Hold Your Tongue

Those times when silence is golden

When is silence a good thing in a job interview? Some people say “never.” It’s your chance to shine, to tell a hiring manager just how great you are. Some people, however, disagree.

Some recruiters and interview experts note that there are times in the course of an interview where it’s not only appropriate, but also preferred and/or beneficial to keep mum. They point out that some interviewers will purposely create a moment of silence just to see how the candidate reacts.

How to move on

If you’ve completely answered the interviewer’s question, hold your tongue. This is especially true if the interviewer is writing something. But when the writing stops, the ball is back in your court.

At that point, what’s the appropriate response? How do you keep the interview moving in the direction you desire. (Let’s not forget that managing the interview is your responsibility.) So, what do you do when that awkward moment arrives? An appropriate response would be, "Would you like more information about (whatever your last response was)?"

What you don’t want to do is to take interviewer’s bait and start rambling about something about which you’re not prepared. If that’s the case, you’ve lost control of the interview and you’re very much in danger of saying something that could cost you the position.

We realize it’s tough. Your adrenalin is flowing and you’re wired to do well. Having to stop and step back – even if it’s just for a few seconds – can be very trying… but sometimes it’s necessary.

More tips.