Long, rambling answers - padded with repetition and irrelevant information - don't win job interviews.

If the interviewer is bored, they won't remember you afterwards. Or they might remember you as "the last person I want to listen to in staff meetings!"

We all know it's better to answer interview questions concisely. Easier said than done. How do you do it?

Edit your interview answers.

To avoid verbal wandering, plan a clear path! Put together a good, long list of questions you're likely to be asked, then write a simple, bare-bones "talking points" outline of your answer for each one. (Don't write full sentences, because you'll end up reciting a script and sounding phony.)

Then edit your outlines. Ask yourself, Which details will "sell" me as the right person for the job? Make sure you include those! Which details could be left out? Delete them.

Now, practice saying your concise answers aloud until they flow easily. After going through this process multiple times over several days, you may find yourself speaking more succinctly even in answers you haven't prepared!

Know how to stop.

Sometimes interviewees ramble for lack of an ending. Here are some ways to end an answer smoothly:

• Refer back to the question: "So that's how I'd describe my management style."
• If you're telling a story, end with the successful results you achieved.
• Relate what you've been saying to the job you're interviewing for: "…and I imagine you've had similar situations here." or "Does that sound like a strategy that could work here?"

Still wandering off into the verbal weeds?

It's a habit. To break it, practice giving answers that are actually too brief, followed by a question, such as: "Would you like me to go into more detail?"

If you catch yourself rambling, practice "bottom lining" your answer: stop yourself with a statement like "To get straight to the bottom line…" or "The most important part of this story is…" Then get straight to the point.

Practice.

It's one thing to read tips, but quite another to build skills you'll use when the pressure is on. Practicing turns tips into skills – and winning job interviews. Get more help here!

Read the original post on Thea's blog.