A framework of articulation for better chances of success in your interviews
Preparing and appearing for interviews can be challenging. I personally used to find it daunting in my early career days. It was a blocker in my career life. Changing jobs, growth, and finding the desired job, all seemed like hard work.
I would google interview questions. Sometimes even the answers were available on the internet but then why was it so hard? As time went by and I moved to the other side of the table i.e. conducting interviews as opposed to giving interviews, I realized the difference. But what was this difference?
Why did I like some answers better than others? and what was it about these people that made them stand out from the others? As this curiosity built, I started becoming observant and aware of the magic of articulation.
Besides the experience and the right skills, the one thing that made an individual stand out in an interview was not just how they delivered their answers but also how they ensured their answers were received in exactly the way they intended to.
This observation, brought to light that articulation of answers in an interview is the showcase of our expertise and skills in a clear and energetic way. Our words must have the power to deliver that energy to the receiver.
Here is a framework for articulation that served me well in delivering my answers. It has brought me success in securing the job roles I really wanted.
Don’t try to be someone else. You have the skills, experience, and willingness to get this job. Pretending fake accents, and using other people’s ways will only lead you to fall on your face.
Be original and arrange your words clearly. Be precise in your answers and use the right tone with the right kind of expressions. Polish your answers with all of these before you deliver them.
Think of your answers as a “ product” that you have invented and the world wants to buy it.
Avoid mirroring the interviewer. They may have had a bad day or a long day. Don’t look at them and create a story in your head that they do not like you. Just show them how you like them, and aim to bring a smile to their face by keeping a smile on yours. A genuine smile shared builds a human connection.
Aim to lift the energy in the room.
50+ most common job interview questions
This question seems simple, so many people fail to prepare for it, but it’s crucial. Heres the deal: Don’t give your complete employment (or personal) history. Instead, give a pitch—one that’s concise and compelling and that shows exactly why you’re the right fit for the job. Muse writer and MIT career counselor Lily Zhang recommends using a present, past, future formula. Talk a little bit about your current role (including the scope and perhaps one big accomplishment), then give some background as to how you got there and experience you have that’s relevant. Finally, segue into why you want—and would be perfect for—this role.
Possible answer to “How do you prioritize your work?”
“I’d be lost without my daily to-do list! At the beginning of each workday, I write out tasks to complete, and list them from highest to lowest priority to help keep me on track. But I also realize priorities change unexpectedly. On one particular day recently, I had planned to spend most of my time making phone calls to advertising agencies to get price quotes for an upcoming campaign. Then I did a quick check-in with my manager. She mentioned she needed help putting together a presentation ASAP for a major potential client. I moved the more flexible task to the end of the week and spent the next few hours updating the time-sensitive presentation. I make it a point to keep lines of communication open with my manager and coworkers. If I’m working on a task that will take a while to complete, I try to give a heads-up to my team as soon as possible. If my workload gets to be unmanageable, I check in with my boss about which items can drop to the bottom of the priority list, and then I try to reset expectations about different deadlines.”