The job interview process is truly one of the strangest rituals we’ve agreed to as a society. But until someone more influential than me turns it on its head, we’re stuck with trying to be universally appealing while being true to ourselves while wearing clothes we only ever wear during interviews (and sometimes funerals or court). Given all the opportunities for awkwardness, there’s no one secret to a successful interview, but there are some tricks you can use to show up with confidence even when you’re not sure what to expect.
Consider Your Audience
First things first, who you’re talking to in an interview matters. Make sure you know who you’ll be talking to, what their role is in relation to yours, and, ideally, do a little research on the company website and LinkedIn about them before your interview.
Recruiters will help you with the job you’re seeking, but you also want them to remember you for future opportunities.
Hiring managers are your potential bosses, they want to know they can trust you to show up and do the job.
Potential peers are looking for allies who will help them reach their goals.
Potential employees want to make sure you know what you’re doing and aren’t a jerk.
The following responses will help you regardless of who is asking the questions while giving you the ability to tailor them to the individual based on what they most want to hear. They’re not answers to specific questions, necessarily, but three types of responses that can be used to answer all kinds of questions. You can refer back to them in multiple ways, and if you’re not sure what to say at all, they make a good jumping off point until you find an actual point.
A Story About You At Your Best
Think of a time when you were really in the zone — a project you led, a challenge you overcame, a collaboration in which you thrived — and create a short, tight story about it. Give only as much exposition as you’ll think is necessary for it to make sense to a stranger, and focus on yourself. “I noticed this need and provided this solution to create this result,” is good framing.
Once you’ve got your story idea, practice saying it out loud. Record yourself telling the story and watch it back. Share your recording with a trusted friend or mentor, or, even better, ask them for a mock interview and practice telling it then.
This response works for:
What is a moment you’re proud of?
What are your strengths?
Any questions relating to specific skills your story illustrates.
A List of Your Values
A go-to list of professional values is particularly useful if you’re applying for a leadership role, but is handy for buying time when answering all kinds of questions, no matter the job. If you don’t have a handful of values already in mind (for example, mine are honesty, empathy, and strategy), try one or all of these next steps:
Review a list of values — like this — and see what jumps out at you. Compare that group against itself until you’ve narrowed it down to a top three.
Go back to the story about you at your best. When you think about the deeper reasons behind your choices, what values do they reflect?
In contrast, consider the times you’ve felt really uncomfortable, even triggered, at work. Those times often reflect when our deepest-held values are being challenged.
Once you’ve got your top three or four values, think about an example of when you’ve used each one, and, just like with your story above, practice talking about them out loud. Having your values top of mind is useful for any question that starts with “How would you approach/feel…?” and “What kind of [fill in the blank] are you looking for?” And, of course, they’re a perfect way to describe yourself as a leader.
A Short But Impactful Biography
One of the most anxiety-producing interview moments is the wide-open invitation to “tell me about yourself.” Resist the temptation to give a rundown of your resume. Instead, do your best to sum up your career, point of view, or ambitions in a single soundbite. “I’ve always thought of myself as an internal entrepreneur.” “A theme in my career is taking established teams to the next level.” “No matter what position I’ve been in, I’m always drawn to innovation.” Then, of course, come up with two clear examples from two different roles that make it true.
It’s likely there is more than one way to sum up your career. This is when considering your audience, and the role you’re applying for, comes back into play, and what makes this strategy more effective than a timeline of jobs. Consider what your interviewer will be looking for and choose the soundbite and examples that best fit. The advantage is you’re able to tell the truth (albeit selectively) in an appealing and easy-to-remember way. Bonus points for being able to come across as succinct and self-aware.
Practice, Practice, Practice
Interviews are usually stressful, totally unnatural exchanges — it’s nearly impossible to perform perfectly. Instead of worrying about having the perfect answer to every possible question, focus on the perfect answers to describe what you bring to the table overall. A good way to practice turning your general answers into specific ones is to go back to the description of the job you’re applying for and find a skill or requirement where you don’t have a perfect match. Try using a transition like, “I don’t have a specific example about that, but it reminds me of my values/a time when/a theme across my career…” and start talking.
Facts and preparation are the keys to growing interview confidence. You got this.
Looking for extra support? Consider coaching.