If you were asked in an interview:
If you could solve one global issue instantly, which one would you choose and why?
Some would scratch their head thinking what relevance does this have to my job?
Attempting to salvage some ideas or thoughts from your mind can be difficult.
Especially when you spent days rehearsing answers to questions on different forums and online question banks.
To then be thrown a curve ball can put many out of their depth because they relied on a lot of their preparation on questions such as “Why this role?”, “Why should we choose you?” etc.
The ability to craft a well-articulated response in the heat of the moment is challenging.
It can feel like a deer-in-headlights experience.
Not able to respond or think clearly due to the state being caught off guard.
Having the strategies and framework to deal with this surprise is important so let us have a look and not be a deer!
Take a deep breath
Feeling the spotlight on you and expecting an instant response can be a terrifying experience especially in a situation where you want to look the best version of yourself possible.
Having that deep breath reduces the stress and allows you to think more clearly.
One technique to consider is to approach the question as an ability to test your creativity and challenge your brain.
Because tricky questions do require time to think with ideas and thoughts
Consider the question as an exciting challenge that removes prepared answers to unpack your thoughts to see what you can come up with, which can remove the pressure for an instant response.
Listening to the question
An important component even before answering is listening.
The subconscious pressure to perform well can cause you to overlook and misinterpret the question.
Without listening to the question, you can give a wrong response.
In addition, asking for clarity for the question is important to understanding what the questioner is asking.
Such as: What do you do?
This could refer to someone’s profession, hobbies, or even their current activity.
Making sure you understand the questions is important to ensure you have the highest chance of answering them correctly
Give your response calmly
Providing the answer at a slow pace shows the listener that you are calm
Secondly, you can process the information better and come up with new thoughts to articulate the point better.
Ultimately, allowing you to be more clear and concise in your communication to deliver the message succinctly and effectively.
Having structure in your response
Hearing a question can cause your mind to have different thoughts and ideas which can be difficult to articulate every single one of them.
One technique to use is to identify 3 points.
Extracting 3 points from your mind can allow you to remember those points, to talk about them and also for the listener to remember them as well.
Having a structure can help you deal with situations where you are stressed. Some examples include
Example 1: First talking about the past, then the present and the future
- These could be for questions like what is your biggest weakness?
Past — how did you identify it as your weakness — low score on a test, feedback from teacher etc
Present — what have you done to deal with that weakness?
Future — what will you do to continually improve?
Example 2: Problem -> potential solution
You mention the context for the problem presented
You then present the potential solution to the situation
Finally, the plan of action
Final thoughts
Putting yourself in situations where you are required to think on the spot whether that be: your friends asking you thought-provoking questions or giving a presentation on a topic and getting questions asked. As it is a skill just like anything else it requires practice to get better.
