In a job interview, there will come a time—usually in the last five minutes—when the tables are turned and the interviewer will ask, “Do you have any questions for me?”
Asking smart, thoughtful questions can help you make a lasting impression on the hiring manager and see if the role you’re interviewing for is a good fit for you.
There’s one question, in particular, you should “always” ask at the end of an interview, says Jenny Cheng, vice president and general manager, Google Wallet.
“Is there anything else you’re looking for in this role that I haven’t disclosed yet?”
Cheng, who previously worked at Salesforce and PayPal, has interviewed dozens of candidates throughout her career. She recommends this question because it “gives you a clear start to addressing any concerns or questions the interviewer has about your skills or experiences that you haven’t discussed yet.”
It gives you another chance to prove your worth and to stand out from other candidates as well.
“Often, conversations can go so far down a single track that you, as the interviewer, can’t cover everything you thought you were going to do,” Cheng says. “As candidates, we’re so busy trying to stay on top of the questions before us that few people will leave the opening to ask, ‘Is there anything else we haven’t covered?'”
But, Cheng adds, “there can always be something the interviewer thinks you couldn’t do or didn’t do, even at the end of your conversation, and you may not even realize it’s a priority.”
Not only will the hiring manager appreciate the offer to share more about the job and ask follow-up questions about your abilities, but it can also be a good opportunity to gauge how well you’re doing.
Cheng explains that most of the time, in their response, they’ll reveal something you may not have even realized was important to them in hiring. If the hiring manager asked you to clarify a previous response or elaborate more on a skill on your resume, this is your chance to get a job back.
Or, “They might tell you, ‘Your experience is really great, you’re one of the best candidates,'” adds Cheng. “Either way, you’ll get valuable feedback right away.”
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