Tips for Overcoming Interview Challenges

I've interviewed 100s of people for 6-figure roles. (Here's what nobody tells you...) It's not the most qualified candidate who gets the job. It's the best prepared for the interview. How to prep like the top 1%: 1. Research the company like you already work there. ↳ Know their challenges, victories, and latest news. 2. Practice your answers out loud. ↳ What sounds good in your head may not when spoken. 3. Prepare 3 specific stories that showcase your skills. ↳ Focus on your adaptability and leadership. 4. Study the job description. Find the top 3 skills they want. ↳ Then craft examples proving you have them. 5. Do a mock interview with a trusted person. ↳ Someone who will give you honest feedback. 💡 And 7 questions to ask that make YOU stand out: 99% of candidates ask basic questions at the end. Don't waste this opportunity to impress! Ask these instead: ➟ What does success look like in the first 90 days? ➟ What are the biggest challenges facing the team that I could help solve? ➟ How would you describe the management style of the person I'd be reporting to? ➟ What distinguishes your top performers from everyone else? ➟ How does the company support professional development and growth? ➟ What made YOU decide to join this company, and what keeps you here? ➟ What do new employees find surprising after they start? The best candidates don't just answer questions. They create meaningful conversations. Remember: Interviews are a two-way street. You're evaluating them just as much as they are you. You spend 90,000 hours of your life at work. Choose a company and manager that support your growth. Your career will thank you. P.S. What's your best tip for nailing your interview? Share in the comments to help others prepare. ♻️ Valuable? Repost to share with your network. 🔖 Follow Justin Wright for more on career success. Want my 80 best cheat sheets? Get them here for free: BrillianceBrief.com   

If you have MAJOR Interview Anxiety, the following tips will help you: During my job search, even after giving 40 interviews, I was still anxious as to what would happen in the next one. If you face something similar, believe me, you are not alone. After struggling with Interview Anxiety for a long time, I was able to come up with a solid set of techniques that highly boosted my confidence in the interviews I gave towards the end of my job search process. The following tips will not just help you survive but thrive in your next interview. Here it goes: 1. Research the company: For an interviewer, one of the biggest pet peeves is candidates who don't know anything about the job or the company. You must know the role inside out and understand their culture. This knowledge will not only boost your confidence but also show the interviewer that you're serious about joining their team! 2. STAR Method: This is the secret sauce of acing job interviews. The STAR method is a structured approach for answering behavioral interview questions. It involves describing a Situation, Task, Action, and Result to showcase your skills and experiences effectively, providing a clear and concise response. 3. Mock Interviews: Practice makes perfect! Grab a friend, or a mentor, or even talk to yourself in front of a mirror. Practice common questions, refine your answers, and get comfortable expressing your achievements and experiences. This will help you live the interview in advance and be your biggest confidence booster. 4. Don't be afraid to admit you don't know the answer: Interviewers don't expect candidates to know the answer to every question. If you don't know, say you don't, but also ask the interviewer to explain the solution and write it down. This shows you are earnest and willing to learn when needed. 5. Relax: This is always easier said than done but do your best. Take a moment to breathe, smile, and exude confidence. Remember, the interviewer wants you to succeed. Embrace the excitement and let your authentic self shine through! You've got this! Lastly, I know that the market is terrible and the lay-offs are at a peak high, yet you are not alone. There are thousands more going through the same emotions as you. Believe me, if you are looking for a job right now, the right job is looking for you too. It is only a matter of time before striking the right opportunity. Trust in your preparation, showcase your unique value and soon you’ll be on your way to landing your dream job. May your next interview be the stepping stone to an incredible new chapter! P.S: If you find the above techniques useful, check out my other articles for proven tips to succeed in your job search process!

