• Home
  • Latest
  • Fortune 500
  • Finance
  • Tech
  • Leadership
  • Lifestyle
  • Rankings
  • Multimedia

Trendingnow

1

Ex-PepsiCo CEO Indra Nooyi worked from midnight until 5 a.m. as a receptionist to pay for her Yale degree—and she says ‘respect went up’ because of it

2

Shark Tank's Kevin O'Leary says if he were 25 today, he'd chase these two booming opportunities in the world of AI

3

China’s birth rate just hit its lowest point since 1949—and Trip.com cofounder James Liang thinks that’s a threat to innovation

1

Ex-PepsiCo CEO Indra Nooyi worked from midnight until 5 a.m. as a receptionist to pay for her Yale degree—and she says ‘respect went up’ because of it

2

Shark Tank's Kevin O'Leary says if he were 25 today, he'd chase these two booming opportunities in the world of AI

3

China’s birth rate just hit its lowest point since 1949—and Trip.com cofounder James Liang thinks that’s a threat to innovation
SuccessShark Tank

Barbara Corcoran reveals the memorable question every candidate should end a job interview with

Eleanor Pringle
By
Eleanor Pringle
Eleanor Pringle
Senior Reporter, Economics and Markets
Down Arrow Button Icon
Eleanor Pringle
By
Eleanor Pringle
Eleanor Pringle
Senior Reporter, Economics and Markets
Down Arrow Button Icon
August 8, 2023, 6:45 AM ET
Businesswoman Barbara Corcoran visits FOX Business' "The Claman Countdown" at Fox Business Network Studios on May 31, 2023
Barbara Corcoran isn't afraid to speak her mind—and has a question suggestion for job candidates.John Lamparski - Getty Images
Add Fortune on Google for similar content.

Shark Tank star Barbara Corcoran is famed for her no-nonsense approach when it comes to closing deals.

Recommended Video

Whether it’s clinching a new partnership on the ABC show, selling a business or landing a role—Corcoran knows how to come out on top.

The real estate mogul has now shared the essential question she believes candidates should always ask in a job interview.

Speaking on TikTok, Corcoran, reportedly worth $100 million, added her tactic is guaranteed to earn the respect of the interview panel.

“Do you want to know the most important question you can ask in an interview?” Corcoran asks the camera, appearing in the garden at her home. “I bet you haven’t heard this one.”

Corcoran urges candidates to ask the question before leaving the room: “You look at the person interviewing you and you say to them: ‘Is there anything standing in the way of you hiring me?'”

Simple tactics

It’s one of many simple tactics high-profile individuals have used to land a role.

Recently Warren Buffett’s protege Tracy Britt Cool told CNBC that when she graduated Harvard Business School she wrote to a hose of C-suite executives at top companies.

This lead to meetings with the likes of Morgan Stanley and Bear Stearns—and ultimately a job with Buffett-led Berkshire Hathaway.

Britt Cool said her approach was proactive and respectful, a trait Corcoran highlights is key in her own tactic.

The 74-year-old said the question is: “It’s polite. You force them into the position of telling you what they might object to.

“There may have been a miscommunication, they didn’t understand you. It gives you the last shot.”

@barbara.corcoran

My best interviewtip! Oops, don’t mind my hose 🪴🚿👩🏼‍🌾🤣 #interviewtips #interview #jobsearch

♬ original sound – Barbara Corcoran

As well as establishing a rapport with the interviewing panel, the bold question can also garner their respect, Corcoran added.

Corcoran, who once took former president Donald Trump to court and won, isn’t afraid to voice what’s on her mind.

The TV star famously had to fight for her spot on the ABC show, after she was told by producer Mark Burnett that another female entrepreneur had been given her seat.

She emailed Burnett directly with a request: an invite for both women to go to L.A. to compete for the seat, and the rest is history.

On her interview question, Corcoran finished: “Ask it, watch what happens. You’ll close the deal.”

Tips from the masters

Of course, Corcoran isn’t the only one with a few career tricks up her sleeve.

Her Shark Tank co-star Mark Cuban has previously shared the answer to a “trick question” which he believes landed him a job forty years ago.

During an interview for a PC salesman job with Your Business Software, Cuban was asked what he would do if a customer asked a question he didn’t know the answer to.

In an old blog post, which Cuban reposted on Elon Musk’s social media platform X—formerly known as Twitter—last year, he wrote: “After who knows how long, I blurted out that, ‘I would look it up in the manual and find the answer for them.

“Ding ding ding… [the interviewer] just loved the answer.”

Likewise Bill Gates has previously shared his response to a textbook interview question: “What are your strengths and weaknesses?”

Two years ago the Microsoft co-founder appeared on NBA star Stephen Curry’s YouTube series called State of Inspiration and shared his succinct responses to classic interview questions.

His strengths and weaknesses, Gates had a 30 second response which, like Cuban, was open and honest: “Well I’m not somebody who knows a lot about marketing. I wouldn’t enjoy being a salesman. 

“For a position where you’re actually creating the products and thinking through what those features should be, I’m fascinated by that. 

“I followed the history of the industry, read about the mistakes that have been made. So product definition, product creation, very strong. If you have a team that understands the customers, the sales, the marketing, I’m not going to bring that, but I would enjoy working with them.”

