Alvarez & Marsal Mock Interview
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Question 18 of 33
How do you explain complicated concepts to those who may not understand?
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Rachelle Enns is an interview coach and job search expert. She works with candidates to perform their best in employment, medical, and post-secondary admission interviews.
The interviewer wants to know that you are capable of explaining complex ideas without being condescending to your co-workers or talking over their heads. Give the interviewer an example of how you break down information to make it more easily digestible for the average person.
Think of a presentation about a complex topic, as a proposal to solve a challenging problem. The solution may seem obvious to you, but everyone else in the room is scratching heads trying to figure out what you're saying. When you can define key terms and phrases to make them more relevant to your audience, you have skills! Not everyone can do this.
Prepare an example that demonstrates your communication skills and your ability to convey complex information in easy to understand terms.
Rachelle Enns is an interview coach and job search expert. She works with candidates to perform their best in employment, medical, and post-secondary admission interviews.
"I find that when there is a complicated concept to teach, visual aids are always the way to go. Did you know that 65% of people are visual learners and that presentations with visual components are 43% more persuasive? I took a course on creating effective info-graphics and will often implement those in my presentations."
Rachelle Enns is an interview coach and job search expert. She works with candidates to perform their best in employment, medical, and post-secondary admission interviews.
"Keep it simple, silly! If you cannot explain a concept straightforwardly, then you do not understand it well enough. I recently rolled out a complex compensation plan with many anomalies. I took the approach to share a broad overview and provide detail for reference. I often try to make analogies or share complex information in the form of a story."
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Anonymous Answer
Void jargon and only use plain English, give examples rather than talking about the theories. I also find that when there is a complicated concept to teach, visual aids are always the way to go.
Amanda's Feedback
These are all great strategies when explaining something complex. Take this opportunity to provide an example that showcases your communication skills. Talk about a time when you explained a complex concept to a client or team member. Make sure to relate the positive outcome as well to highlight your ability to achieve results.
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