A former Goldman Sachs employee who launched a startup says this is the most impressive question a job candidate has asked her
Courtesy of Becca BrownBecca Brown with shoe designer Manolo Blahnik.You may think how well you answer the hiring manager's questions is what will make or break a job interview - but it turns out the questions you ask can be just as important.
Becca Brown, cofounder of Solemates, a brand of women's shoe care products, estimates that she has conducted nearly 60 job interviews since launching her business six years ago - and dozens per year before that when she worked at Goldman Sachs for nearly eight years.
She tells Business Insider that there's one question in particular that candidates sometimes ask at the end of the interview that really impresses her.
"The most common question I receive from candidates is, 'What have you learned about starting a business from scratch?' I always enjoy answering this question, because I am always learning more as our business grows - so that question really never gets old," says Brown. "But one I have received only a few times from candidates, but think is a very good one, is: 'Where do you see your company in five years?'"
She says she is always impressed when a candidate asks this question because "it illustrates their desire to understand our goals and vision as a company."
She continues: "Having this conversation in the interview process allows us to assess overall compatibility, and see how the candidate may be able to contribute to these goals."
The worst possible thing you can say when a hiring manager invites you to ask questions at the end is, "I don't have any!" It shows a lack of preparation and interest - and won't sit well with the employer.
Click here for a list of 15 additional smart questions to ask at the end of the interview, according to entrepreneurs.