Page 179 - 301 Best Questions to Ask on Your Interview, Second Edition

THE QUESTION LIFE CYCLE

12-10
I know I can meet the demands of the position and would make an out-
standing contribution. Can I have the offer?
Confronted so directly, the interviewer must make a statement about
your chances of being hired. If the interviewer doesn’t, he or she isn’t
interested in you at all.

12-11
What will be your recommendation to the hiring committee?
Phrased like this, you are flattering the interviewer that his or her
recommendation is valuable.

12-12
I’m ready to make a decision based on the information I have. Is there
anything else you need to make me an offer?
An effective one-two punch of a question that combines an expres-
sion of interest with a subtle invitation to see an offer. Remember to
apply the ARTS strategy in your reply.

12-13
I am very interested in this job, and I know your endorsement is key to
my receiving an offer. May I have your endorsement?
Phrased this way, the question does not request that the interviewer
offer a job but merely the endorsement. It also flatters the interviewer
by making it clear that his or her recommendation carries consider-
able weight, whether it does or not.

12-14
It sounds to me as if we have a great fit here. What do you think?
Note that this is very aggressive phrasing, perhaps best suited for a
sales position.

12-15
It has been an interesting and fruitful discussion. I would very much
like to take it to the next step.
This is a statement rather than a question, but it closes the interview
very effectively by not only requesting a next step but assuming that
there will be one.

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