The Secret Question Behind Every Interview Question

There are thousands of interview questions but only one that matters. Lurking in the shadows, it pursues candidates like prey. Employers rarely ask it and candidates rarely answer it, yet no question matters more, What is this pivotal question? Keep reading to find out.

Behind every latent question lies the potential for a transformative answer

If you've been to a job interview, you know that employers can choose from thousands of interview questions, from "What did you like and dislike about your previous employer?" to "What do you like to do in your spare time?" to the classic, "Tell me about yourself". But behind almost all of these thousands of spoken questions lies the latent, unspoken question "Why should I hire you?" You may never actually hear that question at an interview, but have no doubt that it's the question behind every question.

We know this because, for the employer, the entire purpose of the interview is to have that one question answered. Nothing else matters. Interview questions are simply the tool employers use to achieve their overall purpose. The questions may be different, but their purpose is not, which means, essentially, all questions are the same.

Surprisingly, most employers never directly ask candidates the "Why should I hire you?" question. It may come across as too abrasive or just rude, so they avoid it altogether. Instead, they circuitously ask a range of other questions, hoping the sum of the answers will satisfy the "Why should I hire you?" question. Since interviewers rarely ask that question, candidates rarely answer it. That's a mistake for them, but an opportunity for you, because within the latent interview question lies the potential for an extraordinary answer.

The shortest distance between two points is a straight line – Euclidean geometry

The Single-Question Principle of Interviewing

Since all questions are essentially the same, all answers should be too. That doesn't mean that the content of your answers stays the same, just their structure. This is the Single-Question Principle of interviewing. It holds that while interview questions may differ, their purpose does not: to answer the question "Why should I hire you?" Your answers therefore must address both the question being asked, and its purpose. Successfully addressing both is the shortest distance between you and a job offer.

Unfortunately, most people don't apply this principle when preparing for an interview. They'll study hundreds of questions and generate hundreds of answers. Most candidates will find it impossible to remember every answer during an interview, making this strategy a waste of time, since, if there's only one question to prepare for, there's really only one answer to prepare for.

Worse, at the interview, the quality of their answers may be poor, since they're not really addressing the latent question behind the question. Then, after the interview, when reviewing the candidate's qualifications, employers are left wanting more. Rather than asking the candidate to return for another interview, most employers will simply make job offers to other candidates. Very often, offers are made to candidates with poor qualifications but better answers, over candidates with great qualifications, but poor answers. Neither employers nor candidates win in this situation.

Great candidates always address the Singe-Question Principle in their answers. They're monomaniacal about this. Great interview answers swing the pendulum in their favor and make it much easier for employers to offer them a job over their competition, even if that competition is better qualified.

How to Use Single-Question Principle at an Interview

Understanding the Single-Queston Principle is only one aspect of upping your interview game, but applying it takes your game from good to great. Whenever you hear an interview question, remind yourself that it is really two questions in one: 1) the direct question being asked, and 2) the latent or indirect question behind the question, "Why should I hire you?". Given that there are two questions, your answer should: 1) answer the direct question, and 2) segue or transition to answering the indirect question.

As an example, consider the popular question "Describe two qualities you use most often at work". Your answer may be something like:

Part 1) "I'm highly creative and have excellent problem-solving skills."

Part 2) "For example, I once noticed a flaw in our production system which was slowing the manufacturing process by 37%. This hadn't been noticed before. I came up with a solution for a new system and then approached my supervisor with both the problem and my proposed solution. She gave me the green light to lead the creation of a new, parallel system so that there was no loss of production time from the existing system. We completed the new system within 3 months from a projected 4.5 months, and it not only recouped the 37% loss of time, but it improved production times by an additional 16%. I've always had a critical eye toward identifying flaws. It's built into my DNA. But, the flip side is that I love solving the problems I find, and that's just one thing that I would bring with me to this job"

You'll notice that the direct question was answered clearly. The indirect question was answered by providing an example that proved the first part of the answer with evidence and data. Then a promise to do the same for the employer was made with the statement "...that's just one thing that I would bring with me to this job"

After the interview, when the employer assesses the candidate and asks the question, "Why should I hire this candidate?", the answer is clear: "Because he has problem-solving skills and creativity, as evidenced by his example. But he also has the ability to create production systems from scratch, lead teams, communicate and lobby his supervisor, avoid loss of revenue from production downtime, and beat deadlines. That's why I should hire this candidate".

Most candidates would stop after part 1 of their answer, or, they might just list more qualities. But, listing more qualities doesn't prove they exist. Every employer knows that interviews are full of puffspeak. A good answer provides evidence of your claims. Evidence is a direct answer to the "Why should I hire you?" question, and part 2 of the example provides that evidence.

More information on these tools is available in our articles on Accomplishments and the 3-part Model to Answering Interview Questions. These articles have some great insights on how to have an excellent interview and are based on decades of research, and our experience with thousands of clients. Both articles include examples and exercises, and are essential reading before an interview, so please check those out.

In the meantime, I hope you've found the information in this article valuable, and that it makes a difference in your career. Time is your most valuable asset and I appreciate your investing it in this article. Your career is another valuable asset, and I hope you'll invest in it some more by taking some time to read all of our articles. They're packed with valuable information designed for one thing: to help your career.

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Bert!