Many candidates think they need to quickly answer all interview questions. This can add a lot of pressure and increase stress. They may start planning their answer after they hear the first part of the question, which means they might miss other important information. It’s better to focus on really hearing what the interviewer is asking and then taking a moment to process it. That pause can give you time to give the best answer, which is not necessarily the fastest one.
Not letting the interviewer finish their question before planning your answer
It is important to listen intently and allow your brain to fully drink in the question before deciding how best to answer it. Sometimes the most important part of the question comes at the end. In all her years of conducting mock interviews with clients, Barbara has often received answers that didn’t fully address the question. When debriefing afterward, the client focused on the first part and completely missed the heart of the question.
To make this point, Barbara sometimes asks a question such as, “Tell me about a time when you led a difficult, complex, long-term project from start to finish that required collaborating with other departments.”