Webinar Recap: Active Listening in Clearing Interviews

On August 23, 2025 (1:00 PM – 2:00 PM IST), Storyteller Charles hosted an engaging and insightful online session titled “Active Listening in Clearing Interviews”, led by Ms. Rachel Jaikumar, Content Head – StorytellerCharles.

The webinar was designed to equip students, job-seekers, and professionals with a vital yet often overlooked skill: listening to influence. Far from being another “how to answer questions” session, this event shifted the perspective from simply speaking well to truly listening well, a skill that interviewers consistently notice, value, and remember.

Why Active Listening Matters in Interviews

Rachel opened the session by highlighting a hard truth: many candidates lose opportunities not because they lack knowledge or vocabulary, but because they fail to listen. Interviews are not only about demonstrating competence, they are about creating a connection, responding with relevance, and showing presence of mind.

When candidates are too focused on rehearsed answers, they often miss the subtle cues interviewers give. Active listening ensures that responses are not only accurate but also aligned with what the interviewer is really looking for.

What Interviewers Are Really Listening For

One of the most eye-opening parts of the session was Rachel’s breakdown of what interviewers focus on during conversations. It is not just technical correctness, they evaluate:

• Attentiveness: Are you fully engaged, or are you waiting to speak?

• Comprehension: Do you understand the question clearly before responding?

• Adaptability: Can you adjust your response when interviewers probe further?

• Emotional Intelligence: Do you pick up on tone, emphasis, and context?

Candidates who practice active listening demonstrate calmness, confidence, and the ability to think on their feet, qualities every hiring manager values.

Staying Calm and Focused Under Pressure

Interviews can be high-pressure environments, often leading to nervousness and rushed responses. Rachel shared several strategies to maintain composure and focus:

• The Pause Technique: Take a brief moment before answering to process the question fully.

• Breathing Exercises: Use controlled breathing to stay relaxed and regulate tone.

• Paraphrasing: Repeat or reframe the question to confirm understanding before answering.

• Mindful Presence: Avoid rehearsing future answers in your head, focus fully on the current conversation.

These practices not only help manage nerves but also project confidence and attentiveness.

Techniques for Clear and Impactful Responses

Listening well sets the stage for speaking well. Rachel introduced practical tools for delivering responses that resonate with interviewers:

1. STAR Method (Situation, Task, Action, Result): A structured approach to answering behavioral questions.

2. Mirroring Language: Subtly reflecting keywords from the interviewer’s question to demonstrate attentiveness.

3. Conciseness: Avoiding long-winded answers; instead, aiming for precision and clarity.

4. Positive Framing: Even when addressing challenges, focusing on solutions and growth.

These techniques bridge the gap between listening and responding, making every answer not just accurate, but impactful.

The Overlooked Power of Listening Skills

Rachel highlighted that while most candidates prepare extensively on speaking, very few train themselves to listen actively. Yet, listening is what differentiates a good interview from a great one.

Some key listening behaviors interviewers notice include:

• Nodding or using affirming gestures to show engagement.

• Maintaining appropriate eye contact.

• Asking thoughtful follow-up questions.

• Avoiding interruptions and waiting for the interviewer to finish.

These subtle signals of attentiveness often determine whether a candidate comes across as polished and professional.

Real-World Scenarios and Role-Play

The session became highly interactive when Rachel introduced role-play scenarios. Participants practiced mock interview exchanges where one candidate responded without listening attentively, while another applied active listening skills.

The difference was striking: the attentive candidate came across as thoughtful, respectful, and responsive, while the inattentive one appeared distracted and unprepared. This exercise reinforced the central message: listening is a performance skill, not just a passive act.

Overcoming Barriers to Listening

Rachel also addressed common barriers that prevent candidates from listening effectively:

• Anxiety and Self-focus: Worrying about how one is perceived instead of concentrating on the conversation.

• Pre-rehearsed Answers: Trying to fit every question into a memorized response.

• Distractions: Both physical (devices, environment) and mental (anticipating next questions).

To overcome these barriers, Rachel suggested cultivating habits like practicing mindfulness, engaging in active listening exercises, and simulating interviews with peer feedback.

The Role of Technology in Interview Preparation

Given the rise of virtual interviews, Rachel emphasized how active listening translates into digital environments. Candidates must:

• Look into the camera to simulate eye contact.

• Minimize distractions by preparing a quiet and uncluttered space.

• Use verbal affirmations (“That’s a great question” / “I see your point”) to show attentiveness.

• Take notes strategically to capture key points without breaking engagement.

Digital interviews may lack physical presence, but attentive listening still shines through and helps candidates stand out.

Key Takeaways

The webinar concluded with several actionable insights for participants to apply immediately:

1. Listening is active, not passive. It requires focus, presence, and engagement.

2. Strong listening enhances strong speaking. The best responses come from truly understanding the question.

3. Interviewers value attentiveness as much as answers. It signals maturity, respect, and adaptability.

4. Confidence is built on calmness. Nervousness can be managed with simple techniques like pausing and breathing.

5. Digital interviews demand intentional listening. Presence and focus are just as visible online as in-person.

Event Details

• Topic: Active Listening in Clearing Interviews

• Speaker: Ms. Rachel Jaikumar, Content Head – StorytellerCharles

• Date: August 23, 2025

• Time: 1:00 PM – 2:00 PM IST

• Format: Live Webinar

Final Reflection

This was not just another session on interview preparation, it was a mindset shift. By centering listening instead of rehearsed speaking, candidates learn to connect, adapt, and impress authentically.

For those preparing for placements, career transitions, or professional communication, the lesson is clear: the ability to listen actively is often the hidden key that unlocks interview success.

What Students Had to Say

Participants described the webinar as eye-opening, practical, and confidence-boosting. Many shared that the techniques around pausing, paraphrasing, and mindful listening gave them simple yet powerful tools to apply in real interview settings. They especially valued the role-play exercises, which clearly showed how attentive listening can transform an interviewer’s perception. Overall, students left the session with a renewed sense of calm and clarity, ready to approach interviews with greater presence and impact.

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