When going to an interview, it is important to have the right state of mind and to focus on what is important. The thing that is the most important when attending an interview is not how they answer questions. It is the impression that they leave behind. That being said, answering questions “correctly” will of course impact on that impression. The word “correctly” was put in quotes because there are no perfect answers to questions, although there are wrong answers. First impressions matter. Why? Because they create biases. If they make a bad impression upfront, they will have to combat that bias. It’s like running uphill. On the other hand, if they make a good impression, they can ride on it. It’s like running downhill. That being said, they need to make sure to dress professionally, smile, give a firm handshake, and introduce themselves properly. As the interview “formally” starts, they need to make sure to remember that interviewing is a “communication process.” This means that they have to be “clear” when you talk.
Clarity entails that they “speak clearly” and “answer clearly.” Speaking clearly means that they have to speak loud enough and pronounce their words well enough so that they are well understood. Think of news anchors and how they speak.. Answering clearly means that they have to satisfy whatever was on my mind, the interviewer when I ask them the question. In order to do that they have to practice their listening skills. Yes, listening is part of communicating. If they are not sure what was asked, ask me to repeat myself or, even better, rephrase the question in their own words and ask me to confirm that they grasped my question properly. The next thing to keep in mind is that questions are asked for a purpose.
The Homework on Sample Question and Answer in an Interview
1. Tell me about yourself. Since this is often the opening question in an interview, be extra careful that you don’t run off at the mouth. Keep your answer to a minute or two at most. Cover four topics: early years, education, work history, and recent career experience. Emphasize this last subject. Remember that this is likely to be a warm-up question. Don’t waste your best points on it. 2. What ...
They need to try to find the purpose underlying the question. Being on time to their interview is very important. They need to be at least 10 minutes early to their job interview. If an unavoidable emergency does pop up or they get stuck in serious traffic, then they need to call me to let me know they’re going to be late. Showing up late without a phone call is a guaranteed way to lose out on a job. To conclude, they need to remember that they will be chosen not based on any specific answers that they give, but on the overall impression that they leave behind. Trusting themselves is the central and most important thing they need to remember. If they don’t trust themselves, nobody will.
