Can You Come Back To A Question In An Interview?

What happens when you can’t think of an answer during an interview? This happens to everyone – even though you should know what to say, you don’t. Even if you’ve prepared well for your interview, you will still get a tricky question you don’t know how to answer . You get nervous, sweaty and start to stammer.

What should you do if this happens?

I know this situation is everyone’s interview nightmare, but you can handle it. Most importantly, stay calm. Not knowing how to answer a question is actually a normal thing. If you stay calm, you’ll be able to deal with it.

Here are some techniques that can help you navigate the situation;

Acknowledge the question

One of your options is to acknowledge that the question was asked and that you’re thinking about it.

You can say, “That’s a great question. Let me think about that…”

Or you can say, “Let me think about that for a second…”

Then pause. You can be silent for a few seconds before you start talking. You don’t want to wait too long, 4-5 seconds is long enough, but this can give you a few extra seconds to gather your thoughts.

Ask for more time

Instead of saying you’re going to take a moment to think, you can also change this slightly and ask for a moment to think.

“I need a moment to think about that.”

You may feel awkward doing that, but you don’t have to jump in and answer the question in the first second after it was asked. You may think that’s what they’re expecting, but a pause is normal.

Repeat the question yourself

Sometimes all you need to think of an intelligent answer is a few extra seconds, so you need to stall a little.

Try repeating the question.

If they ask, “Why do you want to work here?”

You can say, “Ah, you’d like to know why I want to work here? Okay.”

Or if they ask this, “Where do you see yourself in five years?”

You can say, “In five years, I’d like to be…”

This can buy you a few extra seconds to think of a solid response.

Ask them to repeat or rephrase the question

You can ask them to repeat or rephrase the question or say that you don’t understand the question and could they clarify.

Don’t use this more than once because it will look like you’re not paying attention.

Focus on the question or talk about it

When you’ve tried repeating the question, try focusing on it instead. Say things like “that’s a really good question” or “I was wondering when this question would come up” or “I was hoping you would address that topic.”

Again, this gives you a moment to think.

Bottom line;

Think of these as emergency techniques. They can’t substitute for thorough interview practice, but they can help you if things don’t go as you would expect.

Need assistance prepping for your next interview? Book a one on one interview coaching session here and get insights on possible questions to expect!

N.B: Looking For A New Job? Find Your Next Job With Us. Click Here To Register Your CV. It's Free.