Instead of Awkward Silences in Interviews…
It's all about making the interview a conversation. Think about when you have a conversation with anyone- if it's one-sided, with short responses, how do you walk away feeling? 🤔
⠀
Sometimes interviewers get nervous or are trying to figure out where to take the conversation next - if the pause is longer than a minute or two and starting to feel uncomfortable, this may be a great opportunity to pull out a question you planned to ask at the end of the interview. Read the room, and make sure it's related to the current topic to naturally help the flow.
⠀
As an interviewer, I've appreciated it when candidates have done this and often enjoy where it takes the conversation. It shows that a candidate is engaged and interested in the interviewer's perspective. The few times a candidate did this when it wasn't an extended pause or if it could take us way off-track, I would gently let them know there would be a few designated minutes to answer their question at the end and continue to my next question.
⠀
Job Seekers, have you asked interviewers follow up questions during awkward moments of silence? Hiring Managers, has a savvy candidate ever revitalized an interview with a well-timed question?