One of the things that brings me so much satisfaction in my work with SheFi is helping candidates connect the dots about how to be more effective in their job search and interview processes. Our recent #interview skills workshop was a big hit, with some key takeaways worth sharing more broadly. → Practice your elevator pitch: Be prepared to spend no more than 2-3 minutes sharing a clear picture of your career history, what you’re seeking next, and why you are a fit for the role you’re seeking. No, really. Practice! Clearly articulating your value, experience and career goals at the outset can set the tone for the rest of the interview. → Throughout the interview, be mindful of time. This one commonly trips people up – it’s better to answer a question with a high level overview, pause and say something like “happy to expand on this”, then to ramble with no awareness of time, which flies quickly, especially in a 30-minute interview. It’s natural to be nervous, but rambling can kill an interview. Again, practicing ahead of time can make all the difference! → Have a few STAR stories ready to share. That stands for Situation-Task-Action-Result. This helps your interviewer understand your real experiences about how you’ve solved problems and created impact. These questions usually start with “Tell me about a time when…” or “Share an example of how…”. Include concrete examples and measurable results. These can be challenging to answer on the fly, so spend time preparing. → Be ready to discuss your strengths & weaknesses. Most of us have some idea of our strengths, but it can feel uncomfortable to shine a light on weaknesses. A great way to approach this is to think of your areas of growth. We all have them, and usually the interviewer is seeking to learn more about your self awareness than your weaknesses. → Lastly, have a few thoughtful questions ready, showing your interest in the role and the company. Don’t ask anything that you could easily find on the internet. If you’ve been selected for an interview, CONGRATS! You’re already rising above others in a competitive market. Hoping these tips will help you move to the next round, and eventually, the offer!

I've been helping a family friend who recently graduated college prep for her first round of job interviews—and wow, I was shocked to learn her college career services team focused heavily on creating ATS-friendly resumes (not really a thing, IMO) and barely touched on interview prep—especially the STAR method (Situation, Task, Action, Result), which is absolutely critical for telling your story clearly and effectively. Here's some things we covered: Don’t memorize answers—build stories. Think of 4–5 key experiences you’ve had (projects, challenges, leadership roles) and map them to the STAR structure. Lead with the result. Especially in fast-paced interviews, highlight the outcome upfront to grab attention before diving into the details. Keep it concise. 2–3 minutes max per story. If you’re rambling past that, you’re losing your interviewer. Check for visual cues. Align with the job. Review the job description and prep stories that demonstrate the skills and qualities they’re looking for. Practice out loud. It’s one thing to know your stories—it’s another to say them clearly and confidently. Another tip I often share with job seekers is if the interview is virtual, consider hiding your own video or putting a sticky note over your video to avoid the inclination to stare at yourself as you speak and train your eyes to the camera instead.

Your interviews will always feel hard Even after 150 interviews and 300+ mock interviews. Yes, I have done more than 450 interviews in my career. Early in my career, I spent hours preparing for interviews. Practicing SQL, studying machine learning, and rehearsing my answers. I’d walk out feeling confident, only to be hit with a generic rejection email. Why? Because I treated interviews like a test to answer questions, not a chance to engage in a conversation. I’d fumble the “Do you have any questions for us?” moment. Either saying “No, I’m good” or asking something generic. That missed opportunity held me back. Here’s what I’ve learned: - Interviews aren’t just about what you answer. - A-players ask great questions throughout the conversation, not just at the end. - You need to take control and leave a lasting impression. When you ask insightful questions, you: • Show that you’re proactive about solving their challenges. • Demonstrate critical thinking and genuine curiosity. • Gain clarity on whether the company and role align with your goals. For example, here are 3 questions I wish I’d asked sooner: 1,  What are the biggest challenges this team is facing right now? 2,  What would success look like in the first 90 days? 3,  What makes someone thrive in this role? Stop treating interviews like an interrogation. Start treating them like a consultation where you bridge your skills to their needs. PS: What are your go-to questions to ask?

