The power of the pause

I had a telephone call from a software company who shall remain nameless as their sales approach was so appalling, it was quite funny!

This guy just talked non stop for about 3 minutes, on and on and on about how great his product was blah blah blah...., I can't even remember his sales pitch as he irritated me so much. He did actually ask questions but then when I was halfway through my answer he just interrupted again. He didn't listen at all.

This call reminded me about how I was always taught to ask good questions and listen very carefully to the answers. One of the most important parts of listening is to pause before you reply. When your client finishes talking, rather than jumping in with the first thing you can think of, take three to five seconds to think about your reply. In a sales situation this sometimes encourages your client to continue talking and you may glean more critical relevant information to help you with your pitch.

The same can be said in an interview situation, when you are asked a question, take some time to consider your answer, don't just rush in with the first thing that comes into your head. You will demonstrate good listening skills to your potential employer as well as the ability to consider any situation before you act. Most importantly this pause gives you time to think about the best response.

A pause is a key part of good communication. Practice this on your friends and family first so that it appears natural in your interview situation. If done effectively, it will make you stand out as someone who is a great listener and good communicator.