Why You Should Take a Moment to Think Before Answering an Interview Question

Suppose you have a job interview, congratulations! You’re one step closer to landing the position you want. Now all you have to do is nail the interview. If you, like many people, are worried about the process, there is a straightforward thing you can do to boost your chances of making it a success. Simply take a moment to breathe and think before responding to each question. Here’s why. 

 

Calming Your Nerves 

When we get nervous, it tends to come out in our speech patterns and mannerisms. Your mouth might get dry, you might feel like you are tripping over your words, and you may even fidget or develop other nervous tics. All of this can make you seem timid at best or untrustworthy at worst. 

Taking a moment lets you breathe and prepare your answer. It will help you slow down, speak clearly and confidently, and present your best self. 

 

Controlling the Flow 

A good job interview should be a back and forth dialogue, but when you’re nervous, it’s easy to feel steamrolled by even the best interviewer. You can turn this around by taking some control over the flow and the pace of the interview. Taking a brief pause before answering puts you in the driver’s seat for that moment, contributing to the give and take. 

 

Organizing Your Thoughts 

No matter how well prepared you are, the odds are good that your interviewer will ask something that you haven’t thought about, or at least question it in a different way than you were expecting. Rather than pouring out jumbled thoughts and filler words, taking a moment lets you organize your thoughts and present a logical, well-formed answer. 

 

In the Market for a New Job? 

If you’re looking for a new job, our recruiters can help make it a reality. To learn how OneSource Staffing can help you find your next position in Port Jervis, NYvisit our job board today. 

We have the connections you need

How Can We Help Today?

Get in touch with an expert member of our team.

  • This field is for validation purposes and should be left unchanged.