Job interview question - feedback please :)

[aidanjm]

Tell me about a situation when you had to explain an idea or concept to another person.

How did you explain this? How did you make sure they understood?


What might be the key elements for a complete response to this question? I am thinking I would need to include things like:

-use simple language & short sentences
-avoid long winded explanations
-perhaps use an example, analogy or metaphor to facilitate understanding
-listen carefully to the other person & ask questions to make sure you are clear on where they are coming from
-ask for confirmation ('do you understand') as you go along with your explanation to make sure they grasp what you are saying
-maybe even get them to paraphrase your explanation/ express it in their own words
-persistence might be required, plus frustration tolerance (not being too anoyed if they don't get it first go)


is this the kind of stuff being looked for (in your opinion)? Or do you think I am completely off the mark?

 

[aidanjm]

no takers?

 

[Ameesh]

i think its key to ask who your audience is, the appropiate way to respond is dependent on the audience members comfort level with the subject. you assume the person you are talking to is completely naive to the subject (your first point). the worst thing you cn do in interviews is making any unstated assumptions.

i personally would try to use examples that the audience can relate to and then ask them to explain it back to me, ask a few followup questions to confirm and violia you are done,

 

[aidanjm]

Originally posted by: Ameesh
i think its key to ask who your audience is, the appropiate way to respond is dependent on the audience members comfort level with the subject. you assume the person you are talking to is completely naive to the subject (your first point). the worst thing you cn do in interviews is making any unstated assumptions.

i personally would try to use examples that the audience can relate to and then ask them to explain it back to me, ask a few followup questions to confirm and violia you are done,

thank you for your comments!

 

[Stunt]

Make sure to use an actual situation, not just how you would. It is behaviour based...

 

[spidey07]

I'll bat....

1) Understand your audience
2) Speak to that
3) Use open ended statements like "does this make sense?", "are we clear"
4) Use analogies and ask politely for them to relate or pose their own.

So in other words, you are on the right track.

 

[aidanjm]

Originally posted by: Stunt
Make sure to use an actual situation, not just how you would. It is behaviour based...

yep. but I want to make sure I cover my bases in terms of the stuff I fold into my example.

 

[LegendKiller]

Know enough about the subject that you can explain it in any way and you can use metaphors or use common examples that might be similar in process/function but not necessarily in exact substance.

It's dang hard to explain my job to non-finance people. After doing it for 3 years I have enough knowledge to know how to tie it to common-day situations for lay-people. Not to mention you have a better idea of a concept once you have mastered it.

 

[spidey07]

Originally posted by: LegendKiller
Know enough about the subject that you can explain it in any way and you can use metaphors or use common examples that might be similar in process/function but not necessarily in exact substance.

It's dang hard to explain my job to non-finance people. After doing it for 3 years I have enough knowledge to know how to tie it to common-day situations for lay-people. Not to mention you have a better idea of a concept once you have mastered it.

LOL! It's always funny answering the "what do you do" question.

It's even more fun answering it with somebody that has a clue.

but you're right. The ability to explain a situation to a lay person, no matter what the industry is invaluable.

Layperson is NOT a negative connotation. Just means their area of expertise is not the same as yours. Know your audience and who you are presenting/speaking to.

 

[PrinceofWands]

That's one I've never gotten actually. I guess I'd be focusing on ascertaining their learning styles and frames of reference, since those are absolute baselines for transmittal of knowledge. Then I'd try to provide the info in a couple of different ways, making frequent use of relational connectors (because that's my own learning style). I'd follow up by asking them to explain it back to me, and question them for depth of comprehension. In general at least.

Of course, since my focus is on education it's a lot different than what other jobs might be looking for.

 

[aidanjm]

Originally posted by: spidey07
I'll bat....

1) Understand your audience
2) Speak to that
3) Use open ended statements like "does this make sense?", "are we clear"
4) Use analogies and ask politely for them to relate or pose their own.

So in other words, you are on the right track.

I guess the key point is tailoring the explanation to the audience and not assuming a given level of knowledge or understanding.