Interview skills: lesson 1 - Preparation.

now, id rather not this diverge into the discussion of policies / actions of bush - thats described elsewhere.

i was watching the press conference, and i really notice this bit. [transcript copied from this link


Question: Thank you, Mr. President. In the last campaign, you were asked a question about the biggest mistake you'd made in your life, and you used to like to joke that it was trading Sammy Sosa. You've looked back before 9/11 for what mistakes might have been made. After 9/11, what would your biggest mistake be, would you say, and what lessons have you learned from it?

THE PRESIDENT: "I wish you would have given me this written question ahead of time, so I could plan for it. (Laughter.) John, I'm sure historians will look back and say, gosh, he could have done it better this way, or that way. You know, I just -- I'm sure something will pop into my head here in the midst of this press conference, with all the pressure of trying to come up with an answer, but it hadn't yet...."
[chopped middle bit out - to finish off his answer]

"......I hope I -- I don't want to sound like I've made no mistakes. I'm confident I have. I just haven't -- you just put me under the spot here, and maybe I'm not as quick on my feet as I should be in coming up with one."


thats it ladies and gentleman, he has just failed his job interview. this is a stock standard question for any job interview - what was your biggest mistake?
the first paragraph just sounds like he is unprepared, the last paragraph just sounds comical.
the rest of the press conference was standard bush press conference response - that was the only bit i really noticed.

oooh, I saw that - that was just amazing, I couldn't beleive how anyone who got to that kind of a position hadn't once reflected on the way things had been done in the past.

What was particularly telling was when he said that historians might look back and suggest ways he could have done things differently - I thought - how arrogant to assume that history even cares for your contribution.

A friend said that she didn't think Bush Jr. grasped that he, himself (with help of his advisors) damaged the standing of the US in the world by his words and actions.

I asked if it was that or that he just didn't care. She said he didn't get it. He's convinced he's doing real good in the world, ridding it of evil, etc.

He probably looks at himself as some great saviour.

Now, I know the US isn't perfect, and our policies in the past have done more harm than good, but I do agree that Bush has hurt our image more so than most recent presidents.

Before 9/11 he seemed to have an almost isolationist foreign policy, pulling us out of agreements and accords with other nations. The terrorist attack on our nation was a slap in the face to wake up...we can't be isolationists, but nor can we dictate how other nations develop.

I didn't watch his press conference last night, though I did listen to some of it. I have to say..he answered questions like a "C" student would: gives enough information to show he's been paying attention, but not enough substance to show he knows what he's doing or talking about.

I am not a fan of George W. I do hope he loses in November. I don't know that I could stomach another 4 years with him.

I've heard people say they like Bush because he makes mistakes and doesn't always sound like a politician, so it's one his strengths.

Over the years I've done quite a bit of speech training and it's made me notice how people who's job involves public speaking aren't aware of a lot of the basics of presentation.

Bush has some amazing speech writers who normally do this for him. On this occasional he was just being himself and not thinking before answering. Everyone does it, just normally it's not a controversial President in the middle of a war saying "I'm sure historians will look back and say, gosh, he could have done it better this way, or that way." without the hindsight and "doing what I feel is best now" disclaimers!

As advice to everyone on intervire technique - try to think before you speak and avoid saying um and er by pausing slightly instead. And wave your arms around lot like you're spinning