How to overcome awkward silence in an interview

How to overcome awkward silence in an bewerberinterviewHow to overcome awkward silence in an interviewWeve all been there Youre in an interview and everything is binnenseemingly going well. Then, suddenly, the conversation hits a lull. Do you speak first to fill the awkward-feeling silence? Do you wait for your interviewer to lead the way? What body language do you express?Ive worked in recruiting in the financial services industry for over five years and interacted with thousands of candidates throughout all stages of their interview processes, and I can tell you that awkward silences happen in nearly all interviews. They are rarely the result of doing something wrong, but rather part of a natural course of events someone stopping to think about a previous answer or someone trying to remember the point he or she was planning to make, for example. Unfortunately, candidates often assume the void is their fault, get nervous, and departure rambling to fill the void. But thats not neces sarily the best plan of attack. Heres what to do instead.1. Understand the importance of the silenceAs a recruiter, there are so many things that go through my head during an interview. First and foremost, Im responsible for taking as many notes as possible. I dont want to forget anything the candidate is saying, because I have to pass along the right information to the hiring manager. This sometimes requires me to pause and take it all in. That said, I sometimes do use silence as a test I want to see how the candidate will respond under pressure. Hiring managers do the same - they use silence to assess a candidates comfort and emotional intelligence. To come out ahead, let the awkward silence run its course. Show poise. Count slowly to five, and then say, Is there anything else I can fill in on that point? Consider this a moment to reflect on your answers and gather your thoughts for the rest of the conversation.2. Come preparedYour battle plan starts long before you walk into the room and shake your interviewers hand. Practice answers to common inquiries with your friends and get comfortable answering open-ended questions. Structure each point to tie back to what you studied, what youve been doing, or why youre interested in this particular role. I recommend using the STAR format to make sure youve covered everything in detailSituationWhat was the context or background?TaskWhat exactly needed to be done?ActionWhat did you do to accomplish the required result?ResponseWhat was the overall outcome and how was it received?If you know youve hit all the points youve practiced, you wont feel the need to keep talking just to fill the silence.3. Know your audienceYoure likely to go through multiple interviews as part of a hiring process. It usually starts with a conversation with a recruiter or member of the menschenwrdig resources team. This can be your opportunity to drive the conversation a bit more. If and when you make it to the next stage of the process and sy nc up with the hiring manager, youll want to be a bit more deferential. That doesnt mean you shouldnt have space to ask questions - you absolutely should. But its not up to you to steer the ship, so when that silence does happen, allow it to pass so as to give the hiring manager the chance to move onto the next topic he or she has on the agenda.4. Dont rambleI know its nerves, but Ive had candidates blather on so much that their sentences stop making sense. One interviewee started by speaking about her current job (makes sense), but ended up explaining why she dislikes a certain coworker. Clearly, thats no good. When a candidate goes on and on, he or she usually loses sight of the point and starts trying to connect the wrong things. For example, I once asked a job candidate to give me an example of a time he received criticism over his work and how he dealt with this feedback. He started out well, citing a specific project, but quickly diverged into a lengthy assessment of his mana gers difficult personality. Not only did he fail to answer the question at hand, he made it seem as if he couldnt possibly be the problem.If you catch yourself going down this road, know that all hope isnt lost. You havent blown the interview. Just apologize for rambling and say, Let me start all over. Its perfectly fine to admit when something doesnt go perfectly in an interview. Recruiters appreciate honesty over all else.This post was originally published on TheWell.com.Jopwell helps Americas leading companies connect with and recruit Black, Latino/Hispanic, and Native American professionals and students at scale.Sign upto find your dream job.

