The #1 Question to Ask in a Job Interview

Components of this article were written in 2022; it's been updated to reflect the current job market and economy.

There is a lot of shifting happening in the marketplace, much like a river - the stream is constant, but also ever changing. There always is workplace change at this time of year. From service providers all the way up the ladder to executives, people are leaving organizations and how you work through that may be the most valuable skill you hone over the next decade.

If you are on the job hunt, you have seen articles advising you ask about culture in the interview process. That's true, however, that line of questioning is so 2020. Asking about culture is not enough. Getting into the debate/negotiation about WHERE or HOW you are working is not enough. The last 3 years have been major test of all leaders at different levels in every industry; from supply chain shortages that are still in play to the great resignation/hiring of pre-pandemic levels to inflation and more - everyone has more on their plates.

So how can you figure out the culture of the organization and if there are disconnects within that culture? One way is to scope out the reviews on Glassdoor and Indeed. It’s a big red flag if there is a lot of turnover - voluntary and involuntary - and if the organization doesn't respond and/or help the employees/candidates. Leadership may not value the candidate and employee experience and could be providing lip service. During your research, create a list of questions to ask:

• Learn about the role itself and its potential challenges
• Learn about the management structure
• Know how you will be evaluated – what are the strategies/goals/KPIs
• Know if you have retainers with vendors
• Know what your specific authority might be - performance reviews, workload, reporting, analytics and more
• Learn your co-workers/team
• Learn about the processes
• If you can find out the clients/vendors of the organization, they are also worth checking out.

Finally, the best question to ask in a job interview right now is:

How does your organization pivot when faced with a challenge? Give me an example of when your organization pivots, what lessons leadership incorporate, and how is that change communicated to the organization and what the accountability is if it has been successful.

From supply chain strains to worker shortages, you need to know that leadership is capable of evolving and building upon a shift in the market or can deal with labor shortages or adjust goals. If they can pivot, the organization signals it is open to revising strategies and operations to fit a changing market. If they can’t, then you may face the challenge of “we’ve always done things this way” or “I don’t understand what these metrics mean and how they impact the business”.?Either way, you have the knowledge about the leadership and culture of your next organization to make the next great step in your career journey.