalan, one of the supermarkets that sells clothing etc? Charity shops might even do them. I would if you could. If you can't go in as smart as you can.
Hope it goes okay for you.

Wellery82

Given it is a sales role i would definitely close on a question of this type. You need to show you can close a sale, and the interview is your format to show that

In_the_red

no jackets/blazers that fit in the supermarket, just been- booo. Just gunna have to hope for the best. I have no time to get one in the morning in matalan or such likes as I have to go straight from the babies nursery to the interview quite a bit away.

InsideInsurance

t0rt0ise wrote: »

That sort of question makes it look like you don't know much about the job you have applied for so not a good idea.

I disagree, I have been doing my line of work for too long but at any one time every organisation I have worked for feels it is suffering a particular "issue".

When I ask the question I dont really expect them to give me a generic, "what are the challenges in project management" in general, because every organisation faces those. Their answer to the question however is much more "now" or what they believe is a quirk of theirs.

So recently a lot of companies have been flirting with a new methodology of running projects and a few companies I've spoken to have discussed the teething problems of how you switch from one methodology to the other and how you educate your stakeholders on the differences.

Its a topic I understand well and its an issue I have come across before and therefore I am able to show I can bring insight and experience to an issue that to date I've not been directly asked about in interview to date.

Sometimes their answer can be a more generic thing like "difficulty in securing resources" and they've asked you earlier about how you approach the issue of resource managers saying no one is available but then I personally make a bit of a joke about the fact that it now makes more sense why they asked that particular question before and reitterate the fact I've dealt with the resource managers from hell before and successfully delivered to time, quality and budget despite them.