Page 160 - You're Hired! Interview Answers

n Emphasise using the above to quickly form a plan; if you have enough non-ComPetenCY-BaSed QueStionS knowLedge-BaSed QueStionS
information, suggest tentative milestones or objectives for your first 3
months, 6 months and year.

n Sound purposeful but not arrogant in terms of your understanding of the
situation.

tips for hypothetical questions

n Do answer the question, but get the interviewer back to a concrete example
as quickly as you can.

n Don’t make your answer too elaborate; there is a risk of joining in with the
fantasy and embellishing the scenario, giving answers to a whole range of
possible outcomes. Keep your answer simple and then try to steer things
back onto firmer ground.

n If the question is particularly vague, be willing to ask for some clarification,
but don’t sound as if you are trying to put the interviewer on the spot – this
will not serve you well.

n For this kind of question it is particularly important to give yourself time to
think; don’t be afraid to buy yourself a few seconds by creating a pause, for
example, ‘That’s an interesting situation, let me think for a second …’

n Bring your answer to a clear end, rather than letting it drift off; say
something like ‘Does that give you enough information?’ as a way of
signalling that you have finished the story.

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