If you have started to read any job interviewing books, they inevitably mention the concept of "mirroring." This is described as the interviewee mirroring or copying such things as how the interviewer is sitting (legs crossed, slouching, or sitting up straight), where they place their hands (on the desk, in their lap), and their pattern of speech. Every time I think about doing this, I laugh out loud. If I was conducting an interview and noticed that an interviewee was doing this, things would quickly deteriorate into a physical Simon Says game where I would change my position every 10 seconds to see if they could keep up.

Plus I think the whole mirroring concept is kind of creepy.

What I advise people to do is to pay attention to the interviewer's pattern of speech. People who tend to speak quickly notice when others do not, and tend to think of them as more methodical, boring, and might not see them as being a good fit with the organization. Remember, interviewers hire people whom they are comfortable with and can see themselves working with on a day-to-day basis. If they are the impatient type and can only see a future where you are the employee and they are left waiting for what seems like an eternity to them for you to answer a question, any question, you will not get the job. Qualified or not. To remedy this situation in the interview, try to match the pace of your speech to your interviewers', even if it means you have to say "that's a good question, let me think about it for a minute," one time to give you a chance to think and breathe. You can't pause for too many breaks, but the goal is to keep up the overall tempo of the conversation.

On the flip side, if they are a slow talker, and you speak very quickly, the interviewer may have the impression that you are nervous, excitable, and would not pay attention to detail. However, unlike the situation above where it's primarily a negative impression, it is possible that they will appreciate your energy and can see it as a plus for the organization. If you notice that they have a genuine smile and nod in agreement to what you are saying, then you are on the right track. But if they look physically uncomfortable, or have a pained expression on their face, take a breath and make a lighthearted comment that maybe 3 espressos is your limit, then make every effort to slow the rhythm of your answers to match theirs. Try to enunciate your words as a way to slow down. If your friends have ever accused you of speaking too quickly or even mumbling, then you need to be aware that this could be a problem.

Above all, be aware of the physical non-verbal clues the interviewer is giving you. Remember that in many cases when faced with two equally qualified candidates, they will give the job to the person they like more, and can see themselves getting along with day-to-day. Keep in mind though that if you're interviewing with the hiring manager their pattern of speech is what you will have to deal with, and if you are not comfortable with them then the job is probably not a good fit.