Not every job interview involves you begging for someone to hire you. If you have an in-demand skill (hello, data scientists!), ask your potential boss what about the new role would make it worth leaving your current position for.
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Recruitment expert Kathy Rapp highlights this option in a list of questions asked by outstanding candidates. What are the benefits of asking ‘Why should I leave a job I love to come here’?
This question says, ‘I’m an extremely passive candidate, and you’re going to have to really convince me to even continue in the interview process.’ It is also asking for transparency: What’s the real story about your org and this role?
It may seem arrogant, but there’s no value in under-selling yourself. Hit the full post for more interview suggestions.
Questions to ask in a job interview [Business Insider]
Comments
4 responses to “Ask A Potential Employer Why They’re Worth Your Time”
Utter suicide!
Depends on the employer.
A good employer will appreciate questions, it shows you’re interested and engaged, and they will want switched-on people. It will not be a problem for them to answer the question – they’ll be happy to tell you why they’re a great move.
An employer who is angry or offended at a potential employee for asking a straightforward, if challenging question is not the kind I ever want to work for.
It is,
but it can be the difference between having a job you’ll quit in a week vs one you quit in a year
but it can also be the difference between being fired within a week of hire for bold arrogance
And here is why that question isn’t taken well by employers – the current belief among younger generations that “a year” is a long term career.
I employ a lot of developers, Product Owners, Testers and infrastructure people and would advise that you be very careful in the wording of this question.
When I hire people I look for two things, can they do the job and are they a good cultural fit. The capability is easy to spot but I can tell you more than one asshat has slipped through and that is far more damaging to the team than not being quite as capable as the guy next to you.
Trying to resolve asshat problems is probably the worst thing I have to do, warnings are shit, firing people is worse. You try hard to get through to the person even before this but due to their personality you can only rarely get somewhere.
It’s a complete waste of my time having to deal with the person and then to mop up after them to get the team back on track. I have far better things to do which give me a lot more job satisifaction, and provide value to the business.
I wont take the risk on personality anymore, so be very, very careful in coming accross as arrogant because that will put a big X next to your name faster than anything else.
On the other hand respectful, probing questions about the environment that you are about to work in that show the desire to check your fit and fully understand what is being offerred will more than likely send you to the top of my list.
Bingo. This.
To add to my comment above, If you ever actually put the question across as ‘why should I leave a job I love to come here’?” that would end the interview instantly with me. Why? Because my response to that is “why are you here at a job interview when you have a job you love?”