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Just Answer the Question
By | June 5, 2008
There are few things as frustrating during a job interview as having a job applicant who won’t answer the question being asked. You know the type. You ask, “What is one of your greatest achievements in your business life?” The next thing you know, you’re hearing the person’s life story; how they selected their college major, the best paper they wrote, the book they read, and on and on. What you want to know is “What is one of your greatest achievements in your business life?”
Learning to respond to the exact question asked is one of the most important ways to give a good job interview. It’s also something that interviewers need to listen for when the person answers a question. In order to be specific, make sure you understand the specific questions asked. In the question above you note that the question asked about a business achievement, not just any life achievement. That’s the first signal of what type of response to give.
Here’s a hint if you are the one trying to answer the question and need a minute sto think. Repeat the question you were asked and ask if that is accurate. For instance, the interviewer could say “So, you asking about a specific business achievement, is that correct?” This gives you a minute to think about the question and to formulate a response.
Don’t worry about how long your answer might be. You can have a very brief answer as long as it’s specific and focused on the question. As always, think about this type of question before the interviwe so you won’t be caught off guard.
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