Picture this: You’ve been with a company for 7 years when they decide to lay you off. For many of us, this isn’t so far from reality. But what do you do when it’s been 7 years since your last interview—and the job market, along with your role, has evolved dramatically? When Chloe reached out to me, she was in exactly that situation: job hunting for the first time in years, unsure where to start. After a few first interviews and rejections, her confidence had taken a hit. She was feeling stuck and undervalued. In just two coaching sessions, we identified her pain points, built a solid strategy, and helped her pass interviews—and an offer soon after. Here’s how we got Chloe back on track: 👉 Pinpointed her interview challenges: We reflected on her struggles and concerns during interviews, then practiced mock interviews focused on those areas. 👉 Used a framework: Chloe felt she rambled and missed key details. I introduced the STAR framework (Situation, Task, Action, Result) to help her craft concise, impactful responses. 👉 Mock interviews: We role-played interview questions, provided feedback, and revised her approach. She practiced independently by recording herself and reviewing her answers. 👉 Managed interview-day nerves: On interview days, Chloe did mood-boosting and stress reducing activities to build her confidence, like morning walks, yoga, and kickboxing. 👉 Learned from each interview: After each one, she noted recurring themes and areas for improvement, making her 1% better for the next. The result? After our coaching, she was passing 75% of her interviews and found a role that aligned with her goals. ❓ What’s one piece of advice you wish you had when preparing for interviews after being out of practice for a while? ------ 👋 Hi I’m Lis and I help job seekers get hired Like getting job search tips? Give this post a 👍 ♻ Share this to help job seekers find a new role #JobSearchTips #interviewtips #interviewprep #jobsearchstrategy

"Trust me, I interview really well..." But possibly not as well as you may think. Gary had missed out on several roles before we started working together. He insisted the problem wasn't his interview. Still, I suggested we walk through the process in detail because I suspected he was drawing a conclusion common among high-performers: 🚨Assuming past performance predicts future results.🚨 Over-confidence is just one of the mistakes I've seen my clients make in the interview process. These are common to high-performers, and here's what to do instead: 1️⃣ Overconfidence ↳ Assuming your track record speaks for itself, and not speaking directly to your qualifications for the job. 💡 The Fix: Prepare stories that paint the picture of your achievements and how they related to this role. 2️⃣ Failure to Notice Red Flags ↳ Overlooking warning signs, especially if you've been with the same employer for years. 💡The Fix: Notice details in the interview. How do you feel? Are you making assumptions based on where you work now? 3️⃣ Failing to do Deep Preparation ↳ Skipping the company and industry research and going with standard interview answers that may be outdated. 💡The Fix: Ensure you are up to date on your industry and master current interview trends (case questions, technical assessments, and behavioral questions). 4️⃣ Offering Generic Answers ↳ Leaving important details out of your answers, assuming people won't understand or aren't interested. 💡The Fix: Give data, define acronyms, and ask if you've provided enough detail. 5️⃣ Lack of Self-Awareness ↳ Avoiding any discussion of mistakes or vulnerability for fear it will make you look bad. 💡The Fix: Go in prepared to discuss challenges you've faced and have examples of a growth mindset. 6️⃣ Relying on Technical Skills ↳ Focusing too much on technical work, at the expense of your work style and collaborative skills. 💡The Fix: Prepare some stories that demonstrate what kind of a colleague you are. 7️⃣Focusing Too Much on Your Own Objectives ↳ Neglecting the interviewer's perspective in favor of your own priorities. 💡The Fix: Don't ask questions about what's in it for you until you've established a good rapport and have moved toward the end of the process. 8️⃣ Counting Too Much on References ↳ Giving your references, who may be "important" people, too much credit for being able to influence a decision. 💡The Fix: Confirm that the reference you've used for years is still a good one. Prepare your references with exactly what you want them to highlight about you. Do you interview high performers? What would you add to the list? Share your thoughts below 👇 ♻️Repost to help others in the interview process 🔔Follow Sarah Baker Andrus for career & job search advice 📌For more tips, tactics and trends on navigating the current job market, subscribe to The Career Rebellion. https://lnkd.in/eEdhDCb3