Should I ask the panel to repeat or clarify a question?

Asking for a Civil Service Interview Question to Be Repeated or Clarified

Hello,

During mock interviews I sometimes lose the second half of a long behaviour question while choosing my example. I then answer the general behaviour and miss the specific part, such as dealing with resistance or protecting quality.

I worry that asking the panel to repeat the question will make me look unprepared.

Is it better to ask, or should I answer what I remember?

Quick Answer

Ask for the question to be repeated when you have not heard or retained it. A brief clarification is also sensible where wording is genuinely ambiguous; answering the wrong question is a greater risk than taking a moment to understand it.

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How I Would Use Repetition and Clarification Without Disrupting the Interview

Continue reading to see what I would say, when I would clarify and how I would reduce the need to ask repeatedly.

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