Summary – Don’t just give answers, give them the questions too
One of the biggest fear for anyone attending a job interview is the fear of not knowing the answer to a question. I’ve been there and I can safely say that nobody is exempted from it. If you think about it, it’s a perfectly normal thing. There is no way a person can know everything there is to know about a topic.
However, don’t you think you will have undergone a perfect interview session if you know the answer to every single question? Don’t you think that will make you memorable and in the end hired?
Now would you believe me if I tell you that there is actually a trick to accomplish exactly that?
The Trick
The trick to actually know the answer to every questions in an interview is to give your interviewer a list of questions to ask you (Not literally of course). Allow me to elaborate.
Let say you are an expert in gearbox maintenance and you are attending an interview for an engineering position. Be sure to drop some hint in your answers that you are directly involved in gearbox maintenance. The interview conversation below will show you how.
Interviewer : What are your past experience?
You : I have been working as a maintenance engineer for about 5 years and my job usually covers fabrication, servicing of machinery especially gearbox etc.
Interviewer : Hm so tell us how do you take care of a gearbox?
You : Bla Bla Bla
/end example
As you can see, by hinting that you are involved in gearbox maintenance, the interviewer will usually make use of the topic as their next question. Of course being an expert you will be able to answer the question effortlessly.
Once you know this, any interview will be a walk in the park. However, you may want to first read a few ground rules of using the trick.
Rule 1 : Be very subtle with the hinting
Do not end every answer with the word “Gearbox”. The interviewer will start noticing the effort and it will not end well. If your first 2 attempts fail, try other topics that you are good at.
Rule 2 : Never show off your expertise
A friend of mine had actually memorized one whole book about Machinery Act and he boasted about it in the interview. As a result, the interviewer asked him question from other books and he failed.
Rule 3 : Do not give all the details
If for example, the interviewer asked you about “Gearbox”, don’t explain to him from A to Z. Be smart with your explanation and leave out interesting topics hanging for him to ask. A person who can answer every question asked is more memorable than a person who can answer only one question in the interview.
Rule 4 : Prepare a few real life stories
Everyone loves a story and if you play your cards right, the interviewer will want to hear more from you. They will then start asking the related question about it. That’s an extra point for you.
Rule 5 : Ask questions
Try to shoot some questions to the interviewer related to your expertise. You may know the answer but still ask away. It will convert the whole process from an interview to a mini discussion. Believe me, it will help reduce the stress and more importantly you will be memorable to the interviewer.
The best topic to be discussed is the topic you know best.
– I wonder –
Any other tips to subtly highlight your strength in an interview?
———- Personal Note ————
I just came back from my first semester of Palm Oil Milling Diploma in MPOB. There are 23 lectures compressed in 7 days. To make things even more interesting, the examination for this first semester will be held on 11th May. Wish me luck! 🙂
Photo Credit – DIDEO
Related Post
When you hand the receptionist or future boss a list of questions to ask what do you suggest saying before getting kicked out of the office?
Sorry forgot to click the email response button
Rick
Rick Kirkham – I’m sorry if I have confused you. What I meant is not to literally give a list of question, but to gradually hint the topic that can be asked. This is of course done through out the entire interviewing process. You just drop a hint here and there on topic you are very well verse and if you do it right, they will be interested to know about the topic.
As a result, you will be seen as a person who is very knowledgable and confident in your field 🙂
Recently, my nephew got his SPM result…..7A1 3A2
wow…..
He interested to become a doctor
So, he ask me some tips for success in medical scholarship interview
Here, i listdown several tips based from my experience
1. U will be judged by the way u dress, especially for girl….remember this, we dont need a sexy doctor…so dress properly
2. Smile and behave humble….we need a humble doctor not a brilliant look doctor and of course give a smile (smile from a doctor is one of the element that make patient feel better)
3. Why u want to be a doctor? this is the most frequent question that will be ask from interviewer.So….what the answer?
– keywords here…..interested,willing to sacrifice for the sake of society,improve medical service by increase the quality doctor, love to deal with human, reduce mistake and careless done by a doctor and etc
4. Never give the answer like this
-my parents ask me
-to get better income
-my brother also a doctor
-get respect by society
5. If u have mild illness such as asthma,allergic rhinitis, or u are G6PD deficiency person, u have extra points to answer the above question.U want to be a doctor because u want to understand the disease process. Do a little homework about your mild illness.If they ask u what do u know about G6PD deficiency….so that your bonus mark….
