Part III – How to Form Great Answers
Welcome back,
Do you find yourself rambling on and on just hoping that a small part of your answer will be the correct one? When should you stop talking? How do you organize your thoughts? This has been the largest obstacle for majority of my students. Here is an effective but simple framework which has worked well for my students.
The framework is divided into 4 buckets (Problem, Thought Process, Solution, Impact). I have provided an example to give you some context.
Problem
- Mike, your co-worker, is not pulling his weight in a group project and is reluctant to participate in the upcoming presentation. A huge strain is being placed on the group members and nobody is taking initiative.
Thought Process
- You knew that you had to come up with a solution to help the group succeed. You took the initiative to sit down with Mike. You understood his point of view which was a fear of public speaking and lack of confidence.
Solution
- You explained how his work and contribution will make a big difference for the team. You explained how the group wanted his feedback and was excited to have him be part of the group.
- You asked Mike to simply present 1-2 new ideas at the next group meeting.
- You also independently sat down with other co-workers and explained Mike’s fears. They were very receptive and applauded his ideas at the next group meeting. We repeated this exercise a couple more times and Mike’s confidence increased with each meeting.
- Mike became more motivated and worked harder for the team. He became one of the best presenters in the group.
Impact
- Led to a successful group presentation
- Created a strong cohesive and hardworking team
- Demonstrated effective leadership and solid teamwork
- Put aside differences for the benefit of the group
- You took initiative to solve the problem and added value to the firm
Be Concise
- Aim to answer questions in 6-8 sentences. This is not a hard guideline. However if you can limit your answer, you will force yourself to focus on the specifics of the answer
Remember, if you can build an easy process to recall information, you will be able to effectively answer questions. This will separate you from other candidates because you are presenting information in an organized and professional manner.