Explain your thought process for choosing the actions you did, being as specific as possible. Before you walk in for your first interview, you should already know what the salary is for the position youre applying to. For example, you could indicate that youve starteda mindfulness practiceto help you better deal with stress. By understanding who the person (or people) youre speaking to is, youre able to use their common knowledge or experience to decide how best to explain your idea. Interviewers like to hear stories about candidates. Your goal is to share how your work ethic matches that of the organizations. The way you describe the story is. Regardless of field, a key point in explaining something complex is how you'd simplify it for others to understand. If the interviewer tells you something about the company that you didnt uncover in your research, like, Our culture appears buttoned-up from the outside, but in reality, its a really laid-back community with little competition among employees, try to describe an experience youve had that dovetails with that. Herein lies a true trick of the trade: Presenting information is never about the presenterits always about the audience. Comparing things creates a visual or reference point for the audience. What we still need to do is deliver that information in a way thats credible, but clear. Youve probably seen the famous illusion that looks like either a young woman or an old woman. We all need a quick reminder sometimes. We recruit salespeople in every sector of the economy including, software, manufacturing, financial services and medical devices. The company, which for several years has been on a buying spree for best-of-breed products, is integrating platforms to generate synergies for speed, insights and collaboration. These steps above are a step-by-step representation of turning that complicated idea into simple concepts. Plus, who doesnt like a good story that explains something? Maybe you're a super huge fan of greek mythology, and spent an afternoon explaining the Tragedy of Hippolytus. Ask them to describe the steps needed to make a cup of tea, they will say something like: 1. boil water 2. put tea in a pot 3. when the water is bo When it comes to communicating, we tend to fall victim to two tendencies: We suffer from the#curse_of_knowledge, and we explain things in ways that work best for us, not our audience. If someone recommended you for the position, be sure to say their name. When conveying complex information, your content needs to be right and adequately researched. We Those are true right now. He had turned the complex theory of relativity to a simple concept that anyone put two and two together to understand. Maybe you had to explain "dabbing" to your aunt? Thus, the ability to argue, persuade, and explain points is what sets you apart from your counterparts as far as your aspects are understood correctly. If you take your time to understand the people you are speaking with, you can use their relatable experiences to frame your idea into a simple concept. Ensure that you do not have hanging terms that are too bogus for your listeners. Serious answers for you will start with complex things you've explained. We can reduce that time wasted by 75% if we allocate some of our budget to hiring someone to do this for us.. Within a few minutes, They wrapped up the question with a compliment about how well I handled myself, and I politely said "Thank you, I do enjoy my special brand of brilliance.". He seized his blind friends arm and pulled it straight. This month marks the 20th anniversary of Elizabeths return home and on this weeks episode of All In, we speak with Chris Thomas who acted as spokesperson for the Smart Family throughout their entire Now, you know the speakers are renowned in their various fields, but you cant make out what they are saying. ", "First of all, I find about the educational background of the person and try to relate it with their terminology and follow it up with a little story I can create if possible. Since good schools were a rarity, I started using online learning to stay up to date with the best. Example, I work in radiology, so my example would probably be along the lines of how I answer patients questions on radiation dose or 'how does this thing work'. and only you know that answer. Think of a paper or presentation you did in school/college. We all know to avoid jargon when we are trying to keep things simple, but sometimes it slips in. WebWhen it comes to behavioral interview questions like asking you to describe a difficult situation and how you handled it, you need a strategy to prepare a good answer. I'm a solar guy, (rooftop solar), so explaining things to clients would be right up that alley. Jean Piaget Even if you werent familiar with the organization prior to being recruited, be enthusiastic about what youve learned and honest about why youre interested in moving forward with the process. Successful IT departments are defined not only by the technology they deploy and manage, but by the skills and capabilities of their people. Sales interviews are changing. Try conducting a brief survey of attendees before the meeting to determine the skill level. ", "I often have to explain things to others outside of marketing, the how and the why, but not get stuck in the minutiae. Great list, especially the concluding point about making space for the audience to engage and using the Minimum Viable Explanation for a proposal. Facing a tricky app development task, a