The Make-Or-Break Job Interview Question Most Workers Don't Even Realize They're Being Asked
Think small talk is frivolous and unimportant? Think again.
PaeGAG | Shutterstock You only get one chance to make a first impression, as the saying goes, and there's no situation where that's more important than job interviews. We all take great care to make sure we're dressed and groomed appropriately, that we've got our talking points down pat, that our handshake is firm and our smile is inviting. But one recruiter said most of us are missing the one thing that speaks far more volumes than any of these.
There's a make-or-break job interview question most workers don't even realize they're being asked.
No, it's not the "where do you see yourself in 10 years" one or the "tell me about a time you solved a crisis" one. It's just completely innocuous small talk. You know, that thing that so many of us absolutely loathe?
Sharon Armstrong, a veteran recruiter and the founder of Armstrong Appointments, a South Africa-based staffing firm, said that when it comes to a job interview, "we learn more about you in the first two minutes than the next ten."
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And her two cents were in line with a lot of studies on job interviews, which have shown, for instance, that 60% of hiring decisions are made within the first 15 minutes of an interview and, even more important, lasting first impressions are formed in as little as 7 seconds. So what's this question that is so vital?
How you answer the question 'Did you find us okay?' can say everything in a split second.
It's nothing more than a pleasantry and a matter of good manners, but Armstrong said we'd all be in disbelief if we knew how many people flub it entirely.
“People think the interview starts when we start asking questions, but in reality, we’re assessing from the moment we meet you," she said. "The way you enter a room, how you greet us, and what you say in those first 30 seconds gives away more than a polished answer ever could," she went on to explain. And the "did you find us okay?" or "how was your journey?" questions often become a sort of test of who you are as a person.
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Your answer reveals "how you think, how you carry yourself, and how you handle pressure," Armstrong said. "A short, polite, upbeat response shows composure and preparation. A flustered or negative reply, even unintentionally, suggests stress, disorganization, or poor self-awareness," she went on to explain.
That might seem unfair, but think of it from the interviewer's perspective. If you're flustered by getting yourself to an interview, how are you going to respond to an actual crisis in the office? I've worked in jobs where hiring was part of my duties, and I can say from experience that those odd little moments almost always end up being subtle foreshadowing!
The expert said all the small moments leading up to an interview are opportunities.
So, how should you handle this question? Armstrong said that "staying calm, positive, and composed in that moment immediately signals reliability and self-awareness, without raising any red flags." And if you want to brown nose a bit, now's your chance! Adding something like "great, I always leave a bit early just in case" adds more information about how conscientious you are.
Armstrong said this is just one of several moments before an interview that can be leveraged, too. Many recruiters ask their receptionists for their two cents on candidates. If you were polite, personable, and not flustered, the receptionist would notice. "It’s a quiet but powerful piece of feedback," Armstrong said.
The chat that happens in the hallway on the way to the interview room counts too. It's not just filling time. "It’s an informal check: Can you carry conversation? Are you at ease? Are you aware of social cues?" Armstrong said. As is, believe it or not, what you do with your coffee cup or water glass at the end of the interview can be revealing of manners and how you take initiative.
So much of interviewing for jobs is about psychology and packaging. That's part of how all these unqualified people have so many of the good jobs! So don't discount these small moments, because they just might be opportunities to set yourself apart.
John Sundholm is a writer, editor, and video personality with 20 years of experience in media and entertainment. He covers culture, mental health, and human interest topics.
