Good interviewers will use a pause or silence to see how candidates respond. In my experience it is one of the most powerful interview techniques. In some situations silence is golden yet in others it can make you feel very uncomfortable. Interviews can be highly stressful situations and time either seems to fly, or grinds towards a halt at the worst possible moment.
So how do you manage silences in interviews?
Artist, inventor and designer Dominic Wilcox came to Creative Calderdale and presented some of his unique work. He gave us an insight into how he develops his ideas and his creative work. He opened with the classic truism from Leonard Cohen “If I knew where ideas came from I’d go there more often”.
At the bottom I’ll share a link to his website as it is simply brilliant.
Back in 2013, I started wearing my Red Kickers to all my business meetings. I now understand there is some research from Harvard Business School indicating that wearing red shoes enhances perceptions of status and competence: Washington Post. Anyhow below is the story of when I bought my first pair.
I’ve never had any real fashion sense but was very fortunate that I grew up in London and just before I was going to university Dicky Dirts had a closing down sale. I walked into a scene of carnage as I entered the shop – I think it could have been a record for how many people you could cram into per square foot of shop. People were wandering around with arms full of merchandise with glazed grins and wide eyes scanning for more bargains.
I quickly found a couple of pairs of jeans, a few shirts, a duffle coat, some brown cord dungarees (I know!) and a size 10 red Kickers left boot – the holy grail. Now where was the right one?
Back in 1980 I ended up in Dundee on an Outward Bound course with a cross-section of c50 other young people. On this course we didn’t climb mountains or ford rivers, instead over three weeks, we faced some of the very real challenges that exist hidden in our communities. I experienced 4 placements including: intermediate treatment (pre-borstal): a psychogeriatric ward; decorating the home of an MS sufferer; and most dauntingly- a ward with about 25 patients where the highest mental age was c18 months.
I just throw up my arms and we’ll get soaked”
Whether your ripples are the never ending government changes to our legal system, the increasing regulatory requirements, bureaucracy and technological changes, frazzled clients, stressed colleagues or simply increased competition – our boats can feel well and truly rocked.
We are now hooked on going to Scotland every Easter. We split our time between Janet’s cousin’s farm on the east coast near Buckie and at Mellon Udrigle on the west coast just up from Gairloch. I have such a great time there and really switch off. It is one of the most beautiful and peaceful places I have ever been. After our holiday in 2013 we returned home with a Scottish £10 note. People are sometimes wary of accepting them in England.
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