3 Steps to a Killer Interview Response

Simply being qualified for a job is usually not enough. You will likely be competing against several other individuals that are just as qualified. Providing killer interview responses can significantly improve your chances of making a great impression. The following 3 steps have helped my past students land great jobs even though they were up against many other qualified candidates.

Step 1 – Give a Short and Direct Response

Start by answering the question as directly as possible. Don’t beat around the bush. In most cases you can answer the question with a simple “yes” or “no”.

Step 2 – Prove your Response

Next, provide evidence of your response. Give an example, give details of your education, work experience, etc. Be positive and upbeat. Never lie but give the best proof you can to support your response.

Step 3 – Tell Them Why They Should Care

The reason your interviewer should care about your response will be obvious. But taking the time to state it outright will make your response far more memorable.

Example

The example interview question I’ve often used with engineering students is “Do you have any experience with AutoCAD”. AutoCAD is a computer-aided drafting software that many engineers use, and many students will have very limited experience with, so they're often unsure how to respond to the question. They know it’s important experience, but the experience they have was often just an introduction in a classroom setting.

Here’s how most new engineers will respond:

I have a little experience but not very much. I mean, I took a class where we played around with it a little and I did some online tutorials, but I think I would still have a lot of questions with it because it was just an introduction. So, I kind of have experience, but not much.

Here’s the same student’s response following the 3 Steps to Killer Interview Responses:

Yes! I took an introductory course in school where I got to learn the basic functions of AutoCAD. Then, in order to further my familiarity with the features of the software, I took the time to work through online tutorials. That means, that if you hire me, I’ll be able to “hit the ground running”. I’m sure I’ll still have questions along the way, but the introduction I’ve had to AutoCAD will help me get up to speed quickly and work more independently.

Hopefully you can identify the 3 steps in that response. The second response is based on the same qualifications but presents those qualifications in a way that will make a much more positive and lasting impact on the interviewer. Studies have found that the candidate most likely to get the job is not necessarily the one with longest list of qualifications. It's usually the one that makes the most memorable impression on the interviewer. So, use the 3 Steps to a Killer Interview Response and make a killer impression!

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