The power of an interview is in your answers by Pilar Ortiz

I know how intimidating it is to be in the middle of an interview and not exactly as the person who asks the questions. I know this because, although as a journalist most of the time I was on the other side, as an entrepreneur I've had to be interviewed to talk about one of my books or an event in which I was going to participate as a speaker.

So, today I want to talk to you about how to respond when you are in an interview, but one where you want to promote yourself at another level.

And this last one is the keyword: promote yourself, which I want you to keep in mind every time you are invited to a live interview, in front of an audience, in front of a camera, or even in a job interview. You never know who will be listening to you but would be your future client or boss.

But how do we do it? How do we answer questions that we probably don't know and at the same time promote ourselves?

First of all, I want you to think about the following: The power of an interview is in your answers, not the questions. Your answers can drive the interview if you do it with subtlety. Remember that the interviewer may have a list of questions, but your answers may raise new concerns that suit you better and are more in line with the objective you have in mind.

And here I want to stop for a moment because before starting an interview you must establish an objective. What do you want to happen in this interview? What is the action you want those who will listen to you to take? Surely you want to promote yourself, but what do you want to make visible? Some specific service? Your story? Do you want people to call you to buy a product or join your social networks?

I don't know, the possibilities are endless, but the important thing is that you set a goal and not a very general or broad one, the more specific the better. Try to include in your answers, very subtly, that key message that will lead the audience to take a specific action and help you fulfill your main purpose.

Here I don't want you to become a manipulator, far from it, but I want you to learn to be effective with your communication and take advantage of the opportunities you have to make yourself more visible.

Another important aspect is the security and firmness that your answers project. When communicating, the level of confidence you reflect is transmitted to the audience, which encourages them or stops them from continuing to listen.

You acquire this confidence when you are prepared, know yourself well, and have a structured message that is consistent with your lifestyle or business. This confidence should be felt in your words and will help you connect in an interview.
Avoid hesitation and ambiguity. Think carefully about what you will say and the impact what you say will have on those who will listen to you.