Preparing for interviews is serious business. But no matter how much you practice, there may be times when you just can’t answer a question. Whether it’s a technical question about something you haven’t heard of before or just something you didn’t expect, a question that stumps you can really throw off the flow of the conversation and make you feel a little uneasy.
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Interviews can be nerve-wracking experiences, especially when the interviewer seems to take full control of the conversation. You may find yourself sitting through long monologues with little chance to highlight your skills or ask your own questions. While you want to be polite, you also want to steer the discussion in a more balanced direction. Here are some tips on gracefully redirecting interviews when you feel boxed into a passive role.
Why Interviews Can Become One-Sided
There are a few common reasons why an interview may veer into a soliloquy
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The interviewer has limited time. They may try to cram in all their questions rapid-fire without pausing.
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They get caught up in their own thoughts. Some interviewers like to talk through their own thinking process out loud.
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They want to sell you on the role. Over-eager interviewers may invest more time pitching the job.
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It’s their preferred communication style. Some people are simply more comfortable holding court in conversations.
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They’re disorganized Interviewers who didn’t adequately prepare may improvise and ramble.
Whatever the reason, it’s in your best interest to re-balance the dynamic professionally. Letting the interviewer dominate the exchange means missing out on opportunities to demonstrate your suitability.
Ways to Get the Conversation Back on Track
Here are some techniques to politely drive the dialogue in a more equitable direction if you find yourself in a one-sided interview
1. Use nonverbal cues.
Maintain good eye contact and affirmative nods to show you’re actively listening. Lean slightly forward to convey engagement. However, avoid excessive smiling or agreeing if you want to gently register that it’s time to move the discussion along.
2. Break in politely.
When the interviewer finally takes a breath, jump into the pause. Keep your tone gracious rather than interruptive, saying something like “I appreciate all this information. If I may, I’d love to take a moment now to also share my experiences…”
3. Pivot to your questions.
After answering one of their questions, try bridging to your own interests by saying, “That’s a great point about XXX. On a related note, I’m also curious to know…”
4. Refer to the agenda.
If they provided an interview schedule, you can move things along by glancing at it and saying, “I believe we were hoping to also discuss YYY today. Shall we touch on that next?”
5. Summarize and segue.
After the interviewer covers a topic at length, summarize their main points briefly before transitioning. For example: “Yes, the collaborative environment you described sounds very appealing. By the way, regarding collaborations…”
6. Ask for two-way feedback.
During a lull, smile and ask “How am I doing so far in our discussion? I want to make sure I’m addressing all the topics you hoped to cover today.” This opens the door for a reciprocal exchange.
7. Ask for next steps.
As you approach any time limits, ask about the rest of the hiring process. Say something like “We’ve covered a lot of ground today. I’d love to hear about what the next steps entail beyond this interview.”
8. Thank them for their time.
If it’s still hopelessly one-sided by the end, thank them sincerely for the chance to meet and hear their perspective. Say you look forward to the potential next steps where you can also share more about your background. This concludes the interview gracefully.
Following Up After the Interview
If an interviewer still talked over you despite your best efforts, all is not lost. After the interview, follow up with:
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A thank you note highlighting your relevant experiences and interests in the role.
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LinkedIn connection requests to establish more two-way communication channels.
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An email sharing links to your portfolio samples or work products they did not give you time to discuss.
Handling Different Interviewer Personalities
You may encounter different personality types that make interviews one-sided. Here are some tailored techniques for each:
Fast talkers: Ask politely if you can pause the rapid-fire questioning occasionally so you can provide full responses.
Ramblers: Listen for pauses you can softly break into. Say you have some related insights to contribute.
Pitchers: Politely share you’re already strongly interested, and would like to focus the remainder of your time discussing the role specifics.
Monologuers: After listening politely, share you want to be mindful of their time and be sure you have a chance to share key information about your background.
Disorganized: Offer a gentle structure, i.e. “Shall we start by going over my background and experience?” to get them back on track.
The key is staying confident, professional, and assertive without being aggressive. With the right polite persistence, you can redirect even the most overbearing interviewer.
Why It’s Worth the Effort
Some may wonder if it’s better to just let a one-sided interviewer dominate the meeting rather than risk interrupting them. But graciously steering the conversation is worth it for several reasons:
Shows confidence and leadership skills. Taking the initiative reflects well on you.
Provides a better picture. Interviewers can only assess your fit based on what’s discussed.
Creates a relationship. Two-way dialogue builds connection and rapport.
Lets you evaluate the role. Discussing your goals gives you information too.
Can improve their approach. Tactful redirection can help interviewers improve.
So with the right preparation and techniques, you can feel empowered to redirect interviews from soliloquies into vibrant exchanges. You’ll make the most of your limited time in the hot seat, while leaving the interviewer with a full, equitable understanding of how your skills and passions align with the role at hand. Stay poised, persistent, and polite, and you can successfully transform even the most long-winded interview into meaningful conversation.
Take Your Time
First things first: Acknowledge that the question was asked and that you’re thinking about it. Something as simple as, “Hmm…that’s a great question. A simple “Let me think about that” will do while you work out your first ideas for how to answer the question.
It is important to remember this, especially since it is so easy to fill up silences with words when there are none. Give yourself a moment to gather your thoughts, and be careful not to say anything that makes it clear that you’re, well, stumped.
The hiring manager isn’t asking you hard questions to see if you can give the right answer right away. They’re asking them to see how you think through problems. After taking a moment to collect your thoughts, try to quickly describe where they have been and where they are going.
If someone asks you, “Tell me about your copyediting process for long form articles,” and you don’t have one (yet), a good way to answer would be to pretend you’re editing the article and read out loud the steps you take. Add transitional adverbs like “first,” “then,” and “lastly” to give your answer some structure. You could also say, “The process varies depending on the situation,” to show that you’re open to different options, even if your answer isn’t what the hiring manager would do.
If someone asks you a question you can’t answer, be honest and try to go to a topic you know more about. That being said, you might not be able to directly talk about a skill, but if you can link it to similar skills, that’s much better than telling them you don’t have that skill.
For instance, let’s say you applied for a job that needs someone with experience in social media marketing and were asked about your background in this area of marketing. If you simply don’t have it, try redirecting the answer to something you do have experience with.
You could then talk about your experience managing social media communities or making print ads and say, “That’s one of the reasons I’m so excited about this job.” Because I used to blog for work, I have a lot of experience managing social media communities. I also know how to do print marketing for my professional organization. I think these two skills make me a great fit for the social media marketing you need for your product, especially since your company has been working hard to build a community. ”.
Response.Redirect ( False vs True) ASP.NET Interview questions with answers.
FAQ
How do you redirect an interview?
How to answer a question when you don’t have experience?