6. Lastly…..for muslim student, do isthikarah before u choose medical field.
Just my 2 cents.Applicable only for malaysian student.
Now it makes sense thanks.
As a person involved in sales over 30 years, I’d also suggest any book on sales would help you with an interview and the subtle redirects you’re suggesting. In fact sales techniques helps with a lot of things in everyday life
Rick
Ummu Alif – What can I say, like aunt like nephew 🙂 Send her my belated congratulation kay.
Appreciate the tips you shared. I’m sure students inspired to become a doctor will find this useful especially tips no 5. Understanding our strength and weakness is the first step to become good in any field.
In a way, it is a great example of how to apply the trick in the interview. Thank you.
Sensei J. Richard Kirkham B.Sc – You are absolutely right. Come to think of it, interview process and job application are basically the art of selling oneself. Thank you.
Personally the best sales technique is when you can convince that the items you are selling is a real bargain and that it will be a loss if missed.
Good luck banji! oo mpob ade buat jugak ye kursus mcm ni =)
All the best 2 u.
hihi good tips.. tak terfikir strategi tu..
Fatihatie – Fortunately for us, the course is just a theoretical revision of what we have been doing for the past 5 years 🙂 Thank you for the wishes
Asking questions at an interview is something we all forget about at times, and it’s great advice. It’s so important to be involved and interested, and asking questions is a great way to do that.
salam banji..
lama tak jenguk kat sini 🙂 entah u ingat lagi ke idak kat i..
nway talking about interview.. just had an interview cum blind date.. hahaha.. interesting!! my once in a lifetime experience 😀 😛 will never forget!!
Positively Present – I guess the fear of being in an interview can sometimes make us wish the interview to end faster. Thus avoiding prolonging it by asking question. Thank you for the great point.
Zai – Long time no see. Of course I still remember you and your poem especially your gift of poetry on the mrs’s birthday.
An interview cum a blind date. That’s very interesting. Care to share the story? 🙂
That is a pretty smooth maneuver about hinting at an item until the interviewer asks about it. I can see it working the majority of the time except for those instances you hinted about where the interviewer figures out that the interviewee is doing it. It is somewhat entertaining the way that a discussion can be led indirectly.
Salam…hi bro…long time didn’t hear from u…How’s life??? Ermmm…mcm dah lama tak update je ni…
bro banji..thanks for this information even though for me its quite late to notice this post. by the way, i just finished my interview with SPA for physiotherapist post. but I think I gamble on the wrong issue. I talked more about my hardworking-ness in other job than the post that I really want. As a result I didn’t get the post. But I do learn something from that interview.. And thanks for your post here. I think whenever I’m going to another interview, I’ll be ready by it. Thanks for this post bro
salammm banji…how r u…? long time no see. and sorry i couldnt find ur tagbod..hehhe…lame tak mai..heh…:P anyway pekaba….? sorry out of topic…:)
Salam. Hi Banji. It’s been ages. 🙂
I agree on asking questions in an interview. I’ve done that, and it adds up showing how much u’re interested with the job or post that they’re offering. Every employer would of course search for candidates who are interested and how would u show ur interests to that? Asking questions like u really want to know is what makes them see.
About giving hanging answers that leads to them asking more about what we do or whatever that we know, good trick! Actually my brother applies this trick on his thesis presentation some years ago. He said that that trick works all the time. So he’s always ready with what to answer. What he did was to always explain/present less than 100% of all the solutions or answers to your presentation so as to make them ask you at the end. And surely you know what to answer later… Tricky trick huh?
Same goes to on any interviews. Just give hanging answers -less-100%-answers- and wait for them to ask you more. 😉
Armen Shirvanian – That is why we need to be extra cautious hinting. Any fail attempt should be stop immediately. If not, the interviewer will notice it and all hell will break loose. 🙂
aRa – Agak busy sikit di negeri dibawah bayu ni eheh. New things to do, new place to see. InsyaAllah blog ni takkan dibubarkan begitu saja 🙂
Bosan – You are welcome. All the best on your next interview. Who knows, you might be my future physiotherapist later. Even though I would prefer to be healthy forever.
Tic – Alhamdulillah sihat. Tagboard tu sengaja dikeluarkan sebab tak ramai yg post disitu. Tic apa khabar?
Syahidatul – Practicing this trick during thesis presentation is very wise indeed. That is one of the most important event that we need to be seen as well verse.
Please say hi to your brother 🙂