“Ten Survival Strategy Tips For Hostile or Sensitive Interviews From Your Strategic Thinking Business Coach”
By: J. Glenn Ebersole, Jr., Chief Executive of J. G. Ebersole Associates and The Renaissance Group ™
Have you ever been interviewed by the media in a hostile or sensitive situation? Did you feel prepared to handle that interview? Do you ever notice or even pay attention to how many times people are embarrassed or made to look foolish or ignorant during tough interviews? Do you realize the positive impacts that can result from a superb performance in those hostile interviews? Well, if you have noticed and do realize the potential benefits of strong interview performance, what have you done about it?
If you want to increase your preparedness when coming under fire from the media or when being interviewed on very sensitive subjects, then you might be open to some advice to help you in your future experiences. Your strategic thinking business coach offers the following ten (10) survival strategy tips on handling sensitive and hostile interviews.
1. Prepare for the interview by deciding what theme and key points you want your messages to convey in the interview.
2. Keep your message simple and make it sound like it is natural and not rehearsed.
3. Repeat your key message and points several times during the interview, if the interview is long enough for that opportunity.
4. Always keep your sub-messages and key points in the top of your mind and weave those messages into your answers, even if you are not asked a direct question for those specific responses.
5. Commit to becoming and being a skilled and trained spokesperson.
6. NEVER and I repeat NEVER say “NO COMMENT” when asked a tough or hostile question. Use the opportunity to refer back to your key message, by weaving in that key message again by saying something like, "I don't know the answer to that question, but I can tell you that..."
7. ALWAYS be honest and if you do not know the answer to a question, then admit you do not know. Never knowingly tell an untruth because it will be found out and will come back to haunt and hurt you.
8. Plan for the interview by anticipating the worst possible questions that could be asked and prepare a response to those questions. This type of preparation is invaluable and prepares you for those tough & hostile questions.
9. Practice! Practice! Practice! Ask a colleague to do a mock interview with you in preparation for your sensitive or hostile interview.
10. Do an evaluation of your interview performance. You may consider taping the interview and then playing it back to see how you look and/or sound. This is an excellent forum for training and to learn areas for improved performance.
Your strategic thinking business coach encourages you to use strategic thinking in the development of your media skills. If you would like to learn more about handling hostile & sensitive interviews and other media experiences and how a strategic thinking business coach can facilitate and guide you in that endeavor, please contact Glenn Ebersole today through his website at www.businesscoach4u.com or by email at jgecoach@aol.com
Ten Survival Strategy Tips For Hostile or Sensitive Interviews From Your Strategic Thinking Business Coach - To learn more about this author, visit Glenn Ebersole's Website.
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