How to Determine If the Purpose of Your Resume Is Clear

How to Determine If the Purpose of Your Resume Is ClearHow to Determine If the Purpose of Your Resume Is ClearHow to Determine If the Purpose of Your Resume Is ClearBuild an effective resume that supports your job goals. Heres how. TWEETHave you ever tried to fly a kite without a string to guide its direction or without a tail to give it proper weight and navigational assistance? Sounds pretty frustrating - unless you dont care where the kite goes. Sending out a resume without giving it direction or strategic design can be a similar exercise in futility.Like a kite, a resume needs to be built properly (eye-catching, easily readable design and format), guided to its destination (by tailoring it to a specific job and market), and weighted properly (with quantified accomplishments and responsibilities).Consider the purpose of your resume.A resume is the marketing vehicle that, when crafted effectively, will facilitate your ability to secure an interview. It will also help you prepare fo r that interview because it will highlight your key selling points and boost your confidence in your own abilities.Like many applicants, you may feel at a loss for words when you initially try to list your accomplishments at work. I havent contributed anything, you say. I just do my job. However, once you take a step back and go through the process of brainstorming how youve actually added value to your department or company, I guarantee your feelings of self-worth will rise - and even soar. And that confidence will definitely get noticed by the hiring manager during your next interview.Define your resumes intended destination.While written resume objectives are no longer the standard, it is imperative that your job goals are clearly stated and supported throughout your resume for it to be effective. Below are questions to ask yourself before you start the resume-writing process. Your answers will help give your resume the direction and content it needs to land in the right place. W ho do you expect will read your resume?Believe it or not, most job applications are not initially reviewed by a menschenfreundlich being. Instead, an electronic applicant tracking system (ATS) will scan your job application for keywords and skills. If you are fortunate enough to have an actual human read your resume, the design can either hurt or harm you, depending on its effectiveness and readability. Keep in mind that HR professionals may not be familiar with all industry or job-related acronyms, so use both the acronyms and the actual words. Managers will pay more attention to your specific accomplishments to try to determine if you would be an asset, so make sure these are prominently featured. Which industry are you targeting?If you are open to a variety of industries, this point does not apply. But if you are seeking a position in the manufacturing industry, for example, industry keywords need to be included in your resume. This will increase your chances of the electronic ap plicant tracking systems honing in on your resume. Sophisticated systems can now detect if keywords are actually used in context, so they have to be strategically and effectively integrated into your resume.What specific position are you seeking?Unfortunately for the over-stressed and over-worked, the days of sending out a generic resume for several types of jobs are behind us. You have to design your resume with a particular position in mind. You have to know what keywords, skills, areas of expertise, and qualities an employer is looking for in a candidate. And then you have to make sure you feature them in your resume and show - not tell - that you have them. That brings me to the next bullet point. What results do you want your resume to showcase?Do you get things done? Do you improve processes or procedures? Do you surpass sales goals? Do you lead teams?Simply stating that you possess a certain quality will have almost no positive impact on a potential employer. In fact, it may actually work against you. How many times do employers read, Highly motivated, multi-tasking, very organized, successful, team player? Too many times They either yawn or toss the resume.Instead of telling the reader about your skills,show them what youve accomplished using dollar amounts, percentages, descriptions of projects, and other quantifiable results.Ready for a new career? Get started with a new resume today.

4 Quick Job Interview Tips - FlexJobs

4 Quick Job Interview Tips - FlexJobs4 Quick Job Interview Tips -2314 Quick Job Interview Tips1) Do some serious research. Hiring managers want to know that you are familiar with the company when theyre interviewing you. Be prepared to answer questions like, What do you know about ur company? and, What attracted you to our business? and even, What did you think about our big news last week? The more you know about a company, the better prepared youll be to demonstrate your sincere interest during the job interview.If possible, follow your companies of interest on Facebook or Twitter to stay up-to-date on their latest happenings and get a sense for how they interact with the public. Are they light-hearted, fun, serious, casual, formal, etc2) Be comfortable with pauses. Its tempting to keep talking to fill the silence because youre nervous, but if youve answered their question, pause and take a breath. Chances are, the interviewer will jump back into the conversation. And if youre not sure if youve done yourself justice with your answer, dont be scared to inquire of the interviewer, Does that answer your question?3) For Phone Interviews Prepare specifically for a PHONE interview. Phone interviews arent like talking to a good friend (though, wouldnt that be nice). The conversation can be awkward unless youve planned accordingly. Youll want to demonstrate your ability to interact well over the phone. Pick a quiet spot to have the interview, and remove any distractions (turn off your computer, put away random objects on your desk, etc.).The only things you need for a job interview over the phone are a copy of your resume, a list of talking points and answers to common interview questions, a list of important info about the company and your interviewer, and a phone.4) Definitely send a thank-you email. Hand written cards are a nice gesture in theory, but if the company is large, it may get deckenfries in the mail room and not reach the intended recipient before they have made a hiring decision. Also, be sure to email each person with whom you interviewed, and make each note different so that they arent all reading the exact same thing.Include your genuine thanks, as well as any specific qualifications you wanted to re-highlight or forgot to mention in the interview. Consider the thank-you note your last chance to make a great impressionTo find a job thatll make you excited to interview, check out our job listings available in 50+ professional categoriesReaders, tell us your favorite, quick job interview tips