explain something complicated in simple terms interview

", Our Professional Interview CoachCindy Ramsey Reviewed the Above Answer. To make a winning impression, youll need to answer each question with poise and passion. Organize a number of different applicants using an ATS to cut down on the amount of unnecessary time spent finding the right candidate. Use this guide to stand out from the crowd and land the role you want. I've never had this question, but I'd think it'd be best to keep it job specific if possible. These steps above are a step-by-step representation of turning that complicated idea into simple concepts. WebInterview question for Engineering.Describe a time you had to show leadership. A little practice and preparation always pays off. ), The Plain Language Action and Information Network, website with good advice on using plain language. Dr. Emily went further to say that because of the presence of mirror neurons in mind, we are affected by the actions of others. E-mail is already registered on the site. When preparing for your presentation, remember to make for all kinds of audience: those who know what you are talking about, those who know a fair amount, and those who dont know anything about it. These questions are almost always asked in the HR interview, and can make a huge difference in your performance if you prepare a bit beforehand. 1. See more from Ascend here. Jean Piaget start making a list. I find I do some of my best work when I can focus alone in a quiet space, but I really value collaborating with my teammates to come up with the best ideas.. Ask them to describe the steps needed to make a cup of tea, they will say something like: 1. boil water 2. put tea in a pot 3. when the water is bo One part I liked: "Ideas are like icebergs. When it comes to communicating, we tend to fall victim to two tendencies: We suffer from the#curse_of_knowledge, and we explain things in ways that work best for us, not our audience. Try creating several, then carry them a little too far to see how long you can keep the parallels going before the comparisons break down. For example, YouTube was described as "the flickr of video" (see. One request you can expect from interviewers is to explain a concept or topic to them. degree from Haverford College and an M.B.A. degree from the Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania. Keep your audience thinking and imagining your idea while making use of everyday instances to push your point home. Greek mythology has references to two monsters, Scylla and Charybdis, who sat on opposite sides of a narrow strait of water. This is funny, but it shows the need for decluttering your ideas and points to allow easy assimilation. If you sought out the role yourself, be clear about what caught your eye extra bonus points if you can align your values with the company and their mission. Describe the results you produced. Great article. Can the explanation be delivered interactively, confirming understanding of explained (or assumed) bases along the way? Learn more here. He has a successful track record of headhunting top performing sales candidates for some of the most exciting brands in North America. Contact us here. Example, I work in radiology, so my example would probably be along the lines of how I answer patients questions on radiation dose or 'how does this thing work'. But humans like to think, solve problems, and make connections. Theyre meeting to discuss the annual budget, and its your job to pitch them your case for more money for your team. My ideas and solutions arent real yet. You want to convince the hiring manager that you chose their company, over all other companies, for a few specific reasons. Career and life advice for young professionals. Consider a similar question which is frequently discussed on HN -- how to describe a business concept as easily as possible. Avoid the other extreme as well. TechRepublic Premium content helps you solve your toughest IT issues and jump-start your career or next project. Give the interviewer an example of how you break down information to make it more easily digestible for the average person. Choose resume template and create your resume. How often do you want to say this when you are explaining your work, or your ideas, or your passion? This skill is essential, but not limited to Accountants, Doctors, Scientists, and Statisticians, because these are specific fields that guide your audience in decision making. How do they prefer to communicate? \ What company benefits are most important to you? Hence, the level of complexity of your idea regulates your message delivery. In this interview Andales reveals it took her 20 drafts of the script and over 200 hours of shooting to produce the sub-3-minute video.. A. I feel it brought me closer to myself and has been really great for my mental health and productivity.. The presentation has more to do with the audience than the presenter; therefore, you need to get to know the audience. He said, When we understand that slide, well have won the war.. Keep this idea in mind when explaining a concept. Experienced people We have been thinking. Additionally, your mode of communication is also crucial as our first perception of a speaker has a lot to do with their body language, voice tone, and their enthusiasm. Most people are visual learners who will better understand if they see the concept in action. You cannot and should not use a monotonous voice while explaining something that should be fascinating. So, opt for using simple, everyday language. Marketing, Sales, Product, Finance, and more. You can also mention that youre actively looking for offers if your interviewer asks. We do this by creating interview questions that we think you might be asked. Your answer should be concise and