How to Answer Job Interview Questions Without Rambling

Interviewing for a job can be daunting. We put ourselves in a vulnerable position, asking to be judged and hoping to be accepted. Often times we don't land the job we desire not based on lack of skill or experience, but simply due to an inability to clearly articulate ourselves.

Most of us have some level of anxiety walking into an interview. The nervous energy can be so overwhelming, it becomes difficult to concentrate. Here is an effective technique to help you stay focused as you answer interview questions.

The key word to remember is CAR, which stands for Circumstance, Action, and Result.

Circumstance - Give the interviewer a brief description of the challenge or situation and the goal on which you were working.

Action - Describe the specific steps you took in handling the above circumstance.

Result - Explain the result or outcome and express how you influenced that positive outcome. Do not hesitate to brag; this is where you sell yourself!

Here is an example ~

Interview Question:

Please tell me about a time when you were able to overcome obstacles to accomplish your goals.

Answer:

C - I was on pace to meet my sales quota when the company redistributed marketing development funds and I received less money than expected to promote my products.

A - I got in touch with a colleague who handled a different product category and I suggested a new idea of a cross-promotional marketing event. He shared some of his development funds to cross-promote our products and I did the physical and logistical work to set up the event with the goal of increasing sales for both of our product categories.

R - I used our pooled marketing development funds efficiently to meet my sales quota. I saw a higher than average revenue growth with my products and attracted new customers. My cross-promotional idea is now being duplicated by others in the company.

This question and answer example scenario illustrates responding in a formatted manner as to not veer off track. Obviously there is a great amount of supporting detail to the circumstance, action, and result described, and it would be easy to talk at length about the work that went to into this project. The interviewer wants to hear you articulate yourself clearly and concisely and is most concerned with how your action impacted the result.. If the prospective employer wants to know more details about how you accomplished your goal, he or she will probe further with a follow-up question.

This technique works especially well when asked open ended, behavioral questions such as 'tell me about a time when you had to persuade someone else to see your point of view,' or 'give me an example of how your have worked well in a team environment.' To avoid rambling, losing your train of thought, or meandering off on a tangent, CAR enables you to communicate clear, succinct answers to challenging interview questions.

Knowing how to use a tool to provide a structured response to interview questions helps you stay confident and in control and land that dream job!