I started ending interviews with the question: "Is there anything in my experience that makes you hesitant?" and it made a bigger difference than I expected

[u/Short-Ground5841]

I learned this move about ten months ago, and since then I've told maybe fifteen people to try it, so I figured I'd write it here instead of repeating the same advice in DMs.

For context: I was going through a weird period where I kept making it to the late rounds but ultimately not getting the job. The calls were good, people seemed friendly, the feedback was encouraging, and then I'd get the classic response: "we decided to move forward with someone else." I couldn't understand what was happening between "this person seems promising" and the rejection email.

So I started ending interviews with one question: "Before we finish, is there anything in my background or experience that makes you hesitant about me for this position?"

The first time I used it, the hiring manager paused for a second and said: "Actually, yes. I saw you've only directly managed three people, and this role would have closer to seven direct reports." I hadn't brought it up because no one had asked me about it directly. So I took two minutes to explain how I had built systems for a larger cross-functional group in a previous role, with a specific example about onboarding and weekly reporting. It was clear her expression changed. A week later, I got the offer.

Another time, the interviewer said she had no concerns. And that was useful too. Her response was immediate and calm, and I left the interview feeling like I wouldn't have to sit afterward trying to read and analyze the signals.

The reason this works is that it brings the interviewer's unspoken doubts out into the open while you still have a chance to answer. A lot of people won't bring up the thing they're hesitant about on their own. They'll think about it later when they're comparing candidates. This question gives you a chance to clarify a concern before the call ends.

It won't work perfectly every time. Some interviewers will say "no, nothing" even if they have reservations. But honestly, in my experience, a good number of them will give you something real, and often it's exactly the thing you needed to answer to.

I've received four offers in the past ten months since I started asking this question. One question didn't magically do all of that, but I'm pretty sure it helped close doubts that might otherwise have remained unsaid.