The Art of Interruption: 5 Great Hacks for Time Management in Interviews

Interviews can be intensely vulnerable and emotional experiences for candidates. They’re trying to put their best foot forward, but nerves inevitably get in the way. Based on my experiences interviewing many high performers: Even stellar candidates can end up rambling in an interview!

It is essential to learn how to interrupt candidates when they drone on. And it’s fine to do so. In fact, if you ask candidates at the outset, “Is it OK if I nudge or interrupt you (when needed) to keep us on track?” you will hear an enthusiastic yes the vast majority of the time. They are eager for your guidance. They would much rather be interrupted (from a place of warm curiosity, of course!) than be allowed to hang themselves by unknowingly overtalking.

Hack No. 1: Replace fear (of interrupting) with curiosity

When you interrupt with an “I’m-just-so-curious-I-can’t-help-myself” look on your face, candidates will welcome your interjection. So let go of the fear — you’re not being rude.

Hack No. 2: Vocalize frequently

This tactic is more of a “pre-interruption” — it’s a vibe you create that makes interruption easier. It can be “mmm”; it can be “yeah”; it can be “huh.” It can even be a well-timed “wow.” 

While the candidate is talking, make your voice heard from time to time. Like a fighter shadow-boxing in the corner, it warms the very muscles (your voice) that you’ll need when the time comes to interrupt for real. And it also gets the candidate used to hearing your voice, making it less abrupt when you choose to fully interject.

Hack No. 3: Don’t wait for the conversational lull

Ever notice that basically everyone waits for that little gap when the other person stops talking? 

Guess what? In interviews, that can actually be off-putting. The candidate will often assume (correctly) that you’ve been waiting to jump in for quite a while. They may also assume (correctly) that you haven’t been paying full attention since. 

If you interrupt right when you need to, it feels fresh and spontaneous, it keeps the conversation current, and it reinforces the “I-can’t-help-myself” vibe.

Hack No. 4 (my favorite): Use the W face

When you are ready to interrupt, make your face look like you are about to ask a question. Purse your lips. Tilt your head. Raise your hand (or even just your right index finger) the way you do when you are about to ask a question. Ninety percent of candidates will simply stop talking. It is obvious you are about to ask a question (as most questions in English begin with a w). 

Even if your question is a “how” one, the W shape of the lips is unmistakable.

Hack No. 5: Make the S sound your sssecret weapon

If you want to interject with a person who is not looking at you (or at their screen, if it’s a video interview), just pretend you are about to start a question with the word “So,” as in, “So, what was  [insert the rest of your question]?” 

The S sound hits a higher frequency than other sounds humans make, which makes it stand out — and that’s true in-person and over a video call. It’s a great attention-grabber, and it allows you to “pipe in” without fully talking over them. 

Great interviewing is all about time management. And time management is often (though not always) about lots and lots of interruptions. 

If you’ve been uncomfortable doing it in the past, commit yourself to getting over it. Keep in mind: If you do it from a place of legitimate interest in the candidate, they won’t mind it at all.

They may not even notice.

This post was originally published on Talgo Talent Tuesdays.

Jordan Burton has 15 years of experience as an executive assessor and interviewing trainer, working with top VC/PE investors and high-growth startups to help them hire the best of the best. He has trained over 3,000 executives and investors on hiring and interviewing skills. He leads Talgo’s business development initiatives, managing relationships with Sequoia Capital, TH Lee, Palantir, Chainlink Labs, and over 50 venture-backed startups.