Interview Strategies to Prove You're the Top Candidate

Want to turn more interviews into job offers? I've interviewed tons of people in my career. One thing always set the top 1% apart: Specificity. Their answers showed that they did their research. They knew exactly why we were hiring and how their background fit — and they gave specific examples to prove it. This was one of the most consistent things across the best hires, so much so that I actually ended up using it as a screening test. If I could replace our company (e.g. Microsoft) with a competitor (Google, Amazon) and their answer still worked? It wasn’t a good answer. It became obvious that most people who gave those generic, catch-all answers didn't do much research beforehand. Those interviews were generic and boring. But the people who could tell me exactly what was happening with my company and how they could make an impact? Those conversations were a blast and those candidates stood out. So when you’re preparing for your next interview, use this 3 step process: 1. Research the heck out of the company and hiring team 2. Draft up answers that use specific examples and focus on the company’s needs 3. For each answer, ask yourself, “does this answer make sense if I swap in a competitor?” If it does, you need to be more specific! If it only makes sense with your target company, you’re in great shape to crush this thing.

After 15+ yrs interviewing and hiring at Fortune 500 companies, here's what I know: The difference between good and great candidates isn't talent. It's preparation. Here are the 12 must-prepare questions I've asked or seen being asked in interviews (and how to nail them): 💥 "Tell me about yourself" → Not your life story. Your career movie trailer: Hook, highlights, where you're headed (2 mins max). 💥 "What makes you different?" → Pick 3 strengths that solve their problems (I'll teach you how to find these). 💥 "Your biggest weakness?" → Be real. I've heard every "perfectionist" story. Show self-awareness and growth instead. 💥 "Why us?" → If you can't articulate this clearly, you're not ready. Research isn't optional. 💥 "Tell me about a challenge" → Use the STAR method: Situation, Task, Action, Result. Keep it recent and relevant. 💥"How do you handle mistakes?" → Everyone fails. Winners show ownership and learning. 💥 "Managing multiple priorities?" → Concrete example + your system. Show me your mind works strategically. 💥 "Dealing with conflict?" → Focus on resolution, not drama. Emotional intelligence wins here. 💥 "Ethical decisions?" → Values matter more than outcomes. Pick a story that shows your compass. 💥 "Why leave your current role?" → Growth story, not escape story. Never bash your employer. 💥 "Missing a deadline?" → Ownership + Learning + Prevention. Three-part answer. 💥 "Your greatest strength?" → Match their needs. The job description is your cheat sheet. 🔥 Pro Secret: Record yourself answering these. You'll hear what needs work. The goal isn't memorization. It's authentic confidence. Save this cheat sheet. Your next interview could be tomorrow. 🔁 REPOST to help someone else get hired. 👤 FOLLOW for more practical job search content that works.

I’ve been a recruiter for 5+ years, and I’ve closely seen how Hiring Managers make decisions. If you’re looking for a job in the U.S., these strategies are GOLD. I’ve been in dozens of debriefs where the candidate looked great on paper, answered questions well, and still didn't get hired. Because hiring managers aren’t just asking, “Can they do the job?” They’re asking: → Do they understand the role? → Can they think through messy problems? → Will they communicate clearly with the team? → Are they coachable? → Will they take ownership? Here’s how you can show hiring managers that you are the right fit. 1. Show your thinking, not just your answer. When walking through a project or technical solution, don’t jump straight to the outcome. Walk through the decisions you made, what tradeoffs you considered, and what you’d do differently now. That shows maturity and reflection, which managers love to see. 2. Ask better questions. Skip the generic: What’s the culture like? Instead ask: What does success look like in the first 90 days? What challenges is the team currently facing? Hiring managers remember candidates who sound like future teammates. 3. Own your gaps. You don’t need to pretend to be perfect. In fact, the best candidates I’ve seen are the ones who say: I haven’t done X before, but here’s how I’d approach it. That shows adaptability. Most roles evolve, so this matters more than checking every box. 4. Match your energy to the team. If the team is collaborative, curious, and fast-paced, show that you work the same way. Not by saying it, but through your tone, your responses, and the way you engage. You don’t need to perform. You need to connect. That’s what makes hiring managers say, “Let’s bring them in.” Repost this so others crack interviews. P.S. If you are a job seeker in the U.S. and found this post helpful, follow me for more honest job-search advice. Let's get you hired in the next 90 days.