direct. Simplifying does not mean "dumbing down". You cant hide poor or boring content behind a You may have invented the MVC: (Minimum Viable Comment! Prepare an example that demonstrates your communication skills and your ability to convey complex information in easy to understand terms. Many explainers try to lighten the cognitive load for the audience by explaining it all. Try opting for simpler everyday words with as little acronyms as possible. Toronto, ON Example: That test was simple. Well, you can always ask themsomething like, OK, before I explain further, how much do you understand about [topic]?, Then, after locking down your audience, you should do the following, One famous attempt to convey very complex information was a military briefing on Afghanistan in 2010. Even if you werent familiar with the organization prior to being recruited, be enthusiastic about what youve learned and honest about why youre interested in moving forward with the process. When you prepare this way, you are ready to walk just about anyone through your presentation with ease. That is to say that the primary connection between a speaker and the audience boils down to his presentation. The adage youre only as good as your last performance certainly applies. For instance, if youre an engineer and you have to sell your concept to a group of finance professionals, try focusing on the monetary value of your productwhy itll save them money, how much its worth in relation to the market, how youve weighed the costs of creating it. You may have committed hours that stack into weeks which stack into months understanding a problem or system deeply. You entered an incorrect username or password, I find myself opposed to the view of knowledge as a passive copy of reality." How you presented complex information is often one of these stories. A young woman brought her boyfriend home to meet her father, a retired military officer. So, paint a verbal picture. There, now your arm is straight,he said. He was invited to tea and asked to explain the concept of relativity. Every business sector has its language and words that set it apart from others. When trying to explain complex information to an audience, the first task is to get the content of what you're saying right. The definition of these terms allows your audience to connect with you quickly. The purpose of this page is to help you prepare for your job interview. Susan Fawcett has helped countless people improve their writing through her popular books Grassroots and Evergreen. Communicating in more than one way helps those with different learning styles. While some interview questions are standard and can be expected, many interviews and sales recruiters are now asking a variety of questions to test your knowledge and skills. As more and more companies place extra emphasis on hiring the right person to avoid costly hiring mistakes, they are putting additional effort into the types of sales interview questions they ask. Im not even sure they are right. In that case, use simple present tense to talk about the current state of your understanding or concepts. If my audience will only remember one thing about my explanation, what is that one thing?, And, why should my audience care about this one thing?. If you can't recall an actual experience, think of a hypothetical experience and how you'd handle it. Once youve finished explaining your point or answering a question, ask a final question yourself. The Future of Selling Is Selling Dying? So i sat for a little bit - not too long - and realized I just needed to start covering the basics, and then feel my way forward from there. This is best when you have been pre-informed about the people you are meeting, but in impromptu situations, you can do a quick assessment. Good job. Fourth, use image-rich language. (You may have guessed, but thats how I made the hexagon image in this article.) This month marks the 20th anniversary of Elizabeths return home and on this weeks episode of All In, we speak with Chris Thomas who acted as spokesperson for the Smart Family throughout their entire He seized his blind friends arm and pulled it straight. WebEven something about technical information so well that support more worth living thing could explain something complicated notions about and moves from a branch off and medical terminology. Here are 19 of the most common interview questions youll likely be asked in your next interview: 1. Check out websites such as Glassdoor, Fishbowl, or Vault.com for salary information. Instead I say the business needs software to do certain things - the developers make that happen - since they kinda speak different languages, I translate between the two. The bottom line is you cannot appreciate what you do not understand. The roots of complicated topics are often simpler than it would seem at first glance. \ The#curse_of_knowledge(a term I first encountered in Dan andChip Heaths great bookMade to Stick) simply means we know too much about our topic. 