It takes a lot of time and effort to get invited to a job
interview. Don't blow your chances by being misunderstood by the
interviewer. Not many people are aware that giving one word
answers to questions, substantially increases your chances of
conveying the wrong impression.
Active Listening Skill Tips for Interviews
During a job interview, a potential employer asks, “Can you take
on more than one project at a time?” If you respond, “Yes,” you
may want to rethink that answer. According to Dynamic Listening:
Interview Skills, a computer based training module from
Mindleaders in Columbus, Ohio, you should avoid one-word or
one-sentence answers.
Be specific. And speak money-language. Here’s a preferred answer
to the question above, “In general, depending upon the type and
length of projects, I believe in efficiently handling more than
one project at a time. This could save a company as much as
30%.” Let’s check out the definition of “active listening
skills” and learn more to help with your next interview…
Active Listening Skills
Just as everyday “speaking” is not the same as public speaking;
“listening” is not the same as active listening. Active
listening means two things: analysis and response to the message
being communicated.
An active listener maintains eye contact and good posture with a
slight lean towards the speaker. During the interview, the
listener nods, smiles and takes notes. Be ware, however, that a
daydreamer or pseudolistener, can adopt these behaviors. So a
listener’s physical response does not necessarily mean good
listening skills are at work.
Nonverbal communication, more than just the nod or smile, is
important. Gestures, appearance, timing, voice responses, facial
expressions, spatial distance – all affect how the speaker (or
interview) interprets the listener. So a person preparing for a
job or work project interview should consider the cultural
climate and norms of society of the interviewer. In short,
perceived active listening based on nonverbal signals can vary
from culture to culture.
Especially in this age of such great cultural diversity, be
courteous of others regardless of cultural, sexual or societal
backgrounds. If you are a woman and get to a door before a man,
open it. If your interviewer doesn’t speak English very well and
looks puzzled at your words, go back and explain yourself again
in different words and re-establish a good communication
exchange.
Note: a major part of active listening is paraphrasing. It’s not
the same as summarizing. A summary is a shortened version of the
original message, focusing on the main point. To paraphrase
means to re-state the message in your own words.
Active listeners take notes by paraphrasing or restating what
the speaker said in their own words, and summarizing main
points. A good listener is not the same thing as a silent
listener. Good listeners ask questions, even something like, “Is
this an accurate paraphrase of you have said?” to let the
speaker know that you understand the message being communicated.
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