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What strategies can help me recognize when I’m rambling during an interview?
Elaine Varelas provides advice on to how to avoid talking too much in job interviews.
Q. I’ve received feedback that I tend to talk too much in job interviews. I don’t believe I’m overly talkative, but I do think I sometimes do go into too much detail or tell lengthy stories that tend to drag on when answering questions. How can I learn to gauge the right amount of information to share in my responses during interviews?
A. It’s good that people have been kind enough to give you feedback that will help you as you move forward in the interview process and in life. You might not see yourself as particularly talkative, but others have given you feedback that suggests you are. This usually means one of a few things. One, you don’t listen. Two, you don’t give people a chance to speak. Three, you don’t acknowledge what people say and you just keep talking. And lastly, you provide an annoying amount of detail.
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For example, “I went to the store on Tuesday. Or was it Monday? Wait, I think it was Tuesday. No, it had to be Tuesday because I went to the dentist on Monday.” Many people talk in a stream-of-consciousness style, which can be quite irritating for listeners and a quick way to lose the interest of those who don’t have time to waste on trivial details, such as those conducting the interview.
To prepare for job interviews, you should anticipate the questions that you’ll most likely be asked and write out the answers, but not in a narrative form. Write out your answers in terms of what the five most important points are that you need to make when addressing a particular question. Make sure that those five points tell something about the beginning, something about the middle, and something about the end. And what you did to make that project a success.
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If your answers extend to three or four typed pages, it’s a sign you’re providing far too much detail, which is not what the interviewer is looking for. Keep the responses focused and relevant. If the interviewer asks a follow up question, you can then go into more detail. And make sure you have a watch with a second hand on it, and you recognize whether follow up answers take longer than 60 or 120 seconds. They shouldn’t. Is this brutal and difficult? Yes, but it’s also job winning.
We’re all familiar with the legal aspect of telling them what they ask. Nothing more. Most often, when people offer additional information to what’s asked, they get into trouble. They offer things that may not show themselves in the best light and cause interviewers to ask questions about someone’s real capabilities or someone’s judgment.
After three to six weeks of practicing these types of responses, it will become second nature for you to automatically consider the five key points you need to address when answering these questions. Practice with friends but also tape yourself. You can practice and then record yourself again to ensure you sound polished and avoid rambling.
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And pay attention to verbal and nonverbal cues to make sure that you’re not rambling. Is the person interviewing you looking at their watch while you are talking? Are their eyes glazed over, or do they look bored? If so, stop speaking and allow them to talk. And if they start talking while you are still talking, you need to stop and let them interrupt. Let the interviewer guide the depth of your answers and avoid unnecessary details unless asked for more information.
Be civil. Be kind.
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