Job Interview Strategies That Make an Impression

If you look to the internet for job interview tips, you’ll find a goldmine of resources for addressing some of the most popular questions, such as “Tell us about yourself,” “What are your strengths and weaknesses?” and “Why do you want to work here?”

While this is good content advice for responding to specific questions, your overall impressions of confidence, clarity, and word economy (i.e., not being a rambler) can significantly impact the interviewer’s perception of you.

So how do you nail an impression versus simply answering a question? Fortunately for Toastmasters members and other experienced public speakers, basic presentation skills can help you project these critical qualities. It may help to consider each interview answer a tiny Table Topics® speech.

Here are four classic public speaking tactics to leave your interviewer not just informed but impressed and intrigued.

1 Raise Your Volume

When I ask participants in my workshop to speak more loudly and then solicit reactions from the rest of the group, their feedback is remarkably consistent: They say the speaker seems more assertive, excited, authoritative, and confident. These impressions are equally admired during a job interview, so increase your usual speaking volume when answering questions. In addition to elevating your impression, you will also more effectively grab and sustain their attention.

A louder voice (but not a shout) also projects passion and excitement, which will come across as enthusiasm for the job opportunity. And for you fast talkers, raising your volume makes it harder for you to speak quickly because most people don’t have enough breath to speak both quickly and loudly.

2 Be Concise

Given the value of your interviewers’ time and the number of applicants they need to meet, they want and need you to be concise. But being concise requires knowing the difference between “brief” and “concise.” A brief communication is merely shorter (because you cut it), whereas a concise message has been boiled down to its most essential and impactful elements (because you curated it).

Answer each question directly and reduce stories and examples to their most pertinent elements to be more concise. Don’t worry about making your stories riveting and loaded; focus on making them relevant and lean.

Suppose an interviewee answered the question “Tell us about a successful project you’re proud of” like this:

“As the project lead, I brainstormed the idea with my team of seven in 2023, and we submitted it for approval to the department director and later to the senior vice president. After it was approved, I met with the design team, and we developed a logo, iconography, and fonts. There were many moving parts involving multiple departments, but regular check-ins kept us on track. We tested it three times with potential users and created a detailed internal and external launch plan involving all of our communication teams. After it launched, we saw public engagement increase 23%, thanks in large part to the participation of key social media influencers. Later that year, my team and I won a quarterly internal innovation award presented by the CEO and the executive team.” (130 words)

Remember that your interviewers—like your public speaking audience—are not only listening to your point but digesting it, pondering it, considering its relevance, and deciding whether to write it down. So, when you load an answer with both essential and less-important details, your interviewers may miss the most impressive ones.

With all of this in mind, a better answer would be:

“I brainstormed the idea with my team in 2023 and was the project lead. There were many moving parts involving multiple departments, but regular check-ins kept us on track. After launch, we saw a 23% increase in public engagement, which was boosted by our partnership with key influencers. I’m thrilled the team received an award from the CEO for our work.” (61 words)

Here is a good roadmap for keeping your stories and examples lean:

1. The purpose of the project
2. How your role contributed to the project
3. The results of the project
4. What you learned from working on the project

3 Speak Decisively

Be decisive in your responses to each interview question, just like you do when you deliver a speech’s primary point or call to action.

When I was interviewed several years ago for a speechwriting position, I was asked whether or not I would hypothetically approve a controversial tactic.

Wrong answer: “I can see both sides.”

Right answers: “I would do X because it would result in Y” or “I would not do X because it would lead to Y.”

Remember, you’re not an expert on the organization’s work yet, so making a decisive point is more important than giving the “right answer.”

4 Make Eye Contact

Direct eye contact with an interviewer or panel conveys confidence because it indicates high self-esteem and a commitment to purpose. By contrast, avoiding eye contact can be seen as an indicator of nervousness, anxiety, and low self-confidence.

On video calls, direct eye contact means looking into a camera, not the grid of attendees. Speaking to a tiny dot versus a human face can feel awkward initially, but the more you practice it, the more comfortable and confident you will become.

Remember: A job interview is an opportunity to showcase your best qualities and competencies by describing and modeling them. Take full advantage of everything you’ve experienced in Toastmasters and elsewhere in your public speaking journey to give yourself a valuable edge.

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