For the last 10 years, I've worked as a recruiter at Google, Uber and The New York Times. At the end of an interview, when I ask "What questions do you have for me?" I have already decided how I feel about your skills. At this point, I want to understand how you think.
Most people waste this opportunity. They ask predictable and safe questions about growth, culture and day-to-day tasks. The most successful job candidates ask about the problem the company is trying to solve by hiring for this position.
Companies are not creating roles for fun. Someone has an issue that they need handled, and they want someone who can take care of it without a lot of oversight. If you show me that you're already thinking this way, it transforms you from one applicant in a sea of many to someone I want to hire on the spot.
If you walk into an interview and ask "What's broken?" with a genuine curiosity and willingness to help, that's what will make you stand out the most. Here are four ways to ask this question — and what each one teaches me about you when I hear it.
1. 'What's actually broken right now that you want this person to fix?'
This question makes me lean in. But you have to ask it with humility, not as a "gotcha" question. I would open with a line like, "To make sure I'm focusing my energy in the right direction..." and then ask.
The framing tells me you're not shopping for a fancy title. You want, and are excited about, the hardest part of the work.
This inquiry also hands you something no amount of prep can. Once you learn the real reason the job exists, straight from the source, you can speak directly to the issue at hand — and why you're the right person to help them solve it.
2. 'A year from now, what will make you say that this hire worked out?'
In interviews, many job candidates make the mistake of trying to prove that they deserve the job, when they should be trying to figure out how their success will be measured.
This question shows me that you are already inhabiting the role. I am not interested in hiring someone who wants any old job offer. I want to make sure that you're capable and are already planning to deliver targeted results.
When your interviewer answers this question, don't just nod. Synthesize it back to them. Say, "So if I'm hearing you right, success looks like X. Let me tell you how I've done that before..."
3. 'Who is the person on your team you wish you could clone?'
This question shows me that you want to know what success looks like here, specific to the texture of this team, not in theory. People who ask this tend to find their footing quickly, because they've already started studying what works.
If you leave an interview with a very clear understanding of who has done well and how they made an impact, that will help as you move on to the next round.
4. 'What's the part of this job people underestimate?'
This is a disarming question. It provides a great opening for the interviewer to tell you what keeps them up at night with this job. And it's an opportunity for you to share how you can help reduce that stress.
The question also shows me that you're insightful. You would rather learn the truth and work through complicated issues than stay on the surface.
Interviews often feel like auditions where the goal is to be chosen. The people I've wanted to hire on the spot never played it that way. They treated it like the first day of work and they spent that hour trying to understand what they were there to fix.
Farah Sharghi is an HR and technical recruiter, career coach, public speaker and content creator. She has worked as a talent acquisition specialist for Google, Lyft, Uber, TikTok and The New York Times. She posts about job hunting, interview prep, and salary negotiations on YouTube, Instagram and TikTok.
Want to get ahead at work? Then you need to learn how to make effective small talk. In CNBC's new online course, How To Talk To People At Work, expert instructors share practical strategies to help you use everyday conversations to gain visibility, build meaningful relationships and accelerate your career growth. Sign up today!
