By Jeff Altman, Big Game Hunter
This error drove me crazy when I was doing recruiting! It cost too many people too many opportunities.
Virtual job fair when moving
I’ve interviewed a lot of people in my career. When I worked on search, I wasn’t sure what more than three-quarters of a million people I interviewed were. These were interviews I did with people that I just wanted to put a bullet in my head. Why? Because this guy just doesn’t know when to shut up. They just kept selling too hard for too long, not knowing when they were scoring on me and just felt the need to over talk about the situation. I’ll tell you guys, if you’ve ever been on my side in a similar situation, you know what I’m talking about.
For job seekers, consider the following: Attention span and most interviews are between 30 and 60 seconds. After this, most interviewers stop listening and start “mental channel surfing.” So if you start talking for longer than 60 seconds, they will fall asleep.
I encourage most people to speak no longer than 45 seconds; for most people, this is close to the outer limit. If your voice is skilled, you know how to pause every now and then, and you imply that you’re thinking (or know how to pretend you’re thinking about your answer), you can be dramatic, not dramatic (no one cares about hysteria in interviews), or super dramatic. . . What they are looking for are answers to questions that will prove they fit in and be entertained in the process, which is why you always hear stories about being under the influence rather than interviews.
Shorten your answer to about 45 seconds from your life. At the top, for a skilled person you can achieve 1 minute and 15 seconds. Otherwise, you are putting your foot in your mouth, killing your candidacy.
About Big Game Hunter Jeff Altman
People hire “Big Game Hunter” Jeff Altman to provide no-nonsense job coaching and career advice around the world because he excels at job hunting And get ahead in your career more easily.
38 Deadly Interview Mistakes to Avoid
You’ll find a wealth of information and job search guidance to help you find a job at JobSearch.Community
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Schedule a discovery call to discuss one-on-one or group coaching with me during your job search: www.TheBigGameHunter.us.
Common interview mistakes many executives make (and how to fix them)
He is the host of “No BS Job Search Advice Radio,” the #1 job search podcast on iTunes with over 3,000 episodes over 13 years.
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