How To Succeed In An Interview Using The ‘Rule Of Three’

The rule of three is a technique used by speakers and writers to persuade and influence people. It works because we can only hold around three or four pieces of information in our short-term memory and lists of three register in our brain as a pattern. Politicians and persuasive speakers like Steve Jobs use the rule of three to simplify messages in their speeches and make them memorable. In an interview, you’re trying to do the same thing – conveying the essence of who you are and what you can do to the interviewer and persuade them that you’re the right person for the job. Here’s how you can use the rule of three to help you in your interview. Caveat: the trick with the rule of three in an interview situation is to learn your threes and practice them so that you can weave them into speech naturally. If you start answering every question with a mechanical list of three, you’ll sound like a robot!

1. Break down the job description

The job description is usually bulleted list of responsibilities and qualities, which in itself isn’t very memorable or easy to talk about. So read the JD a few times and then put it down and imagine you’re the interviewer. What three things would they be looking for in an ideal candidate? Take each of these three things (for example, attention to detail, initiative, working in a team) and write down a couple of examples of how you have demonstrated it in the past. Be as specific as possible:

• Action – what was the brief context and what did you do?
• Impact – what was the impact?
• Do – what did you do as a result? (For example, if it was a positive action, did you continue doing it or did the company adopt it as best practice? If it was a mistake you learnt from, what did you decide to do differently which resulted in a positive impact?)

Practice these three things to yourself – list them off, counting them on your fingers if you like, until they become embedded. You can use them in the interview in several ways:

• To show your understanding of the job description – "having read the job description, I believe the three most important things for this role are: x, y, z"
• To summarise why you are a great candidate for the job
• To weave in to any answers about your skills and experience

2. Tell the story of you

When an interviewer says “tell me about yourself” or “walk me through your work experience and CV”, this is an opportunity for you to shine. Many people at this point list their work experience or do a brief, chronological run down of key life events – neither is very engaging. Instead, remember the rule of three. What three things do you want the interviewer to remember about you? What three things are you most proud of in your life to date and why? What three extra things would you be looking for if you were interviewing someone for this role? Your interviewer will be listening out for what's important to you. What you choose to say says a lot about your values and how these align with the company's values, which you can usually find on their website.

3. Ask thoughtful questions

Finally, asking questions is a key part of any interview because it demonstrates your interest in the employer and helps you decide if the company is the right fit for you. Here are three (see what I did there?) areas for you to consider asking questions around:

1. Culture – “What’s the culture like here?” “What do you most enjoy about working here?”
2. Skills and attitude – “What have you found makes a person successful here?” “What skills and attitude are helpful?”
3. Development – “What development opportunities are there for this role or in the company in general?”

Ultimately, the rule of three is a great technique for you to practice in your interview preparation so that in the real thing, you can recall what you want to say almost without thinking. This will leave space for you to build rapport with the interviewer and be in the moment. And it will make their job easier because you’ll be breaking down your answers into manageable chunks for them to note down or recall when they’re reviewing candidates at the end of the process. So remember to break down the job description, tell the story of ‘you’ and ask thoughtful questions. Good luck!