At some time in the careers of many psychologists, an opportunity arises to do an interview with the media. Virtually none of us are taught in graduate school how to do media interviews. The rules are very different from those of job interviews. Here is what you need to know:

■ Only accept an interview if you are comfortable doing so.

You may be asked to speak on a topic closely related to your research and teaching interests. In this case, congratulations: You may have an excellent opportunity to showcase your work. Sometimes, however, you may be asked to speak on a topic about which you know very little. In that case, decline the opportunity. Media interviews pretty quickly reveal, at least to those in the know, who is really an expert and who is pretending to be one. You don't want to get a reputation as a windbag. It won't do the radio show any good – or you either.

■ Give brief answers.

As academics, we often learn to go on at great length to show how much we know, or at least to convey all the complexities and fine points of a topic that sometimes comes across as oversimplified. Avoid the temptation to go on and on. Media interviews lend themselves well to short answers but poorly to long ones. If you go on too long, the interviewer may cut you off, so that you never get to finish what you wanted to say in the first place. Be brief and get quickly to the point.

■ Use simple, nontechnical language.

As psychologists or even aspiring psychologists, we get used quickly to complex technical language. We often stop even seeing it as complex or technical. In the media, complex technical language and jargon are the kiss of death. Your listeners won't understand what you are saying and will quickly tune you out. At worst, the interviewer will cut off the interview prematurely if he or she sees you cannot connect with the audience.

■ Be direct – don't beat around the bush.

In academia, we can acquire the bad habit of talking around an issue. Don't. In a media interview, you need to be very direct and get to the point.