26yo Tiktok-er Suggests Interview Close Clincher

"So based on the conversation we've just had, based on this interview, do you have concerns around my ability to perform this role? Or just any concerns about me as a candidate in general?"

The TikTok post containing this job-seeking guidance garnered an impressive 3m views within a week of uploading.

As MSM gushed, 'South Londoner Kennie Bukky works in finance technology. She's enjoyed remarkable career success so far, earning a salary of £100,000 by the time she was 26-years-old'. The implication very much being it was advice well worth heeding for any job interviewee.

Yet my gut feel wasn't so slavish.

I spent wonderful times around a decade ago helping distributed solution salesteams undertake significant recruitment drives.

My role was to prepare senior execs to interview potential sales new hires. Creating a running order and flow for the questioning. As well as sure-fire routines designed to illuminate the prospective colleague's true sales standing. Ending with a kind of 'marking' rubric.

As part of all these, the climax was forensically assessed.

And the trouble with the question above, is - no matter how pleasing as a standalone query it may sound - in a selling environment it can be thwarted with a Stall Objection. Perhaps the simplest manifestation of which being; 'Well, I'm not really sure...'

A response designed to subsequently test the selling mettle.

I've heard with my own ears a vast variety of closing skills in such setting.

Even laughing along with levity of many; 'When do I start?' rarely the right option.

Yes, relaxed questions around fit for the role, company and arena in less formal language than the sample up-top can work well. Such as "a lighter version; 'is there anything you'd like me to clarify?' " As a beginning of 'close mode'.

But being Sales, 'closing' behaviour of some sort is pretty much de rigueur.

'How do you think it went?'

Then I ventured into the comments.

Firstly, of the journalistic piece. This one sums up reader reaction.

Commentor Tweediepie; Reinventing the wheel. 50 years ago I was asking "Have you any reservations about me in this role".

Then scrolled the original 90sec TikTok posting.

The netizens hath spake. And it really wasn't pretty. At the time I took a peak, there were twelve hundred comments. Whilst a number [maybe the same number as asked about hair and outfit tips] were pleased to learn of this 'game changer' advice, a majority seemed to feature dismissive vibes. Like these ten;

they say, 'no feedback today'
too gamey
they won't answer honestly
avoid; all you do is highlight flaws/plant doubt in their minds
they say, 'we've still others to see'
rookie question
they can deflect with, 'any skills/experience you'd like to add?'
they say, 'we'll discuss this without you'
they can throw the same question back at you
they say, 'did you get this off TikTok, hey?'

Many claiming to be professional recruiters did indeed caution against the question as originally framed. They tend to suggest it highlights weaknesses, can turn talk too much to the negative and can often mean your interview ends on a bad note. In short, if you've not performed well, this question won't save you.

Interestingly, throughout the stream of commentors, I did pick out this general dozen useful questions to add on to your own list;

What do you like [/what's your favourite thing] about working here?
What does success look like in 'x' months?
What challenges will I face in the role?
What are you hoping I'll bring to the role?
What attributes ensure success in this role?
How would you know in a year's time after hiring me that you'd made the right choice?
What focus do you have for your team this coming year?
What cultural fit are you after?
Would you say there's anything about this role that surprises new starters?
What keeps you/your longest serving employee here?'
What framework do you have in place to ensure you're supporting me in professional growth and meeting targets?
What does a normal day look like here?

So all in all, out of the perhaps mediocre, you can glean some best-practice and nail that dream job, or spot those dream applicants.