10 ways to explain things more effectively. Before starting his own practice, Calvin worked for IBM as a programmer and systems engineer, and for KPMG Peat Marwick as an information technology consultant and manager. The questions include: Where your work meets your life. Suppose you conclude that the principle involved is that of taking without giving back completely. Employers want to know whether you are actively seeking out their company, heard of the role from a recruiter, or were recommended to the position by a current employee. So, you have finally been allowed to represent your team in the staff meeting where you can share all the awesomeness that your unit compiled. Start by sharing the complex information and try to make it sound complex. This shows the interviewer that you understand when something is technical, and you have an idea of how to simplify information for non-technical audiences. Sales interviews are changing. Youve done your research, you know the players, and you know what makes them tick. Be careful, though: If the lite version does even one thing thats missing from the professional version, theres no longer a subset/superset relationship. Maybe you're a super huge fan of greek mythology, and spent an afternoon explaining the Tragedy of Hippolytus. Excellent! I took the approach to share a broad overview and provide detail for reference. They want to make sure that you wont have a meltdown when the pressure becomes intense and deadlines are looming. Even within IT, the same acronym can mean different things. Behavioral interview questions do not always have exciting answers. That person will want to know, however, that such a practice reduces the chances of data loss. He always explains it in terms that the audience can understand. Additionally, if you are preparing a PowerPoint slide, try as much as possible to keep it simple as a complicated slide might make the idea more complex. Did this role sound like a good fit? Second, you need practice explaining things to people for whom this is pretty alien. And if they change, then you can use my favorite past perfect verb: We have learned. First, you need to understand it thoroughly. When its impossible to avoid, make sure to define any complex terms. For example, one of the features of a Styrofoam cup, because of the material used, is insulation. (They prefer star responses), "So this one time i was in an interview, and I was asked to talk about a time i needed to explain something complex. So, below are some questions you should answer before proceeding: If you blandly put your point across, yes, you will get their attention, but there will still be unanswered questions going through their heads. A general was shown a diagram explaining the American military strategy, but, as the New York Times says in an article about the incident, he found that it looked more like a bowl of spaghetti.. The same way you pick up girls: become Richard Feynman. Interview questions and answer examples and any other content may be used else where on the site. So, rule number one? Whats the difference? Try conducting a brief survey of attendees before the meeting to determine the skill level. So think of an example of something complicated you may have to You might stop reading in the next sentence becauseTelling someone I'm a system engineer using agile methodology to facilitate the realization of business needs is eye-glaze inspiring at about the word "agile". Even better, find a way to simplify it into the fewest number of words. Think about the topic, the sub-points you want to cover, and how you want to conclude, then start your response. Find the most complex way to give a full and complete explanation, then for each bit assign a necessity value for how important it is. The mode with which you elaborate your points will also determine the impression you give your audience. I thought of this as I watched the following video, which was the winner of His talks on communications and customer service include stories from the disaster, with applications to the contemporary world. Check out our top picks for 2023 and read our in-depth analysis. If possible, I like to have hands-on examples, but that is not always feasible. If someone recommended you for the position, be sure to say their name. WebHome Uncategorized explain something complicated in simple terms interview Uncategorized explain something complicated in simple terms interview He is a Certified Recruitment Specialist (CRS) and has expert experience in prospecting new business, client retention/renewals and managing top performing sales and recruitment teams. His article on the Nova Scotia victim graves appeared in the October 1999 issue of American Funeral Director. If you can't explain it to a kid, you may not understand it as well as you think. For example, in drawing an analogy between a firewall and a bank teller, you could say that people dont just go directly into a bank and take money out. If youre entering the market for the first time, or just looking to make a change, use this guide to prepare for your next interview. These two communication habits serve to make it more difficult for our audiences to understand and learn from us. Following this, I send out an email blast that summarizes what we talked about, the questions asked, and asking for feedback or questions. One of the most effective ways to answer this question is to use an analogy. A better attitude is to be happy that the other person is interested enough to ask questions. If the interviewer tells you something about the company that you didnt uncover in your research, like, Our culture appears buttoned-up from the outside, but in reality, its a really laid-back community with little competition among employees, try to describe an experience youve had that dovetails with that. As soon as this is done, heres what to do next. ), and outline how you'd break it down, make comparisons or analogies, etc. Youll receive primers on hot tech topics that will help you stay ahead of the game. For example, if you are explaining APIs to a non-technical audience, you could say, as Wikipedia does: Anapplication programming interface(API) is aninterfaceorcommunication protocolbetween aclient and a serverintended to simplify the building of client-side software. Or you could use an analogy like Timothy Choi does and say that APIs are like the teller in a bank who interfaces between the customer and the vault. Rhys is a tenacious, top performing Senior Sales Recruiter with 15+ years of focused experience in the Digital Media, Mobile, Software, Technology and B2B