Here’s another helpful post from our friends at Savvy Sugar. Check it out: 

Everyone has their own spiel about what they can offer the company and relevant skill sets, but sometimes the job description is vague and you have no clue what your interviewer wants to hear. There’s a way to get around this hurdle. Michael Junge, Google recruiter and author of Purple Squirrel, shared this suggestion with SavvySugar in an interview:

“One of the biggest missed opportunities for most people in the interview is finding out what the other person thinks is important at the beginning of the conversation. If you and I sat down and I had no idea of what your goals and expectations are in a new hire, I can spend the entire interview talking about elements and aspects of my background that are totally meaningless to you. And I may have experience that’s completely relevant and miss it. I see this happen all the time.

“[Broach the topic by saying] simple things like, ‘I have a general idea about the goal of this position, but I’d love to hear in your own words what you’re looking for in a new hire or what makes someone successful.’ Just something simple to get them talking about their expectations and what they’re hoping for and how the person is going to make their life easier. And then for the rest of the conversation you have the opportunity to be more useful and relevant.”

Asking the interviewer a question when he’s asking you questions can be a sensitive scenario, so make sure you tread lightly and that you’re phrasing it in a respectful way. What do you think—do you think this is a good way to start an interview?

More From Savvy Sugar

Find out how to answer some of the most common interview questions.
Waiting by the phone? Here’s eight reasons hiring managers haven’t called back.
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