Interview Techniques - A Table Tennis Game
The effective way of behaving in an interview is to answer the questions you are asked in a concise manner without manipulation and without trying to avoid the questions asked. Similar to a table tennis game, the objective of each of the players is to pass the ball to the opponent's court. When an interviewer asks a question – answer precisely to what is being asked; return the ball to the interviewer's court. It seems that it is the simplest technique, however a lot of interviewees are concerned they may answer incorrectly and tend to respond either inconcisely or in an irrelevant manner altogether.
Example A:
Interviewer: “What were you doing between 2000-2003?”
Applicant: “The truth is there is nothing important to say about these years. Yet, in 2004-2005 I was involved in projects that were much bigger and prestigious that may be of interest to you.”
In this case the job applicant does not answer the question he/she were asked and creates a bad impression. The interviewer may think that the applicant is trying to avoid or hide an issue. The more your responses are concise and focused (not necessarily too short or brief) the better the impression you make. This may require some effort on your part but it is definitely worth your while.
Example B:
Interviewer: “Please describe your last position”
Applicant: “In my last position I managed a team of 8 computer programmers. I was managing a R&D project that developed a new instrument that discovers faults in airplane engines”
In this case, the applicant responds in a concise manner and answers the question he/she were asked.