When applying for a new job and receiving the opportunity to make it through to the round of interviews, it may be a bit tricky stopping yourself from providing a load of facts, aspects or achievements that occurred throughout your life. Although it is good to share, it is oversharing that may be your downfall.
Below are a few tips to avoid unecessary blabbering in an interview – also colloquially coined as verbal diarrhoea.
Pause before answering
When asked a question by the interviewer, press pause and first think about how you can answer the question and articulate your response rationally, suggests Indeed (a job site that gives individuals free access to search for jobs and they like). “If you have several ideas about how to respond, choose one area of focus so you can keep your answer concise.”
Slow down your speech
Indeed also notes that it is crucial to think consciously about the rate at which you are speaking when responding to a question during an interview. If you feel that at some point you are speaking too fast, try to take a short pause between sentences and maintain eye contact (this often helps people slow down their speech).
Recognise when you are rambling
“Learn to be more mindful so that you notice your triggers,” says LinkedIn, the world’s largest professional network. “Notice the sensations building inside of you, perhaps a pulse in your head, or a knot in your stomach or your chest tightening.”
Breath in… breath out
The oxygen you take in will help you compose your thoughts and bring you back to the present moment, LinkedIn states. Think about what you want to achieve with your answer.
Ask questions
If you notice that your answers are becoming longer during the interview, ask the employer if you are providing an appropriate level of detail in your answers. Providing an example, Indeed says, “When answering a behavioural question that may take longer to explain, you can pause to ask the employer whether you are giving them the examples they want to hear in your response.” This engagement will help to keep your responses short.
Also see: How to handle a job rejection
