Don’t Meander In Job Interviews

1. to proceed by or take a winding or indirect course.

2. to wander aimlessly; ramble: The talk meandered on.

Do you do this?  Are you sure?  Have you ever listened to yourself in an interview?

Being a meanderer is a bad thing.  So bad it even sounds illegal.  Of course its not illegal, but it can certainly get you into hot water.  With a recruiter, a fellow networker, an HR employee or (worse) a hiring manager.

Other phrases for it include being wordy.  I’ve also heard “drooling from the mouth” but that’s a bit too visual for me.

No matter how you describe it . . . stop it.

Your ability to answer questions clearly and precisely will allow an interview to continue long enough and successfully enough for you to gain an edge.  And hopefully progress through to an offer.

So what do think are the top 3 reasons why people meander anyway?  Here’s a few you might say:

1.  Nerves

Well, some could argue “nerves”.  Hey, interviews can be stressful, right?  After all, there’s a lot on the line.

2.  Filling Time

Others could argue that they were filling time left open by the interviewer.  The longer the interview the better?  No.  Open time in an interview is either poor company interview skills (yes, there are a lot of untrained interviewers out there) or a lack of skill on the candidate’s part.  Or both.

If there is open time, use it to interview the company.  Make sure you have questions planned not just for the end of the interview but also at the beginning and middle.  You can also “save” a poor company interviewer by getting things rolling and, at the same time, establishing a conversational relationship. One that can turn into a “I like him/her” when feedback on you is requested.

3.  I’m not really meandering!

Some people hear a more complex question than was actually asked.  Others don’t ask for clarification and start answering the wrong question.  Once either happens, you are off to the races and you can’t ever get the horse back in the stable.

OK, now here’s the truth.  At least as I see it . . .

There’s really only one reason why people meander:

POOR PREPARATION FOR INTERVIEWS

If you have yourself well prepared (know yourself, know your history, know your strengths, know your accomplishments, etc.) and have practiced answering the common questions, there cannot be any meandering.  There’s no room for it.

What to do if you get caught in the act of meandering?  Stop. Drop. Roll.

Stop talking.  

Drop the extended answer.  

Roll out a new concrete answer that allows you to end each response with a solid reason why YOU are the right candidate.

Good luck out there!