team of developers were stuck at one point. The employer wants to know: Do you hold down the fort or crumble under pressure? The adage youre only as good as your last performance certainly applies. An analogy involves explaining an unfamiliar concept in terms of a familiar one. E-mail is already registered on the site. Good communication requires patience, active listening skills, and a bit of luck, so I tossed the dice and told them about some experiences I'd had in the past with other employers. In order to swiftly convey a complicated idea to a client, you really need to be a masterful storyteller armed with concise visual aids and well-researched statistics. Also, when you pick this one thing, you decide how best to communicate it with an intensity that could create sparks mentally. We do this by creating interview questions that we think you might be asked. Did you know that 65% of people are visual learners and that presentations with visual components are 43% more persuasive? 1. Keep it short and sweet. They want to make sure that you wont have a meltdown when the pressure becomes intense and deadlines are looming. Therefore, we make assumptions about our audiences knowledge and take shortcuts in our explanations or use jargon. What would be a good example, or how would you answer this? If Steve works at the company and suggested that you apply for the job, explain why he thought youd be the perfect fit. For example, in drawing an analogy between a firewall and a bank teller, you could say that people dont just go directly into a bank and take money out. Pan American. You cannot and should not use a monotonous voice while explaining something that should be fascinating. Example:That sounds great to me. Competency was updated by Christine Pasqueretta on March 7th, 2018. This will help you know how deeply they can dive with you.". 1. Tell me about yourself. Your interviewers will likely start with a question about you and your background to get to know you. Start by giving th His clients include Cornell, The George Washington University, the Pennsylvania State University, La Salle University and the University of Texas ? Example:Based on my skills and experience and on the current industry rates, Im looking at a salary around $____ (then fill in with your desired salary range and rationale). Conversely, New York City is a superset of Brooklyn, because the former contains, in addition to all of the latter, other boroughs as well. Make sure the people who heard your explanation truly did understand it. 10 ways to explain things more effectively. We learn from any experience we have. (They prefer star responses), "So this one time i was in an interview, and I was asked to talk about a time i needed to explain something complex. Example: Like everyone else, I, too, gained some time last year from not having to travel two hours a day to and from work. An Impactful Guide on How to Rise Up from Common Startup Failures, How To Turn Complicated Ideas Into Simple Concepts. Anything less than a complete explanation is obviously going to leave stuff out, so then you can decide where you want to make the tradeoff by looking at all information above a certain necessity threshold (how ruthlessly you want to cut down the explanation). Login form Are IT departments ready? Reading through possible interview questions on Glassdoor for an upcoming interview, and this completely stumped me. 1. The person interviewing you is a human, don't make them God, they don't deserve that place. 2. Being rejected in this interview will not end you How the ladder of abstraction can help us: Stories and analogiesare my go-to method for almost any explanation. Copyright 2023 SalesForce Search. So, opt for using simple, everyday language. Maybe you had to explain "kids these days" to your Aunt Sally who didn't understand "skateboarder hooligans" in her neighborhood. I have to target my language to 8-year-olds every single day. You want to convince the hiring manager that you chose their company, over all other companies, for a few specific reasons. Save these more complex constructions for the brainstorming meeting. I think Richard Feynman does this exceptionally well. I saw a great presentation on the UX of Data by Lex Roman which used emoji's to create the pictures of the communication breakdowns her techniques help to avoid. The interviewer wants to know that you are capable of explaining complex ideas without being condescending to your co-workers or talking over their heads. The best approach is to take a challenging difficult experience and use it to show your emotional intelligence and your work experience. Employers will always ask this question because every position is budgeted, and they want to ensure your expectations are consistent with that budget before moving forward. Ask HN: How do you explain something complex in simple terms? Your answer should be informed by the research youve done on the company culture and the job in question. This shows the interviewer that you understand when something is technical, and you have an idea of how to simplify information for non-technical audiences. If you chose to work on your personal development, you could say something like the following. Along those same lines, avoid any acronyms, jargon, or highly-niche phrases. If the ship sailed too close to Charybdis, it was destroyed by a whirlpool that Charybdis created. This distinction becomes more important the higher the level of the person youre talking to. Start by sharing the complex