The demonstration of clear, concise thoughts through responses to interview questions is a major factor for your interviewer in deciding whether or not to hire you. When responding to questions, your interviewer is not only listening to your answers but also imagining you talking with colleagues, suppliers, customers, or executives. If you, as an interviewee, aren’t able to respond with crisp, concise, thoughtful answers during an interview, imagine how you would come off in a major customer presentation? You may have some insightful things to say, but if they get lost in long, meandering responses then you’re going to seal your fate as a declined candidate.
Excerpted from The Truth about Getting Your Point Across…and Nothing But the Truth
Some years back I was interviewing candidates for a financial analyst position. One of my interviews was with a gentleman who was already a company employee but was looking for a new job within the company. I started out the interview with the question, “What interests you about this job?” The fellow started into a response, and then launched into tangents about his family, prior jobs, and personal interests. About five minutes into the interview I’d already made my decision to not hire the guy, but I was intrigued by his verbal meandering. I decided to let him keep going just to see where he would go. He finally stopped talking 30 minutes after I asked him my original question. My next question to him was “Do you realize you talked non-stop for 30 minutes?” Before he could launch into another wandering discourse, I thanked him for stopping by and told him that I didn’t think he was right for the job. He very well might have had the technical and business skills needed to do the job, but because he babbled on and on without clarity of thought he was declined.
The demonstration of clear, concise thoughts through responses to interview questions is a major factor for your interviewer in deciding whether or not to hire you. When responding to questions, your interviewer is not only listening to your answers but also imagining you talking with colleagues, suppliers, customers, or executives. If you, as an interviewee, aren’t able to respond with crisp, concise, thoughtful answers during an interview, imagine how you would come off in a major customer presentation? You may have some insightful things to say, but if they get lost in long, meandering responses then you’re going to seal your fate as a declined candidate.
Next time you interview for a job, keep the following things in mind:
It’s easy when nervous or excited to babble on and on and lose focus in your responses to questions. Formulate key messages, keep eye contact, watch your interviewer, and take a stand with your responses. You’ll better engage your interviewer, captivate interest, and help to secure the job you want.
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