InterviewTeacher.com

Some of the best interviews I have found have been a conversation and not just a back and forth question and answer session. Having a conversation allows for the same give and take but in a less formal way. You will find that people who are great relaters, or comfortable with the interview process will tend to conduct an interview in a communication format as opposed to having a question and answer session.

Are you comfortable talking about yourself? This is the first key to having a conversation instead of an interview. Remember, this process is all about establishing a relationship. Smile when you answer and be present in the moment of the interview. When you are anticipating the next question or how you plan to answer you the current question you may miss a key aspects of what the interviewer is asking and may not do your best in responding.

I found being a member of a Toastmasters Club to be a valuable resource in developing this skill. There is a section in the club meeting called table topics where you have to give a one to two minute answer on a question on any topic at a moments notice. In table topics a question is presented to the audience but do not know who is going to be asked to answer the question until after the question is read. This makes table topics much like an interview session. Keeping your answer to no more than two minutes forces the person responding to share the most important aspects of their response in a little time as possible. Table topics are usually a part of ever club meeting and most clubs try to give everyone in attendance (members and non members) a chance to speak. Did I mention that with each new person the question changes? This does not allow you to wait and see how everyone else answered before you answer. Now initially this may sound a little scary (it is not really) but it is a great forum for preparing you for interview sessions. If you have not had the opportunity to visit a club here is a link to the Toastmasters International Web Site where you can find a club in your local community. Since Toastmasters is an international club and you should be able to find a club in an area close to you regardless of what part of the world you live in.

I will share additional tips with you in future posts on how to change an interview into a conversation but I do highly recommend joining a Toastmasters Club. It is one of the best investments that you can make in yourself.

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