Want a new job? STOP talking like it. Top performers speak like solution providers. After 20 years as a hiring manager and now as a coach, I've noticed clear patterns in how successful candidates communicate. Here are 5 power phrases that transform interviews into offers: "I'm curious how this role supports [recent product launch/company news]." ↳ This immediately positions you as someone who's invested beyond the job description. You're connecting your potential role to the company's high-level priorities. "You mentioned [specific problem]. In my previous role, we faced a similar challenge - here's exactly how we measured success..." ↳ Notice how this focuses on the measurement framework, not just actions. Hiring managers want people who know how to define and track success. "Could you walk me through how decisions get made on this team?" ↳ This one question reveals more about the real working environment than hours of standard interview exchanges. It also shows you care about process and culture. "I've prepared some ideas on how I'd approach [specific challenge they mentioned]. Would it be helpful to discuss them?" ↳ Most candidates are reactive. This positions you as proactive and prepared, demonstrating how you'd actually work on their team. "The aspect of this role that most excites me is [specific responsibility], because that's where I've consistently delivered the strongest results." ↳ This aligns your strengths directly with their needs, creating a perfect match in the interviewer's mind. The difference between good candidates and exceptional ones isn't just experience. It's how they frame that experience as a solution to the company's specific challenges. Your interview is your first work product. Make it reflect how you'll perform in the job.

If you’re coming in 2nd place after making it to the final round in interviews… Someone told a better story. Hiring managers don't go for the most qualified candidate. They go for the person who sold them on being able to solve their challenges. After coaching thousands of jobseekers, I developed the PROVE framework that gets my clients hired fast. Here’s how it works👇 1️⃣ P - Prep with the End in Mind →  Hiring managers do not care how hard you’ve worked in the past. They care about how you will solve their problems in the future. Your job is to PROVE that hiring you will bring them value. So before you walk into the interview, know this: - What are the Core KPI Metrics they care about? - How did you improve those metrics in previous roles? - What’s your strategy to do it again for them? 2️⃣ R - Reframe Your Elevator Pitch (With Numbers) →  Lead with their biggest challenge before positioning yourself as the solution. Most candidates start by talking about themselves. Big mistake. Focus on the company’s needs first: ✅ “What’s the biggest challenge your team is facing right now? You can’t solve their problems without understanding them first. If they give you a problem → solve it on the spot. Then talk about your experience, tailored to what their challenges were. 🚫 “I’m a strategic marketing leader with 10+ years of experience in brand awareness and lead gen".” ✅ “I’ve scaled marketing pipelines that generated $X in ARR, cut CAC by Y%, and increased sales by Z%. I’ve taken brands for [X] to [Y] in [Z] months, and I’d love to share more based on what areas you feel you need the most help with. Numbers make you undeniable. Give them the evidence. It gives you more credibility and now they can measure your impact rather than you providing vague claims. 3️⃣ O - Own Your Impact →  Don’t focus on what your team did. This is a common mistake. The interviewer does not care about what your team did, because your team is not coming with you. Talk about the things YOU did. Clearly show the problem, the results, and how you made it happen. 4️⃣ V - Value-Driven Conversations Control the interview and navigate toward business impact. Most candidates play defense. They wait for questions, and react, hoping they say the right thing. Then they lose. Winners know: - The company’s biggest pain points. - How to steer the conversation from “answering questions” to proving they can solve that company's problems. - How to leave an unforgettable impression and show them why they are a stronger fit than the internal and referred candidates who applied by framing every response in terms of business impact. 5️⃣ E - End like a Closer Most candidates end by saying “Thank you for your time” 🔥 My clients: “Is there anything that would hold you back from moving forward with me today?” If yes, then you have a chance to address concerns. At the end of the day, hiring is a business decision. #jobsearchtips