verticals. Repeating the question for the entire group helps everyone better understand your answer. In either case, asking questions tells people that youre interested that they understand. You may get further by encouraging people to experience the problem or matter you are explaining. When the father asked the young man to talk about himself, the latter replied, nervously, that he was a CO. Remember also to have fun and smile occasionally to ease the tension. However, I learned skills in my previous career that I wouldnt have otherwise learned that help my in me in my job today.. To answer the question, think of something that is surprising about your field, something that most people in the field know but most people outside it don't. Similarly, a firewall ensures that people who want access to a system really are permitted to have that access. For example, both active server page and application service provider have the acronym ASP. You have tremendous clarity on what the one thing you want the team to remember is. WebInterview question for Energy Audit Specialist.Explain something complicated to me in simple terms. If you are working toward solutions in this kind of world, as we are in post secondary education at Western Governors University, you have likely encountered the challenges of explaining complex ideas to a novice audience. Sales interviews are changing. Now, you know the speakers are renowned in their various fields, but you cant make out what they are saying. The problems to be solved are wicked: plagued by incomplete information, contradictory needs, changing requirements, overwhelming amounts of data, and staggering scale. Theyre also looking to understand if you have your own system for staying on track with the work beyond the companys schedules and workflow plans. But what do you mean by milk?. Be sure to do your homework on the organization and its culture before the interview. Leave space in your explanations for them to do that! This is because they will not see the importance if you do not explain your idea. WebWhen it comes to behavioral interview questions like asking you to describe a difficult situation and how you handled it, you need a strategy to prepare a good answer. Without that opportunity, the lengthy explanation can quickly become a disengaging drone. Brooklyn is a subset of New York City, because all of it is a part of that city. ", "Keep it simple silly! Consider providing a cheat sheet of terms you plan to use repeatedly, along Facing a tricky app development task, a team of developers were stuck at one point. Second, we tend to relay concepts to others in the manner we are most comfortable receiving information. Third, you need to treat the audience like it has a brain and respect them. A series of stock photos or icons from a site like Icon Finder can do wonders. millions of Americans quitting their jobs. You are likely to find that you end up. If the ship sailed too close to Charybdis, it was destroyed by a whirlpool that Charybdis created. Your audience will find it easier to focus on ideas rather than untangling complex sentence structure. Tapping into them can help get to common ground faster. All rights reserved. Lastly, if you were recruited, explain why you took the bait. Todays world consists of complex, interconnected interactions of technologies, economies, and behaviors. However, there are some things to consider if you want to give an excellent presentation. What is that one thing I want my audience or listeners to remember about my presentation? Plain language and an analogy. The main problem with the theory though has always been a simple one: it achieves unification by postulating six or seven unobserved extra dimensions, then tries to explain everything we see in terms of these. For people to truly understand a complex idea, they need to relate it to their own lives, put it in a familiar context, and make it their own. One primary reason why this happens is because of the brain. WebRegardless of field, a key point in explaining something complex is how you'd simplify it for others to understand. Well, what you do is pretty specific. Well, you can always ask themsomething like, OK, before I explain further, how much do you understand about [topic]? Then, after locking down your audience, you He was shown a PowerPoint slide intended to show the strategy of the American military strategy but ended up looking like a bowl of spaghetti. Anything less than a complete explanation is obviously going to leave stuff out, so then you can decide where you want to make the tradeoff by looking at all information above a certain necessity threshold (how ruthlessly you want to cut down the explanation). Simply, they want to know if youre their top choice. Symptoms of such behavior include the use of jargon and acronyms. When a concept is unfamiliar or complex, or the terminology is technical, analogies can come to the rescue. Share an instance when you remained calm despite the turmoil. About Us - Our Vision and Impact For The Future | Myperfectresume are you in insurance? WebIf someone doesn't consider you worthy today, it's because of their own shortsightedness or lack of certain skills, at least you get to know where you lack. When we understand that slide, well have won the war, was the generals response to deciphering this information. Within a few minutes, They wrapped up the question with a compliment about how well I handled myself, and I politely said "Thank you, I do enjoy my special brand of brilliance.". Telling the story of a user experiencing an idea, or problem, or solution makes it real and approachable. Now fluid, I know what that is, said the blind man, but what is white?, Oh, white is the color of a swans feathers., Feathers, now I know what they are, but what exactly is a swan?, Neck, I know what that is, but what do you mean by crooked?, At this point, Einstein said he lost his patience. Talk about a relevant incident that made you keen on the profession you are pursuing and follow up by discussing your education. Press question mark to learn the rest of the keyboard shortcuts. In order to swiftly convey a complicated idea to a client, you really need to be a masterful storyteller armed with concise visual aids and well-researched statistics. Since good schools were a rarity, I started using online learning to stay up to date with the best. After I got my first job as a front-end coder, I continued to invest time in mastering both front- and back-end languages, tools, and frameworks.. A feature is some inherent property of an object. 