Secret Hack to Cracking Interviews
When you go watch a standup comedy show, it’s just not the jokes that matter. There’s another element involved. Let’s guess by studying these 2 examples.
Example 1
"So, I recently went on a blind date, and let me tell you, it was a disaster! I walked into the restaurant, and she was, sitting at the table... with her ex-boyfriend! Yeah, talk about awkwardness. But you know what? I handled it like a pro. I walked right up to them, looked her ex in the eye, and said, 'Nice to meet you. I'm the upgrade.' Boom!”
Example 2
Comedian: "So, um, I went on this, uh, blind date, you know? And, um, it was, like, really, really bad. I, uh, walked into the restaurant, and, um, she was, like, sitting there with her ex-boyfriend, and it was, um, awkward. But, uh, I, like, walked up to them, and, um, I looked at her ex, and I said, 'Nice to meet you. I'm the upgrade.' Yeah, it was, uh, kinda funny.”
The content is the same but the intensity of your laughter will be directly proportional to the strength of the delivery of the joke! I am sure you would agree with me that you would laugh more at example 1.
The same context also applies to your job interviews! It’s not just your answers but how you deliver them that matters more.
Imagine this:
You applied to 100+ jobs and finally received an interview call.
You don’t want to let this chance slip away.
So, you prepare the most common questions like “Tell me about yourself”, “Why are you a good fit for this role”, etc. In addition, you brush up on your technical knowledge and practice behavioral questions.
You even practice in front of the mirror. This is when you realize you are not being articulate and that the delivery of your answers can be better. Let’s look at this example:
Interviewer: "Tell me about your experience working in project management."
Candidate: "Um, yeah, so, um, I have, uh, around, um, five years of, uh, project management experience, um, working, uh, in, um, various, uh, industries.
There are a lot of filler words! The more of these, the less confident and articulate you sound.
So, next time you practice, be conscious and remove these filler words from your answers:
Ummm, my name is …..
Okay, so, um, in my previous role ….
I just wanted to know when I can hear back
You know, I was responsible for handling ….
I mean, I have a strong background in data analysis and experience…
Knowing is not enough, it’s only after conscious effort you will start using fewer filler words.
Start practicing today so that you can nail your interview!
Keep blooming,
Bani Singh