How to Answer Any Interview QuestionDon't let your next job interview shake you up. It is possible to answer all the questions that come to you. How? By preparing and knowing how to direct the conversation on the subjects you wish to discuss. To get started, follow the advice of consultants who coach executives and politicians on how to handle media interviews. These trainers claim that you can convey the message you want to an employer, no matter what question you are asked. “Most people don't realize that their goal is not to sit there and hope the right questions are asked,” says Aileen Pincus, president of the Pincus Group, a media interview training company in Silver Spring, Maryland. “They need to develop two or three key messages and make sure their message gets across.” Visit CareerJournal.com to test yourself with the Interview Preparation Tool. Unlike some politicians who ignore questions from the press and immediately introduce a different topic in response, candidates should respect and respond directly to the employer's questions, says Jeff Braun, vice president and general manager of Ammerman Experience, a company in Stafford, Texas, media interview training firm. However, you can quickly transition your answer to the important points you want to convey about your qualifications, he says. He suggests, when answering job interview questions, to apply the formula Q = A + 1: Q is the question; A is the answer; + is the bridge to the message you want to convey; and 1 is the point you want to make. “If you take the '+1' out of the formula, then the interviewer controls the session,” says Braun. Diligent preparation is also necessary to effectively answer any interview questions, for example. senior executives. Their advice and that of media trainers follows:...... middle of paper ...... tailor your response to what the business is facing and how you can help" , she says, be positive in the face of the negative when asked about a past mistake or a flaw in your career, and don't try to dodge the problem, advises Ms. Pincus: "If you are. vulnerable, you have to be ready to answer the question,” she says. “There should be no lying or dodging. Just answer it and move on. "When discussing a mistake, be prepared to say how you learned from it or benefited from it. "You learn as much from dropping the ball as from catching it," says Herzog. In an interview for In his current job, which he started in August, Mr. Herzog says he has been part of both successful turnarounds and failures. “And I said what I learned from it,” he says. .Test yourself with the interview preparation tool.Send your feedback to. [email protected].