The Awkward Pause: Friend or Foe?

We’ve all been there. The interviewer asks a question, your brain suddenly decides to go on a mini vacation, and you’re left staring like a frozen Zoom screen.

Good news: a pause isn’t your enemy—it can actually make you look thoughtful. The trick is knowing how to use it.

Here’s how to handle the dreaded awkward pause:

• Own it

  • Take a sip of water, smile, and say, “That’s a great question, let me think for a moment.” You instantly turn silence into confidence.

• Don’t panic-fill

  • Nervous rambling usually digs the hole deeper. (Yes, we’ve all invented random “team projects” that never existed just to keep talking. Oops.)

• Have a rescue line ready

  • Something simple like, “One example that comes to mind is…” helps kickstart your answer smoothly.

Bottom line:

• Pauses happen. They don’t ruin interviews—panic does. So the next time your brain takes a coffee break mid-question, smile, breathe, and give it a second to come back.

At InterviewFlo, we help you practice these moments so you’re ready for anything—even your own blank stare.