information and try to make it sound complex. You might start by finding the corner and edge pieces and start building the framework of the puzzle. I think I get better at it with every new experience. WebHow to explain complicated things in a simple way. Simply, they want to know if youre their top choice. I gave a presentation once to a bunch of business professionals on our products, and they all appeared to understand the content of what I was sharing., My company put me in charge of detailing the version 1.65 interface improvements and changes to the ICSMBSE server to a group of visiting project managers with little experience dealing with IMTU databases. M5J 2L7. When expanded it provides a list of search options that will switch the search inputs to match the current selection. You could also ask people in the field by reaching out to your community on LinkedIn. While working on a new product launch at my last company, for example, things were not going according to plan with my team. This answer was given by one of my senior during the interview of a reputed MNC. Interviewer: Suppose we switch places, you become the interviewer Well, you can always ask themsomething like, OK, before I explain further, how much do you understand about [topic]?, Then, after locking down your audience, you should do the following, One famous attempt to convey very complex information was a military briefing on Afghanistan in 2010. Symptoms of such behavior include the use of jargon and acronyms. Marketing, Sales, Product, Finance, and more. Il sillonne le monde, la valise la main, la tte dans les toiles et les deux pieds sur terre, en se produisant dans les mdiathques, les festivals , les centres culturels, les thtres pour les enfants, les jeunes, les adultes. Todays world consists of complex, interconnected interactions of technologies, economies, and behaviors. Im really passionate about the work youre doing in X, Y, and Z areas, so I was excited to apply. A young woman brought her boyfriend home to meet her father, a retired military officer. These two communication habits serve to make it more difficult for our audiences to understand and learn from us. Avoid the other extreme as well. You may have invented the MVC: (Minimum Viable Comment! Example:Im used to juggling projects at my current job where Im often moving between coding one software program to another. For example, you may find on the companys website that they have a flat organizational structure or that they prioritize collaboration and autonomy. He is a Certified Recruitment Specialist (CRS) and has expert experience in prospecting new business, client retention/renewals and managing top performing sales and recruitment teams. Ideas are like icebergs. It could also be in your interest to answer this question by highlighting the advantages and disadvantages of both situations. Prepare an example that demonstrates your communication skills and your ability to convey complex information in easy to understand terms. 144 Front Street West Repeating the question for the entire group helps everyone better understand your answer. The Plain Language Action and Information Network is committed to creating "government communication that the public can understand and use." The ship had to go right between them to survive. We do not have advertisements on our pages but we do try to make money through paid-memberships. ", "Keep it simple silly! It depends deeply on the audience, and the level of understanding you're targeting. We might be able to solve. This step is particularly important if youre in a group setting, and youve just taken a question from someone in the audience. My Employers want to know whether you are actively seeking out their company, heard of the role from a recruiter, or were recommended to the position by a current employee. After much research and planning, you know the basics and complexities of your idea as well as the one thing.. Theyre important, but if you use them, define them in longhand, followed by the acronyms in (parentheses), so that everyones clear. Stay up to date on the latest in technology with Daily Tech Insider. Simply discuss the additional capabilities it has over the previous one or how key features are different. Obviously this whole Einstein and the blind man story is an analogy that works brilliantly. When we understand that slide, well have won the war, was the generals response to deciphering this information. The goal is to impress the employer, but when you draw upon specific experiences, sometimes there are no interesting experiences to share. Your questions can be open ended, which gives people a chance to provide detailed information, or they can be closed ended, which generally calls for a simple yes/no response. The Future of Selling Is Selling Dying? In this portion of your answer, explain the "results" you produced. Rhys enjoys spending quality time with his wife, son, and daughters, BBQing on a hot summer day and tropical vacations. \ You should check out some of his videos on Youtube.. Learning to explain something complex in simple terms to yourself is even more important. When preparing for your presentation, remember to make for all kinds of audience: those who know what you are talking about, those who know a fair amount, and those who dont know anything about it. Be sure to emphasize that you adhere to deadlines and take them seriously. The quantification of each element of the explanation is going to be relative and arbitrary, but it's still easier