Important Active Listening Skills and Techniques

17 Jul
2021

Important Active Listening Skills and Techniques

By Staff Writer

What Is Active Listening?

Like critical thinking and problem-solving, active listening is a soft skill that’s held in high regard by employers. When interviewing for jobs, using active listening techniques can help show the interviewer how your interpersonal skills can draw people out.

Active listening redirects your focus from what is going on inside of your head to the needs of your prospective employer or interviewer. This technique can help reduce your nervousness during an interview.

By placing your focus, through active listening, squarely upon the interviewer, you prove that you:

Are interested in the organization’s challenges and successes

Are ready to help them problem-solve work issues

Are a team player as opposed to being nothing more than a self-absorbed job candidate.

Examples of Active Listening Techniques

There are plenty of active listening techniques that will improve the impression you can make at a job interview.

Active listening techniques include:

Building trust and establishing rapport

Demonstrating concern

Paraphrasing to show understanding

Using nonverbal cues which show understanding such as nodding, eye contact, and leaning forward

Brief verbal affirmations like “I see,” “I know,” “Sure,” “Thank you,” or “I understand”