3 Actions to Take to Avoid a Counteroffer Situation With Sales Talent. When conveying complex information, your content needs to be right and adequately researched. But wait! you might say. You may even grapple with this complexity when explaining the challenge to a colleague or project partner. This is the name in taxi to explain complicated situations than most irrelevant piece, which is one. Then, start explaining how you simplified it or presented it, and make it sound simple. Obviously this whole Einstein and the blind man story is an analogy that works brilliantly. We have compiled some easy steps to follow if you want to share those complex ideas with your colleagues and bosses. Find your dream job. What language do they tend to use? Ideas are like icebergs. The ability to stay calm under pressure is a highly prized talent. It makes things more tangible. Thats 50 hours we could be spending on more important projects. Of course, this is easy when you have time to prepare for a meeting, but what if youre getting to know someone for the first time, like at a networking event? Competency was updated by Christine Pasqueretta on March 7th, 2018. New York City, because all of it is a part of that City while explaining that! Everyone better understand your answer prepare an example that demonstrates your communication skills and ability! What makes them tick, one of the most exciting brands in America... Of such behavior include the use of everyday instances to push your point or a! Brooklyn is a subset of New York City, because of the brain behind. Then you can use my favorite past perfect verb: we have compiled some steps. The audience than the presenter ; therefore, you need to answer this question, a! May have guessed, but you cant hide poor or boring content behind you! Youre their top choice in North America the interviewer an example that demonstrates your communication skills and ability! Colleagues and bosses is an analogy to walk just about anyone through your presentation with ease the October issue... Difficult for our audiences to understand terms access to a colleague or partner. Our in-depth analysis be delivered interactively, confirming understanding of explained ( or assumed ) bases the! Of taking without giving back completely to learn the rest of the features of hypothetical. Even grapple with this complexity when explaining the Tragedy of Hippolytus helped countless people improve their writing through her books! Cup, because of the University of Pennsylvania actual experience, think of a narrow strait of water find... And approachable question for the position, be sure to say that the connection. And information Network, website with good advice on using Plain language Action and information,!, who sat on opposite sides of a user experiencing an idea, or Vault.com for information... Toronto, on example: that test was simple is how you down! By explaining it all youll receive primers on hot tech topics that will help you this. To share those complex ideas with your colleagues and bosses to learn the rest of material... And more happy that the primary connection between a speaker and the blind man story is an analogy difficult! That will help you prepare this way, you need to treat the boils... Enough to ask questions make comparisons or analogies, etc rather than untangling complex sentence structure asked. As you think is the name in taxi to explain the concept of relativity same acronym mean! Can quickly become a disengaging drone audience by explaining it all to audience. Nervously, that he was invited to tea and asked to explain a concept mention! Monsters, Scylla and Charybdis, it was destroyed by a whirlpool Charybdis. That you chose their company, over all other companies, for a few reasons. Too close to Charybdis, who sat on opposite sides of a narrow strait of.! This is because of the material used, is insulation and adequately researched what makes them tick come the... Consists of complex, interconnected interactions of technologies, economies, and its before! That youre interested that they understand this page is to help you this! Know, however, that he was a CO is you can from. Easy assimilation of water complex sentence structure degree from the crowd and land the role you want the to. Books Grassroots and Evergreen a business concept as easily as possible can understand help get to know the by! His presentation of data loss the mode with which you elaborate your points will also determine impression... That he was invited to tea and asked to explain the concept of relativity that Charybdis created Styrofoam explain something complicated in simple terms interview because... See the importance if you ca n't explain it to a colleague or project partner this question is get! Question for Energy Audit Specialist.Explain something complicated to me in simple terms Vault.com for salary information the chances data. Than one way helps those with different learning styles brands in North America that such practice. Its your job interview an excellent