The Fortune 500 Innovation Forum will convene Fortune 500 executives, U.S. policy officials, top founders, and thought leaders to help define what’s next for the American economy, Nov. 16-17 in Detroit. Apply here.
About the Author
Eleanor Pringle
By Eleanor PringleSenior Reporter, Economics and Markets
LinkedIn icon

Eleanor Pringle is an award-winning senior reporter at Fortune covering news, the economy, and personal finance. Eleanor previously worked as a business correspondent and news editor in regional news in the U.K. She completed her journalism training with the Press Association after earning a degree from the University of East Anglia.

See full bioRight Arrow Button Icon
Add Fortune on Google for similar content.

Latest in Success

Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025

Most Popular

Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Fortune Secondary Logo
Rankings
  • 100 Best Companies
  • Fortune 500
  • Global 500
  • Fortune 500 Europe
  • Most Powerful Women
  • World's Most Admired Companies
  • See All Rankings
  • Lists Calendar
Sections
  • Finance
  • Fortune Crypto
  • Features
  • Leadership
  • Health
  • Commentary
  • Success
  • Retail
  • Mpw
  • Tech
  • Lifestyle
  • CEO Initiative
  • Asia
  • Politics
  • Conferences
  • Europe
  • Newsletters
  • Personal Finance
  • Environment
  • Magazine
  • Education
Customer Support
  • Frequently Asked Questions
  • Customer Service Portal
  • Privacy Policy
  • Terms Of Use
  • Single Issues For Purchase
  • International Print
Commercial Services
  • Advertising
  • Fortune Brand Studio
  • Fortune Analytics
  • Fortune Conferences
  • Business Development
  • Group Subscriptions
About Us
  • About Us
  • Press Center
  • Work At Fortune
  • Terms And Conditions
  • Site Map
  • About Us
  • Press Center
  • Work At Fortune
  • Terms And Conditions
  • Site Map
  • Facebook icon
  • Twitter icon
  • LinkedIn icon
  • Instagram icon
  • Pinterest icon

Latest in Success

Meet the former Goldman Sachs exec who became the America’s Cup Partnership’s first CEO and is running the 175-year-old trophy like a startup
C-SuiteSports
Meet the former Goldman Sachs exec who became the America’s Cup Partnership’s first CEO and is running the 175-year-old trophy like a startup
By Catherina GioinoJuly 7, 2026
9 hours ago
Scott Wu, in front of a blue background, sits in a gray chair and speaks to a person out of frame.
AIProductivity
Cognition CEO says tech companies got ‘carried away’ with token leaderboards and should measure employees on output instead
By Sasha RogelbergJuly 7, 2026
11 hours ago
Bill Holland gesturing
SuccessCareers
He went from working in a factory to being rich enough to retire at 32—but 3 decades later, this millionaire still works and takes public transport
By Preston ForeJuly 7, 2026
13 hours ago
Tech worker walks to office
SuccessJobs
Tech used to be a mecca for young talent—now, AI start-ups are hiring fewer entry-level talent in favor of older workers with top degrees
By Emma BurleighJuly 7, 2026
13 hours ago
bernie
PoliticsBook Excerpt
Bernie Sanders told me exactly why he had to run. The Democratic Party still isn’t listening
By Tad DevineJuly 7, 2026
17 hours ago
heat
Commentaryclimate change
McKinsey Global Institute: Climate planning has prioritized floods. Heat demands equal attention
By Sylvain Johansson, Mekala Krishnan, Kanmani Chockalingam and Annabel FarrJuly 7, 2026
18 hours ago

Most Popular

Ex-PepsiCo CEO Indra Nooyi worked from midnight until 5 a.m. as a receptionist to pay for her Yale degree—and she says ‘respect went up’ because of it
Success
Ex-PepsiCo CEO Indra Nooyi worked from midnight until 5 a.m. as a receptionist to pay for her Yale degree—and she says ‘respect went up’ because of it
By Preston ForeJuly 6, 2026
2 days ago
Shark Tank's Kevin O'Leary says if he were 25 today, he'd chase these two booming opportunities in the world of AI
AI
Shark Tank's Kevin O'Leary says if he were 25 today, he'd chase these two booming opportunities in the world of AI
By Marco Quiroz-GutierrezJuly 5, 2026
3 days ago
China’s birth rate just hit its lowest point since 1949—and Trip.com cofounder James Liang thinks that’s a threat to innovation
Asia
China’s birth rate just hit its lowest point since 1949—and Trip.com cofounder James Liang thinks that’s a threat to innovation
By Nicholas GordonJuly 7, 2026
22 hours ago
Current price of oil as of July 6, 2026
Personal Finance
Current price of oil as of July 6, 2026
By Joseph HostetlerJuly 6, 2026
2 days ago
Even as Elon Musk calls philanthropy ‘very hard,’ everyday Americans gave a record $617 billion—despite feeling the squeeze over the cost of living
Success
Even as Elon Musk calls philanthropy ‘very hard,’ everyday Americans gave a record $617 billion—despite feeling the squeeze over the cost of living
By Preston ForeJuly 4, 2026
4 days ago
Current price of oil as of July 7, 2026
Personal Finance
Current price of oil as of July 7, 2026
By Joseph HostetlerJuly 7, 2026
16 hours ago

© 2026 Fortune Media IP Limited. All Rights Reserved. Use of this site constitutes acceptance of our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy | CA Notice at Collection and Privacy Notice | Do Not Sell/Share My Personal Information
FORTUNE is a trademark of Fortune Media IP Limited, registered in the U.S. and other countries. FORTUNE may receive compensation for some links to products and services on this website. Offers may be subject to change without notice.