What's the right level of detail for my interview responses?
When (and how) to use details to improve your outcomes at every stage of your job search: from resume to recruiter screen to hiring manager interview and final rounds with stakeholders.
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And now, onto to the post!
Q: What level of detail should I go into during my interview?
This may be the most common question I get from candidates. Sometimes, they phrase it differently, e.g., " How long should my interview responses take?” But the heart of the question is about the appropriate level of detail to use in an interview.
How (and when) to get into specifics is the true art of interviewing. Last weekend, I was coaching a fantastic client looking for HRBP roles and struggling to determine the right level of detail to use for a very diverse interview panel (the field of HR is notoriously broad, and so are its stakeholders!).
In our session, I finally enumerated this specificity framework that I’ve been sharing verbally for years and will write here for the first time.
This framework goes beyond just what level of detail to use in an interview. It starts at the top: with your resume and LinkedIn. And I will teach you when (and with whom) you should expand the details so you’re giving the right level of details at the right time, to the intended listener.
Key takeaways you’ll get from today’s post:
(1) How conveying your experience with specificity contributes to job search outcomes
role leveling
scope and opportunities
compensation
(2) Three levels of specificity
Level one: Check the box
Level two: Dropping wisdom
Level three: Welcome to my TED talk
(3) Guidelines for when to use each level of specificity across varied audiences, interview types, and points along your job search:
broad audiences scanning your resume/LinkedIn
recruiter screens (fast, quick checks on your suitability for the role)
interviewers who aren’t in your function
hiring managers
key stakeholders of your role (who know the day-to-day of the role)
Let’s dive in ↓