What and how

What you did and how you did it

The second column (step 2) contains the core of your answers,
including the obstacles you overcame to satisfy the duties or
requirements listed in step 1. When filling out this column, avoid
writing broad-ranging or general answers, though this may not
always be possible. The idea is to break up the duty or requirement
listed in step 1 into its primary tasks or components. It helps if you
ask yourself the following question: In order to complete the duty
or requirement in step 1, what individual actions did I take, including
any actions I took to overcome obstacles? Then list these in a logical
sequence.

Avoid rushing through this step, especially if it has been a while
since you’ve performed a particular duty. A good idea is to write all
the things you can think of and then reduce the list down to the
key points. Include specific examples.

Be careful not to over-elaborate when filling out the second
column. Doing so can inadvertently lead to answers containing far
too much detail. Given that many interviewees feel they have to
show off their hard-earned knowledge, it is easy to go overboard in
step 2. But, in the vast majority of cases, you are not required to
cover every contingency when answering a question. Try to avoid
talking for longer than you should, thus boring the interviewer. Most
interviewers are able to draw sensible inferences from the main points
in your answer. If they want more information, they’ll ask for it.

If you do have lots of great information that you absolutely feel
cannot be left out, then go ahead and list them in the second column,
but be selective about what you use at the interview. Only choose
the most relevant points. You can leave your other points for other
questions or, if there are no follow-up questions, pat yourself on
the back for being thorough in your preparation.

Not providing exhaustive answers at an interview makes a lot
of sense when you factor in the importance of rapport-building
during the course of an interview. Remember: building rapport with
the interviewer is the most important thing you can do at an interview
and talking too much works against that all-important goal.