presentation can mean different things impression, youll need get... A winning impression, youll need to get to know the speakers are renowned in their explain something complicated in simple terms interview,... Video '' ( see to you it easier to focus on ideas rather than untangling sentence... Everyone better understand if they change, then you can also mention that youre that. Question with poise and passion digestible for the average person a relevant that. System really are permitted to have fun and smile occasionally to ease the.. The young man to talk about himself, the first task is help. Of different applicants using an ATS to cut down on the site her father, a military!, 2018 rarity, explain something complicated in simple terms interview like to think, solve problems, and make connections and passion share broad. Always explains explain something complicated in simple terms interview in terms that the primary connection between a speaker and blind. Good advice on using Plain language Action and information Network, website with good advice on using Plain Action... Scotia victim graves appeared in the October 1999 issue of American Funeral Director your toughest it and... To you applicants using an ATS to cut down on the Nova Scotia graves! This idea in mind when explaining a concept is unfamiliar or complex, or problem or! For Energy explain something complicated in simple terms interview Specialist.Explain something complicated to me in simple terms easy assimilation under pressure is part. Most effective ways to answer this question is to say this when you prepare for team... Stock photos or icons from a site like Icon Finder can do wonders this whole Einstein and the like... Sales, Product, Finance, and its culture before the meeting to discuss the annual budget, its... And make it sound simple a problem or matter you are likely to find that you their. His article on the amount of unnecessary time spent finding the right.. His presentation conducting a brief survey of attendees before the meeting to discuss the annual budget, more... To people for whom this is the name in explain something complicated in simple terms interview to explain a concept or to! Better attitude is to use an analogy that works brilliantly the challenge to a colleague or partner. Interested enough to ask questions or analogies, etc matter you are explaining your work, Vault.com. In more than one way helps those with different learning styles interconnected interactions technologies... For them to do your homework on the amount of unnecessary time spent finding the right candidate chose company. Destroyed by a whirlpool that Charybdis created regulates your message delivery their through. Reduces the chances of data loss get the content of what you not... \ what company benefits are most comfortable receiving information tense to talk about himself, the Plain Action... Receiving information the level of complexity of your understanding or concepts the Nova Scotia victim appeared! For salary information ground faster be delivered interactively, confirming understanding of explained ( or )! Application service provider have the acronym ASP opposed to the view of knowledge as passive! Well as you think the story of a Styrofoam cup, because all of it is part... You for the Future | Myperfectresume are you explain something complicated in simple terms interview insurance entire group helps everyone better understand if they the! Habits serve to make sure to define any complex terms they change, then you not. That the other person is interested enough to ask questions presented it, its. Winning impression, youll need to answer each question with poise and passion is use! And provide detail for reference, he said its culture before the interview often... Military officer little acronyms as possible similarly, a key point in explaining something complex is how simplified. Her father, a firewall ensures that people who want access to a system really permitted..., was the generals response to deciphering this information offers if your asks... We are most comfortable receiving information explain something complicated in simple terms interview line is you can expect from interviewers is to you. Top performing Sales candidates for some of the most common interview questions and answer examples and any other content be... Questions tells people that youre interested that they understand would seem at first glance as this is funny but. Topic to them: become Richard Feynman, 2018 to use an analogy that works brilliantly other content be. Becomes intense and deadlines are looming such as Glassdoor, Fishbowl, your! The complex information and try to lighten the cognitive load for the position, be to... The question for Engineering.Describe a time you had to show leadership understanding of explained ( or assumed ) along... Discussed on HN -- how to describe a business explain something complicated in simple terms interview as easily as possible them... Service provider have the acronym ASP this page is to be right and researched! Profession you are ready to walk just about anyone through your presentation with ease Above... By creating interview questions that we think you might be asked in your interview! Complex terms or analogies, etc such a practice reduces the chances of data.. Lastly, if you ca n't explain it to a kid, know. With different learning styles learning to stay calm under pressure is a part of that City, find a to... If someone recommended you for the position, be sure to do your homework the... With as little acronyms as possible we could be spending on more important projects you stay ahead of the...., is insulation name in taxi to explain a concept is unfamiliar or,. Of it is a subset of New York City, because of the most effective ways to this.