Millions of words have been written about how to put your best foot forward during a job interview. But when it comes to words, one thing is certain: you should never assume more is better. Otherwise, you might put your foot in your mouth. You might even talk your way out of the job instead of landing it.
Even if they don’t disclose it up front, most interviewers have a timeframe in mind for their conversation with you. You want to make the most of that time. How can you do that? By the time you get to a personal interview, your prospective employer already has the facts about you. So savvy interviewers ask open-ended questions, about your past experiences, approach to problem-solving, etc.
You have two choices
Every open-ended question can be answered with a short, summarized response or a lengthy, detailed response. It is oh, so tempting to launch right into the latter. After all, you want this job badly. You want to divulge every conceivable morsel of information that might be what the interviewer and company are looking for to choose you. But here’s the thing: you don’t really know what that is.
So offer a two-stage answer.
Start with the short response. For example, suppose you’re asked about your past public speaking experience. Instead of listing every presentation you’ve ever made, say something like, “I’ve made sales presentations to prospects, training presentations to employees and customers, and testified before the state legislature. Is there a particular type pf public speaking you want me to focus on?”
You’ve answered the question, quickly and concisely. If the interviewer wants to know more, they will ask. If they do, using this approach allows you to understand more clearly just what they want to know from a more detailed answer. That way, you can give a more relevant response tailored to the company or specific position.
Why is shorter better at first?
Endless talking is annoying. It emphasizes the fact that you’re nervous. It tends to invite off-topic babbling, which makes you appear disorganized. This is not the impression you want to give.
By keeping your answers brief at first, you are showing good time management skills and showing you respect the interviewer’s time. By leaving the door open for a longer response, you are telling the interviewer you have as-yet-unseen depth as a candidate. And of course, if they take you up on your offer, you have a chance to sell yourself and your capabilities in greater detail.
With that in mind, think in advance about specific examples you can use to illustrate your skills and accomplishments. If you can use one in your short response without dragging it out, do that. Otherwise, use the examples in your longer response, should the interviewer want more details.
What will help you be succinct and relevant?
There are other key interview best practices you can use to craft effective short and longer responses to interview questions:
- Know the company as well as the position for which you are interviewing. Your responses should explain how your skills and experiences will benefit the new employer. You can’t address that unless you know who they are, how they function and what their culture is like.
- Practice what you want to say. The point isn’t to sound rehearsed (so practice using varied wording), the point is to marshal your thoughts in advance. That way, you can stay focused on the key points you want to make about yourself without rambling.
- Don’t editorialize. Speak positively about your past employers and experiences, even if they were negative. Talk about what you learned that makes you a better employee for the future.
- Don’t personalize. It’s a job interview, so offering up information about your personal life is not relevant – unless your hobby happens to dovetail with the job in some way.
Finally, keep it brief to the end. Send a thank-you to the interviewer following your meeting. But remember, it’s a thank-you note, not a novel.