Using Storytelling and PAR Method Problem Action Result) to Give Compelling Answers to Interview Questions

Use the following tips to provide more powerful answers to interview questions that start out with “Tell Me About ….”

a.?????? Uses the techniques taught by Toastmasters and the PAR Method ({Problem Action Result) of answering interview questions to give really compelling answers.? Toastmasters teaches you how to tell compelling stories that grab the audience’s attention, using changes in tone of voice, changing facial expression, show enthusiasm, smile when appropriately, avoid closed stances such as folding your arms or legs, tapping your foot, speaking in a monotone, speaking with too many ums and ahs, speaking too? fast or slow, etc.

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a.???? Uses the techniques taught by Toastmasters and the PAR Method ({Problem Action Result) of answering interview questions to give really compelling answers.? Toastmasters teaches you how to tell compelling stories that grab the audience’s attention, using changes in tone of voice, changing facial expression, show enthusiasm, smile when appropriately, avoid closed stances such as folding your arms or legs, tapping your foot, speaking in a monotone, speaking with too many ums and ahs, speaking too? fast or slow, etc.

b.???? Toastmasters and the PAR method of answering interview questions work best when answering questions like the ones below:

Tell me about a time (or situation) when you had a problem with a co-worker and how did you handle it.

?Tell me about a problem you faced and how did you handle it?

Tell me about major success you had and how you that impacted your department or company.?

Tell me about a situation when you managed a difficult situation and what you did to manage it.

Tell me about a project that was way behind schedule and how did you turn that situation around, so the project was complete on schedule.

?Etc.

?USE TOASTMASTERS AND THE PAR METHOD TOGETHER

?You can use the PAR (Problem Action Result) method in conjunction with Toastmaster’s techniques to give really compelling answers to the above interview questions.

HERE’S A SAMPLE PAR QUESTION

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“Tell me about a time when you succeeded beyond your boss’ expectations?”

?PROBLEM

?“I worked in the Business Intelligence division of Platinum Technology Inc as a trainer and instructional designer.? I noticed that the sales representatives’ primary responsibility was to sell our software to customers, but they were also charged with selling training too, but they weren’t as? much training as? they should have.

ACTION

I approached Fred Rook, the VP of our division, about this ?and asked him to make me the Director of Training for our division.? I told Fred that we weren’t selling as much training as we should be, and the division was losing a lot of revenue because of it.

RESULT

I then told Fred? I could double our training revenue in 6 months from $1.5M to $3.0M by hiring a dedicated Training Salesrep and bringing on 3 new trainers to? handle the increased training workload and hiring an additional instructional designer to create new courses we could sell. .? Fred was a little skeptical at first, so I suggested he make this situation temporary and if I didn’t meet my goal, I would give up my new role as Director of Training and go back to my old job.? Fred liked this idea, so he made me the temporary Director of Training.? In 3 months, we had doubled our training revenue and Fred made my position permanent.”

45 SECOND TIME LIMIT FOR ANSWERING INTERVIEW QUESTIONS

You should try to answer any interview questions in 45 seconds or less.? If you go over that, the interviewer will tune out and when you’re done, the interviewer will have forgotten what you said at the beginning of your answer.? If you do this a lot, you will dramatically reduce your chances of being invited back for? a second interview

SEE THE DIFFERENCE

Give all this a try in your next interview and see how positively the hiring manager responds to this method of answering? the questions we introduced earlier.? The difference will be dramatic and can easily lead to you getting a second interview or a job offer.?

To do all this well, you have to practice answering at least 20 interview questions like the ones we covered above.? When practicing, write down your answers to these 20 questions and then speak them out loud onto a tape recorder.? This will help you remember the answers to these questions and help you see if you used Toastmasters and PAR technique effectively in answering the interview questions.? You should practice answering these 20 interview questions before every interview, so you are sharp and prepared to knock em dead!