Borrowing from other disciplines
Explore techniques borrowed from witness preparation to answer interview questions clearly and concisely. Learn to avoid jargon, ask for clarification, control your speaking pace, and use video recordings to identify and correct distracting behaviors during behavioral interviews.
We'll cover the following...
Answer the question that was asked #
The person interviewing you has a job to do. It is their responsibility to assess your fit for the organization in the time allowed. They may have specific questions they need to ask or specific characteristics to assess. They have an agenda and it’s best to let them lead.
If a candidate takes too much time answering, elaborates in ways that aren’t helpful, or gives a response that isn’t related to the question, it interferes with the interviewer’s plan. The interviewer may become concerned about managing time or annoyed that they aren’t getting the input they need.
Be concise first and elaborate later if asked to say more. Witnesses are told to be sure they understand the question being asked, and then give the shortest truthful answer they can give. They are trained to listen all the way to the end of the question before beginning a response. Doing this will help you avoid jumping in with an answer to the question you thought they were ...