The question you always have to ask yourself during a job interview

I still remember my very first application to be allowed to peel bulbs (when I was twelve, don't tell anyone). With a slightly elevated heart rate, I stepped into the farmer's shed, where stacks and stacks and stacks of crates were standing. I got the summer vacation job and managed to peel most of the crates in one morning for the whole club within two weeks, so I could go to the beach in the afternoon.

Even if you don't want to, you still get a bit of clammy hands from a job interview. You might want that job, but you don't know if they want you. It's about feeling things out, getting to know each other, seeing if your sense of humor matches. In short: it's a bit like a first date. What if I told you that by asking one question, you increase your chances of getting a relationship? Isn't that wonderful?

A recruiter tells Business Insider that one question works like magic. A requirement is, of course, that you do the rest of the work during that conversation. Dress nicely, don't show up with a hangover, that kind of thing. That one question also provides a good chance for that job. Always, and I mean always, ask your potential manager or CEO: what is the biggest challenge for someone in this role? That's it, how simple can it be?

You naturally want to know why this question works. Well, first of all, you stand out because you think about what you need to fill that role. This already puts you a step further in wanting the job. You show that you are ready for a challenge by already thinking about the more difficult aspect. And, not unimportantly, you can already see yourself in that role. Seeing yourself in a position is half the work.

Do you really want the job? There is a tactic to seal the deal, to reel in the fish and get yourself a contract. Recall a similar situation in your working life where you have solved something like this before. Your new employer will immediately see how you manage that.

P.S.: Read here why you want to wait standing until your job interview starts.

P.P.S.: And this is the way to be less nervous.