Peak Performers by Tiffany Uman

How to master your next interview

October 2, 2023

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Interviews are both essential and inevitable moments-of-truth in your career trajectory.

They serve as a gateway to new, incredible opportunities that can elevate both your personal and professional aspirations. And while they may feel daunting, they also are golden moments to shine. Yet, it is in these exact moments where far too many professionals falter.

Whether from a lack of confidence, an inability to advocate for oneself, ineffective communication, or uncontrollable nerves, these downfalls can undoubtedly, and negatively, impact your candidacy.

Here's the thing.

→ If you have already secured the interview, the interviewer already believes you may be the ideal candidate for the role.

→ This is not the time to stand in your own way and self-sabotage your ability to secure the position.

→ This is the moment to market yourself, communicate effectively, showcase your skills and highlight how your competencies align with this specific role.

It is not necessarily the most qualified candidate who lands the job. It is the one who can articulate their value best, removing any hesitations in the interviewer's mind.

I recently interviewed a Partner at Osler, Hoskin & Harcourt, a leading law firm in Canada, where he handles corporate finance, mergers & acquisitions, and corporate governance. As we spoke about building out his teams for success, he emphasized the importance of hiring for attitude and training for skill. This is something I hear more and more from the C-level executives I speak to.

"It doesn't make sense to hire smart people and then tell them what to do; we hire smart people so they can tell us what to do." - Steve Jobs

Securing your dream job or career advancement will often hinge on your ability to master the interview process. Peak performers know that every job opportunity is within reach, but also recognize that they play a pivotal role in maximizing their success in that process.

Here's how.

Don't hinder your candidacy

There are several factors within your control that will allow you to thrive in interviews; it is on you to position yourself best in that regard.

With that in mind, here are 5 critical mistakes to avoid and what to do instead:

→ Mistake #1: Lack of preparation

Interviews, while conversational in nature, are not casual chats. They serve as a structured evaluation of your suitability and skill for the role. Failing to prepare will almost always backfire. Instead, do your homework.

Research the company (latest news, financial reports, LinkedIn company page, etc.).
Understand its values, mission and culture.
Study the job description carefully.
Tailor your responses with tangible examples to align with the above.

→ Mistake #2: Neglecting non-verbal communication

It is not just what you say but also how you say it. Non-verbal cues like body language, eye contact and tone of voice play a distinct role in the impression you make during the interview.

Maintain good posture, make eye contact and use gestures that complement your spoken words (and avoid movements that detract from them).
Pro tip: Record yourself doing a mock interview to assess your tone of voice and facial expressions. Watch it back to decide what you want to improve or continue doing.

→ Mistake #3: Oversharing personal information

While interviews serve as a chance to showcase your personality, oversharing personal information can be detrimental. Doing so will likely be viewed as unprofessional and distracting.

For example: Avoid sharing details about your family (i.e. if you are married, have kids, etc.). These have no bearing on your qualifications to perform in this role but can bias your candidacy intentionally, or unintentionally.
Instead, craft concise, relevant anecdotes that showcase your experience and abilities. Stick to professional topics rather than personal details.

→ Mistake #4: Failing to ask questions

Interviews are a two-way street; you also have the opportunity to evaluate the company and role to ensure that they are a right fit in your career trajectory. Failing to ask questions can make you seem disinterested or unprepared.

Prepare a list of relevant questions about the company, the team and the role. Ensure that these questions are original (not simply found on Google) and thought-provoking in nature.
For example, inquire further about the company's vision, priorities, challenges and expectations of the role. You can also grab my free guide on How To Nail Your Next Interview that includes an entire list of strategic questions to ask your interviewers.

→ Mistake #5: Not following up

Far too many candidates make the grave mistake of neglecting to follow up with a thank-you note or email following the interview.

This step can leave a lasting impression and show your commitment.
Send a personalized thank-you email within 24 hours of the interview. Express your gratitude for the opportunity, reiterate your interest and briefly mention a key point from the interview that highlights your fit for the role.

Beyond this, there are certain strategies that will proactively solidify your candidacy for the role. Let's dive in.

5 dead-simple strategies to master your interview

1/ Optimize your storytelling

How you speak about your accomplishments, wins and track record is revealing. You must frame achievements in such a way that highlights not just what you did, but also the impact, and value, you created in your current and prior roles.

Your objective is to be the obvious choice for this new role having clearly demonstrated that you have delivered on results sought after from your position in the past.

While the STAR methodology is commonly applied, I personally recommend a more effective approach; adopting a WHAT-HOW-RESULT structure is a winning strategy. This is particularly helpful in answering behavioural style questions such as "Tell me about a time when...". This technique is simple, effective and easy to remember.

The WHAT: This is where you share what you did, providing initial situational context for your answer.
The HOW: This is where you share how you executed on the task, project or situation at hand. This is also where you can integrate your distinct qualities and strengths that led to a successful implementation.
The RESULT: This is where you conclude with the results or outcome stemming directly from your efforts. Integrate key learnings or best practices as you end your answer and tie it back to this new role/organization.

