Answer questions at a job talk successfully by maintaining an open, inquisitive mind and professional attitude even under pressure. Always repeat the question. Keep in mind that:

• Research is always on the cutting edge of knowledge which means that there will be things you don’t know and haven’t yet looked into.
• The answering of questions during a job talk is more about your attitude than anything else. This is because your answer could very well be “I don’t know.”

Answer questions at a job talk by adopting the following methods, especially when you are thrown off:

• Get further clarification on the question by repeating their question and asking them whether what you think they asked is actually what they asked or not. It is always a good idea to first confirm whether the thing you think they asked is actually what they asked or not. In your rush to answer the question, you might end up confusing the audience if you don’t do this. On the other hand, if you ask for clarification, you turn the situation into a two-way conversation. Once you understand what they asked, attempt to answer it, or give the best answer if there is no right answer. If you don’t know, say you don’t know.
• Repeat their question and say that it is a good or great question. This instantly provides a feel-good validation to the audience member asking the question. You might know how to answer it partially or don’t know how to answer it at all. Just do your best and admit that what you say might not be the whole answer to what they are asking but that you are sharing what you know. Keep in mind that not having the exact answers to everyone’s exact questions is fine in research. Sharing the relevant information that you DO know is still valuable and a good way to respond to tough questions. It’s about getting a conversation going so don’t beat yourself up if you feel stumped by a question. That’s kind of the point of research – that you don’t know everything.
• Repeat their question and acknowledge that this is something that you are either still looking into or want to look into. This would be the answer in case the answer involves ongoing work or work that you plan to do but haven’t gotten to yet. It is important to provide validation to the audience, nonetheless. Let them know that what they asked is a valid inquiry and that you want to learn about it yourself. The best response would be, if possible, to share some preliminary results that you do have from the ongoing work that you didn’t show in the talk. Let them know, of course, that it is preliminary or not yet fully investigated. Although not published or official information yet, this kind of information sharing brings a lot of value to the audience, and value brought especially as part of answering questions is much appreciated. You can stand out this way and show that you are relevant and current in your work. This is also a way to show your excitement about your work. I always think that demonstrating how much you care about your research is important to gaining influence in academia. If you don’t feel excited, why should anyone fund your research? So, no matter what, be excited about the work that you are showcasing or looking forward to doing. That can, by itself, go a very long way.

When you answer questions at a job talk, first, repeat the question.  

This is true in general as not everyone in the audience may have heard the question you got. So, repeat the question for the rest of the audience. This way you include everyone in the conversation and no-one feels left out. Also, as I already mentioned above, it is super important to gain clarification on the question and confirm that you truly understand what they are asking before you even attempt to answer.

Give a short answer before moving on

Lastly, if someone asks a question that is simply too early, as in, you are about to cover it in a later slide, don’t just say that you are going to cover it later. That feels dismissive to the audience. Give a short answer in a nice and friendly manner, and tell them that it is a great question that you will go into more depth in a later slide. Giving them a short answer right then, though, helps them to have a better experience during your talk. Just telling them you will tell them the answer later is unhelpful at that moment. You are not narrating a suspense novel, you are talking about your research. Don’t keep that person hanging. This tip is from my Ph.D. advisor, Prof. Amy Connolly, and I think it is fantastic advice that would help you look very professional.

Let me know your thoughts and questions in the comments below. These topics are also covered in my new book:

How to Land Your Dream Postdoc: The Insider’s Guide: Postdoc Interview Questions, Successful Research Statement, Cover Letter, and Job Talk