In the job interview, speaking as if to a good friend can help in a couple of ways: 1) If you’re nervous or defensive about the interview process, imagining your good friend can put you at ease. 2) When you’re so close to the information, it’s hard to know how much information to present. The result? Too short answers, too vague. Explain what you’ve done as if to a friend who is interested and intelligent, but doesn’t know what you do or have done for work.