This technique is also extremely useful if you blank out on a response. Avoid rambling and instead, come back to this structure to frame a cohesive response while maintaining your composure.

2/ Categorize your responses

Peak performers methodically prepare responses that encapsulate the facets within the job description in a way that is clear and impactful. They enter interviews already well aware of the key messages they want to pass.

Here are 5 steps to help you do the same:

List all relevant insights from the job posting.
Group them together by theme based on the job requirements (i.e. collaboration, communication, process, budget/finance, innovation, team management, etc.).
For each theme, create a category of responses that include your most relevant examples/stories you can share that deliver on those specific requirements.
Use bullet points to highlight the most important talking points for each example/story. These serve as go-to cues when responding without getting tripped up or drawing a blank.
Leverage the above as your "cheat-sheet" throughout your preparation and during the interview itself.

Success is 90% planning and 10% execution. Use proper preparation to your advantage to come out on top every time.

3/ Build rapport and connection

Creating meaningful, engaging connections with your interviewers are essential. After all, these are individuals you may work with to some degree, if not extremely closely with on your team.

Below are fundamental reflections to consider and apply:

You want interviewers to feel the right energy emanating from you; provide them with a sense of what it would be like to work together.
Delivering well polished answers is important. That said, how you make your interviewer feel about you will considerably shift the balance of your candidacy.
Research your interviewer's career path and background. Integrate insights on this basis into your dialogue to share commonalities between your interests.
Ask questions throughout the interview - not only at the end - to keep a conversational dynamic that allows you to build upon your own answers to questions.
- For example, if the interviewer asks you to share your greatest strengths, follow up with a question such as: "What would you say are the top 3 traits found across your most successful leaders?".

Building rapport and excelling in an interview do not require you to change who you are. Instead, be yourself and leverage non-verbal communication like smiling, gently nodding and applying soft body gestures that show your enthusiasm for the company and role during the conversation.

4/ Control your nerves

Showing up confidently during interviews will directly contribute to the decision-making process as to whether you move forward. Allowing anxiety to consume you will result in self-doubt and cause you to stumble throughout the experience.

Interviewers are not out to get you, nor do they want you to bomb the interview. They genuinely believe that you could be the ideal candidate for the role (after all, they did extend an interview invitation!)

Peak performers knowingly recognize this - alleviating any angst - and instead focus on the experience, insights and distinguished skills they master to leave a lasting impression.

Meaning, they focus on what they do have instead of what they do not.

Whether you have lesser years of experience or have not been in this type of role before, do not let these concerns hold you back. Highlight what you do bring to the table and elevate transversal skills as they pertain to the job requirements, placing less focus on areas you have yet to learn.
Pro tip: If you struggle with blanking out during interviews, don't draw attention to this. Your interviewers do not know what you had prepared to say. Keep pushing forward and if possible, find an opportunity at the end to clarify any incomplete response you deem important.

5/ Emphasize shared values

The process of interviewing extends well beyond a given role; you are interviewing to join an organization as a whole. One often-overlooked element that serves as a linchpin for success: shared values.

Cultivating a harmonious and productive work environment hinges on aligning personal and organizational values. When your values resonate with those of the company, it signifies a cultural fit that can lead to mutual growth and fulfilment.

A workplace where your values thrive is one where your career flourishes.
The more parallels drawn between what the company stands for and how it aligns with your core values, the more long-term potential it will see in you as a candidate.
- For example, if the company values an entrepreneurial mindset and so do you (i.e. you thrive in such an environment), let that be known in the interview. This will allow the interviewer - and company at large - to envision a growth path for you based on inherent shared values. Keep in mind that whether you choose to stay long-term is besides the point.

Ultimately, your aim is to identify an organization in which you can bring out your best self, feel genuinely connected to its mission and feel empowered in the work you take on. Only then will you forge a path for robust success that supports your specific career goals.

How will you show up in your next interview?

Mastering interviews is a skill that can transform your career. Avoiding common mistakes and implementing the strategies above will set you up on an accelerated path for success. Perhaps most importantly, believe in your worthiness to seize the moment.

You've got this!

This week's mission is grounded in practical steps to prepare for, and master, your next interview. Dedicate uninterrupted time to answering the questions below and leverage these reflections as your roadmap for future interview success.

1/ Reflect back on a recent interview experience:

What question was most challenging for you to answer and why?
Reframe your answer using the WHAT-HOW-RESULT structure and practice it aloud.
Take note of the improvements you can apply to future interviews.

2/ Outline your core values that are fundamental for any new role you pursue:

Why are these values important to you?
How do they influence the type of roles you are attracted to?
Outline 3 examples of how you will showcase this in an upcoming interview.

3/ Practice categorization of responses:

Select a previous or current job posting.
Extract the respective themes from the job requirements.
Outline 2-3 examples for each theme that showcase how your deliver on those qualifications.

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