One Interview Killer

US News lists one way to destroy an interview as follows:

There is one big thing you can do to destroy your job interview. You can talk too much.

It's a real interview killer. Babbling turns off hiring managers! It gives them less time to get through their lists of questions. It makes them wonder what it would be like to work with you all day. It dilutes your message. Worse, you risk boring your interviewer.

Remember: Every word you say in a job interview should display your competence, experience, intelligence, and maturity. Also, sanity.

Very, very true. I've had several times in my life, career, etc. where I've talked way too much and looked like a fool. If I'd simply kept my big mouth shut I would have been fine.

So, how do you avoid talking too much and only sound competent in an interview? Simple: you practice for it.

I'm going to look through some of my old interview questions and answers (yes, I put them to paper and then practiced them) to see if they're worth printing here. If so, I'll share the interview questions I prepared and how I answered them.

Comments

[cmadler]

"No man ever listened himself out of a job." - Calvin Coolidge

"It's better to keep your mouth shut and be thought a fool than to open it and leave no doubt." - Mark Twain

[pink panther]

They dared someone to try to get a taciturn guy to say three words. He said: "You lose."

[Big Cheese]

This is true with anyone selling any product. After the general 'pitch' is given the proper play is to let the potential customer consider the merits of the pitch and then for the deal to close. Talking too much can potentially make the buyer question the credibility of the seller and kill the deal. Same thing applies at an interview where you are playing the role of the salesperson, with the added complication of selling yourself.

-Big Cheese