There’s an art to answering interview questions

I received an e-mail the other day from a young woman who had questions regarding an upcoming interview for a position with a Fortune 500 company.

Her questions focused on the difficulties that she was expecting during the interview. She admitted to not speaking well in front of a group. She said she was expecting around eight people who would ask her questions during the interview.

She said she was only 22 and had just graduated from college. She imagined that those asking her questions would probably be her senior with a number of years of experience, and she thought she might feel intimidated and unable to handle their questions.

The position she was interviewing for was administrative team leader. It involved orienting new employees and getting them ready to enter into their new positions. The job included a need for someone with good public relations skills and the ability to communicate with ease.

It was a very important position for a new graduate, particularly because it was at the executive level. She felt that the opportunities offered through the company were so many in regard to future advancement that she wanted to be as prepared as possible for the interview.

I told her that if she followed these rules, she should do very well during her interview.

▪ When you enter the conference room where your interview will take place, pause, smile and take the time to greet the members of the interview team. Even if it takes a few moments, it will impress the team if you make eye contact and tell them all how pleased you are that you have been invited to interview.

Never simply walk into the room and quietly sit down. You will not impress by being the “timid soul.” That’s not who they are searching for.

▪ Keep your responses to questions concise and do not give more information than requested. Interviewees can find themselves in trouble by continuing to talk after they have answered a question, thinking that perhaps they have not said enough.

▪ Never criticize or complain about your past place of employment or your past employers.

▪ Never look panicked or bewildered. That’s difficult to do sometimes, but that is where becoming a good actress can be important.

▪ If you cannot think of a response to a question, it’s fine to appear contemplative or to ask for a restatement of the question in different terms. It gives you time to compose your response.

▪ Don’t respond to multiple subquestions contained in a single lengthy question. Separate them and respond only to those aspects about which you feel most comfortable.

▪ If you cannot answer a question directly, it’s appropriate to relate it to a similar issue or situation that you feel more confident addressing.

▪ Remember: No interviewer expects you to have excellent answers to every question. There is no shame in saying, “I don’t know, but I will be pleased to look it up for you.”

▪ Most importantly, try very hard to remain calm and collected even if you feel as though you are being overwhelmed with questions.

▪ Never look at your watch. Never ask about salary.

▪ After the interview has concluded, once again smile, remain poised and thank the interviewers for the opportunity to meet them. Be sure to ask each of them for their card that contains their e-mail address. When you arrive home, e-mail each of them, thanking them again for the opportunity and that you would enjoy working with them. They will be impressed.

This story was originally published July 6, 2016 at 2:04 PM with the headline "There’s an art to answering interview questions."