Over the past two weeks, we’ve talked about some great ways you can project confidence and use communication to help you ace an interview. Today we’ll wrap up our series on interview skills with an essential topic: How to answer interview questions in a way that will help you stand out and land the job!
While you may not have control over which questions your interviewer chooses to ask, you can control your responses. In order to give outstanding answers to your interviewer’s questions, keep these three critical aspects in mind:
Length: Finding the appropriate length of time to speak when answering a question can be tricky. While you need to make sure you answer the question in full and provide any information that could help you sell yourself, you also need to avoid 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 and that you end your response as soon as you feel all the essential information has been provided.
Content: Be specific and give strong, concrete 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 concrete example (e.g. sales rose 36% during your tenure 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.
Clarity: Clear, articulate speech will not only make it easier for your interviewer to understand, absorb, and remember your responses, it will also help you project the image of a capable, confident professional, and leave a strong impression. Put extra effort into pronouncing each and every letter of your words. Don’t let your volume or tone decline at the end of sentences, and make sure you keep your rate of speech to an easy, understandable pace.
Want to learn more? Give me a call at 212-308-7725 or send me an e-mail at info@corporatespeechsolutions.com. I’d be more than happy to answer any questions you might have!
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