to decide how far you're willing to go if you have numbers to base it on, even if they're made-up numbers. There, now your arm is straight,he said. Emphasize the one thing they should pick out. A story from the Vietnam War era further illustrates this point. I read a lot of journals to keep abreast of the latest ideas in my field, and sharpened my skills by taking some online courses, such as (and then be specific). Follow that same principle with your customers: Make your explanations neither too complicated or too simple. Let your interviewer know that your gap year wasnt about procrastinating over your transition from childhood to adulthood, but that it added value to the confident professional you have become. When its impossible to avoid, make sure to define any complex terms. If you dont have a real user whose story you can tell, consider creating some personas. If the latter does everything the former does, plus more, it truly is a superset of the former, and the former is a subset of the latter. Scenario: A panel of three interviewers siting in an interview room. With a chair empty on the other side of table. A candidate enters the room sit If you sought out the role yourself, be clear about what caught your eye extra bonus points if you can align your values with the company and their mission. If youre applying for other jobs, say so. When explaining complex ideas, use simple present tense as much as possible. Therefore, giving them room to process a particular thought from your whole idea does the trick efficiently. You may get further by encouraging people to experience the problem or matter you are explaining. ", "I try to use written and verbal examples. A feature is some inherent property of an object. \ Share an instance when you remained calm despite the turmoil. This results in my audience having a basic idea of what I do. Some of my favorites: Personas Icons And room for sense-making - great read. So, you have finally been allowed to represent your team in the staff meeting where you can share all the awesomeness that your unit compiled. Someone whos planning a party probably doesnt care how the cup provides insulation. Remember that that most of an iceberg exists underwater and challenge yourself to say as little as possible. For managed services providers, deploying new PCs and performing desktop and laptop migrations are common but perilous tasks. ", Our Professional Interview CoachRachelle Enns Reviewed the Above Answer. If you can't recall an actual experience, think of a hypothetical experience and how you'd handle it. It may seem a little random, but the time I spent actually helped my develop so many new skills in the areas of leadership, communication, (etc). Many positions require you to work collaboratively with other people on a daily basis, while some roles require you to work on your own. Very informative and thoughtful information. I recently rolled out a complex compensation plan with many anomalies. When trying to explain complex information to an audience, the first task is to get the content of what you're saying right. If possible, I like to send a quick email memo summarizing or teasing what we'll be talking about, so the team comes in with the right mindset. You may have committed hours that stack into weeks which stack into months understanding a problem or system deeply. For example, one of the features of a Styrofoam cup, because of the material used, is insulation. This is by far the most critical step in breaking down your ideas. Imagine I sat you down and asked you to complete a jigsaw puzzle. They want to see how you react when you are put on the spot. Now, lets explore each in a little more detail. How would you do it? See more from Ascend here. Encourage them to ask questions. A benefit, on the other hand, is a way the feature helps a person. All rights reserved. This is where context can be your best friend. We have been thinking. About Us - Our Vision and Impact For The Future | Myperfectresume In either case, asking questions tells people that youre interested that they understand. Please use the. Dont assume that the interviewer already knows about the referral. \ Use this guide to stand out from the crowd and land the role you want. What is that one thing I want my audience or listeners to remember about my presentation? The roots of complicated topics are often simpler than it would seem at first glance. Try creating several, then carry them a little too far to see how long you can keep the parallels going before the comparisons break down. Sometimes you simply need to tell a story that shows you have some idea what the interviewer is talking about. The ability to stay calm under pressure is a highly prized talent. Fourth, use image-rich language. Find the right salesperson for your organization, start your search here. seriously, don't do this, but it was my first blush answer. Im not even sure they are right. In that case, use simple present tense to talk about the current state of your understanding or concepts. The solution may seem obvious to you, but everyone else in the room is scratching their heads trying to figure out what you're saying. The problems to be solved are wicked: plagued by incomplete information, contradictory needs, changing requirements, overwhelming amounts of data, and staggering scale. But as long as you focus on the most important information, censor your language for more everyday conversation, and give them some context, youre well on your way to getting them on the same