Ace Your Next Interview

After spending three decades in Human Resources, Recruiting, and Career Coaching, I’ve seen every type of job market—booming, balanced, and downright brutal. Right now, we’re somewhere in the middle: not fully saturated, but definitely tense. The job hunt feels longer, more demanding, and increasingly uncertain for a lot of people. 

Layoffs in both the public and private sectors have made headlines for months. Job seekers are finding that hiring timelines have stretched. One interview turns into three. Sometimes there’s a panel interview with people staring at you, other times it's just you and the hiring manager. It’s stressful. It’s exhausting. It’s easy to feel defeated before you even begin.

While you can’t control the process or how many rounds of interviews a company asks for, you CAN control how you show up, and that makes all the difference. 

Here’s my best advice to help you show up well and stand out—even in a long runway hiring process.

Preparation Starts Before the Interview Day

Too many candidates wait until the day-of to look up a company’s mission or leadership team. Read up ahead of time. Get a sense of the company’s culture, its current challenges, and what impact your position makes in the bigger picture. You don’t need to memorize the website, but you do need to walk in informed and ready.

Your Resume Got You the Interview—Now You’re On

During the interview, avoid simply repeating what's already on your resume. They’ve already read it and are interested in your skillset. What they don’t know is what kind of employee, problem-solver, and communicator you are. That’s where your resume story comes in. Talk about how you’ve grown, what you’ve learned from setbacks, or what drives your professional choices. Keep it polished, but don’t be afraid to let your personality shine through.

Smile and Enjoy It (Really)

This might sound cliché, but enthusiasm matters. If you’re genuinely excited about the role or the organization, let it show. Passion can sometimes outweigh a gap in experience or a missing technical skill. Employers are often more willing to train someone who’s engaged and eager than someone with every qualification but zero interest.

Ask Thoughtful Questions

Always have at least two meaningful questions ready. This shows you're not only prepared but also seriously considering how you might contribute to the team. Don’t ask things you could find on the website; instead, ask about the company’s future goals, team culture, or how success will be measured in the role.

Zoom and Teams are the norm now, but that doesn’t mean you should treat them casually. Choose a clean, neutral background. Dress professionally from the waist up (yes, I still recommend a blazer, button down or blouse). Eliminate distractions: barking dogs, kids, noisy roommates—do what you can to create a quiet, focused professional space.

This market isn’t impossible, but it does require intentionality and resilience. Companies may take longer to make decisions and there will be double the candidates applying, but that doesn’t mean you can’t secure the job. It just means you need to bring more than your resume—you need to bring preparation, passion, and personality.

You’ve got this!