INTRODUCTION:
A job seeker asked, ‘How can I measure how well I answered an interview question?’
RESPONSE SUMMARY:
The ultimate measure of how well you answer interview questions is landing the job or not. There’s always that awkward time between your interview and the selection decision. While you wait, lets examine nine steps to assessing your interview performance.
STEPS EXPLORED:
- Were you prepared? – Prepare for your interview success before you start to apply for jobs. Review common interview questions. Some interview questions that you might want to prepare for are: Why are you interested in the job? What are your strengths and weaknesses? How do you deal with conflict in the workplace? Why do you want to leave your current job? What makes you the better candidate for the position?
- Did you practice? – When you practice, you become more comfortable with answering interview questions. As a result, you will be more confident during your interview.
- Did you listen carefully? – Don’t feel like you must answer an interview question immediately after the interviewer stops speaking. Listen carefully to make sure you understand what the interviewer is asking. Then take a few seconds to organize your thoughts. You will be less-likely to give rambling answers.
- Did you ask for clarification? – If you are unsure about how to answer an interview question, ask the interviewer to ask it in a different way. Or, ask them to repeat it. This will hopefully help you to come up with an appropriate answer. It will also give you a little more time to organize your thoughts.
- Did you tell stories? – Most of us love a good story. They can be very engaging and help us to connect with our listeners. So, using story telling to answer an interview question can have positive results. An interviewer once asked me to describe a time when I convinced a superior to agree with me on an HR issue. I told them how I won my Vice President’s support when I recommended that we suspend an employee instead of terminating them for exhibiting a lack of sound judgement. I got the job, have since been promoted, and have been there almost five years now.
- Did you use sound judgement? – Consider if there is more than one good answer to an interview question. Quickly, but carefully consider which answer fits your circumstance best. Then answer. Let the interviewer know that you chose your answer based on your experience; but, that you know other potentially-acceptable answers exist. This gives the interviewer a glimpse into your reasoning ability.
- Did you take notes? – Whether your interview is in-person or virtual, always have a pen and note paper handy. I find it helpful jot quick notes of the major points of multipart interview questions. Doing so gives me a reference as I organize my answer in my mind before I speak. It also minimizes the possibility that you’ll forget to answer each part of the question.
- Were your responses the appropriate length? – The ideal answer to any interview question is 10 to no more than 90 seconds long. Make certain that your responses are within this range.
- Did you share? – We know that, ‘a picture is worth a thousand words.’ So, an example of your best work could elevate your ranking as a candidate. So, be prepared to share examples of your work with your interviewer(s). These can be documents, pictures, email messages, or a short video. I guarantee you’ll stand out among the candidates.
IN CONCLUSION:
Well thought-out responses to interview questions are a major key to your job search success. So, invest the necessary time and effort to level up your interview performance. Always honestly rate your performance after each interview. Then make improvements as necessary.
For more job search advice, or, if you need motivation during your job search journey, visit https://nnamtique.com often.
If you enjoyed today’s post, share it with others. Then like it, subscribe, or comment. If you ask a question, I might feature it in a future post. Thanks for visiting.
I’m Cynthia O.
Career Search Success to You. Go Get Your New Job!