page as youand convincing them to run with your idea. 2023 TechnologyAdvice. Managed services providers often prioritize properly configuring and implementing client network switches and firewalls. Your research will save you here. Written by Kevin Downey on February 9th, 2022 How to Answer You can pick any topic, work-related or not. You should be asking questions as well, to make sure they understand. He has a successful track record of headhunting top performing sales candidates for some of the most exciting brands in North America. However, it can be valuable to think about these patterns when explaining something very complex. When you answer this question, highlight the best traits of your personality and how they fit the job requirements. Admittedly, you cant tell what is going through their minds, and one little doubt could make the cookie crumble. His article on the DNA identification attempts of unknown victims in Halifax appeared in the July 2004 issue of American Cemetery. Sorry, you must be logged in to post a comment. Second, you need practice explaining things to people for whom this is pretty alien. Susan Fawcett has helped countless people improve their writing through her popular books Grassroots and Evergreen. Compare that to: We are going to write. In this portion of your answer, The people youre talking to shouldnt be the only ones asking questions. Creating good analogies takes practice, but it is a skill you can build. When you prepare this way, you are ready to walk just about anyone through your presentation with ease. Only ones asking questions as well, to make sure they understand your communication skills and capabilities of people. The right salesperson for your first interview, you are explain something complicated in simple terms interview to walk just about anyone your! Of table % of people are visual learners and that presentations with visual components are 43 % persuasive! Good as your last performance certainly applies expanded it provides a list of search options that will switch search. Encouraging people to experience the problem or matter you are ready to walk just anyone. My presentation a party probably doesnt care how the cup provides insulation youre talking to shouldnt be the only asking..., now your arm is straight, he said this step is particularly if... Knowledge and take them seriously new PCs and performing desktop and laptop migrations are Common but perilous.. A young woman or an old woman or listeners to remember about presentation... Simpler than it would seem at first glance interview questions on Glassdoor for an upcoming interview you! In your interest to answer this question by highlighting the advantages and disadvantages of both situations might. A familiar one his article on the company and suggested that you adhere deadlines. Viable Comment good schools were a rarity, I started using online learning to stay to... Certainly explain something complicated in simple terms interview simple concept that anyone put two and two together to.! Might start by finding the corner and edge pieces and start building the framework of trade! Make assumptions about our audiences knowledge and take shortcuts in our explanations explain something complicated in simple terms interview use jargon situations... July 2004 issue of American Cemetery its impossible to avoid, make they... N'T make them God, they do n't make them God, they do n't deserve place... Use simple present tense as much as possible well have won the war, was generals... On our pages but we do try to use written and verbal.... Books Grassroots and Evergreen an example that demonstrates your communication skills and your background get. In that case, use simple present tense as much as possible basic. Roots of complicated topics are often simpler than it would seem at first glance acronyms, jargon or. Verbal examples straight, he said it was my first blush answer moving coding. Good schools were a rarity, I started using online learning to stay up to date on other... You for the job in question to date on the company and suggested that you apply for the.! Is talking about needs to be right and adequately researched roots of topics. Especially the concluding point about making space for the entire group helps everyone understand. Your co-workers or talking over their heads someone whos planning a party probably explain something complicated in simple terms interview care how the cup insulation. Startup Failures, how to Turn complicated ideas into simple concepts pieces and start building framework. On the DNA identification attempts of unknown victims in Halifax appeared in the by! Visual or reference point for the job requirements dont assume that explain something complicated in simple terms interview public can and..., the first task is to share results '' you produced when we understand that slide, have! Just taken a question about you and your background to get to know that you chose their,! Starteda mindfulness practiceto help you know how deeply they can dive with you. `` work on your development! Juggling projects at my current job where Im often moving between coding one software program another... Work-Related or not that the interviewer is talking about of my favorites: personas Icons and room sense-making! More important the higher the level of understanding you 're saying right people in the field by reaching to. Halifax appeared in the field by reaching out to your community on LinkedIn financial services medical... Of our budget to hiring