If you’ve been keeping up with our blog over the past few weeks, you’ve picked up several tips and tricks for interviewing well, from establishing rapport with your interviewer to preparation. In this week’s post, we’ll address how to answer your interviewer’s questions in a professional engaging manner.
Length is Key: When responding, be aware of the length of your answers. While you don’t want to rush and need to make sure you answer the question in full, you should also be on guard against lengthy, rambling answers. Many interviewees find themselves babbling on and on when then get nervous, and often end up quite off topic by the end of their response. Make sure that each of your answers fits the exact question asked.
Clear and Slow: Remember to use good speech skills in your answers. Put extra effort into good pronunciation and clear speech, and maintain a slow, steady pace. If your interviewer can’t understand your responses, you may lose the job right then and there!
Content: Be specific and give strong examples when responding to the interviewer’s questions, especially when discussing your strengths or personal job history. Anyone can say they are good at their job, but giving a personal example (e.g. sales rose 43% during your time at your last company) makes your answer much stronger. Whenever possible, try to tailor these examples to the specific needs of the company you are interviewing for.
Follow Up: A day or two after your interview, follow up with a note to your interviewer thanking them for their time and consideration. This will not only help to keep your name fresh in their mind, but will make you appear professional and considerate.
Want more great information on how to improve your speech and communication skills? Check out our website at www.corporatespeechsolutions.com and see how we can help you say it better.