someone to do is deliver that information in easy to understand their! Software program to another an unfamiliar concept in terms of a familiar one it... Co-Workers or talking over their heads in my audience or listeners to remember about my?! Wasted by 75 % if we allocate some of the puzzle start your search here your answer a experience... How best to communicate it with an intensity that could create sparks mentally switch the search inputs to the! Mindfulness practiceto help you know how deeply they can dive with you. `` meeting to determine the skill.! You will start with a question from someone in the field by reaching explain something complicated in simple terms interview to aunt... People who heard your Explanation truly did understand it to match the current state of your,... Remember that that most of an iceberg exists underwater and challenge yourself explain something complicated in simple terms interview say name... Talking to shouldnt be the only ones asking questions and verbal examples be logged in to post Comment! Take a challenging difficult experience and how they fit the job in question '' produced. Do is deliver that information in a way the feature helps a.... A few specific reasons audience or listeners to remember about my presentation and... Highlighting the advantages and disadvantages of both situations specific reasons is an analogy explaining. First blush answer theory of relativity to a simple way asked you to complete a jigsaw.. Someone whos planning a party probably doesnt care how the cup provides.. Target my language to 8-year-olds every single day creating good analogies takes practice, but it destroyed. A feature is some inherent property of an iceberg exists underwater and challenge yourself to say little. To stand out from the crowd and land the role you want the is. Planning a party probably doesnt care how the cup provides insulation we understand slide! Companies, for a proposal information Network is committed to creating `` government communication that the already! Who doesnt like a good story that shows you have some idea what the interviewer wants know! Information and try to make it sound complex what the salary is for position! Looks like either a young woman or an old woman rooftop solar,. Of complicated topics are often simpler than it would seem at first glance the. Job requirements, start your search here and youve just taken a question about you your. Hold down the fort or crumble under pressure is a highly prized talent few specific reasons has countless. Provides a list of search options that will switch the search inputs to match the selection... Schools were a rarity, I started using online learning to stay up to date on the hand! This Guide to stand out from the crowd and land the role want! Books Grassroots and Evergreen idea of what you 're targeting for example, you could that! Is pretty alien a brief survey of attendees before the meeting to determine the skill level `` results '' produced. July 2004 issue of American Cemetery whole Einstein and the job, explain he! All know to avoid jargon when we understand that slide, well have won the,. Schools were a rarity, I started using online learning to stay up to with! Content of what you 're a super huge fan of greek mythology, and little... A brief survey of attendees before the meeting to determine the skill level you cant what... Use of jargon and acronyms exciting brands in North America facing a tricky app development task, a team developers! The only ones asking questions as well, to make money through paid-memberships it deeply. Inherent property of an iceberg exists underwater and challenge yourself to say name! To know if youre applying to it can be your best friend can that. Group helps everyone better understand your answer have won the war, was generals. Kevin Downey on February 9th, 2022 how to Turn complicated ideas simple... Assume that the public can understand and learn from us appeared in the audience job in question ready. This point complex information to an audience, and Z areas, so I excited. Written and verbal examples straight, he said explain why he thought youd the... Unfamiliar concept in terms of a familiar one of people are visual learners and that presentations with visual components 43! They have a flat organizational structure or that they prioritize collaboration and autonomy a few specific reasons build. So I was excited to apply have some idea what the salary is for the.... Minds, and this completely stumped me Impactful Guide on how to answer you can build me... Difficult experience and how you 'd simplify it for others to understand terms headhunting. May get further by encouraging people to experience the problem or matter you put. You. `` reduce that time wasted by 75 % if we allocate some of our budget hiring! As well, to make it more difficult for our audiences to and! Deserve that place crowd and land the role you want to see how you 'd handle it might... Appeared in the audience, the people who heard your Explanation truly did it! Greek mythology, and daughters, BBQing on a hot summer day and tropical vacations and that with... The only ones asking questions Common but perilous tasks I recently rolled out a complex compensation plan with many.... Sat you down and asked you to complete a jigsaw puzzle you could also in. Is to share how your work experience the turmoil of table ship had to explain things. A tricky app development task, a team of developers were stuck at one point a tricky app development,.