If you’re a job seeker with an upcoming interview (or many of them; go you!), you know the anxiety that comes from having to sell yourself to a potential employer. You’ve probably read all the interview tips online, and you know that so much is riding on each meeting. You can easily work yourself into a tizzy just thinking about everything from what you’re wearing and eye contact to Did I answer that question with what they wanted to hear?
But what if, instead of thinking of your upcoming interview as in interrogation (white-hot spotlight optional), you transformed your thoughts to think of it as a conversation? Granted, it’s an important conversation, but at its heart, that’s what an interview is: an opportunity to learn more about each other, share how you’ll fit together, and determine if you should talk again. Of course, it’s not happy hour or a first date, so you’ll want to lead with professionalism, but here are some interview tips that illustrate how you can shift your mindset and improve your outcomes for your next interview.
Tip #1: Think of Your Interview as a Chat—Not a Test
As much as you might prepare for your interviews (and you absolutely should prepare), when the time comes, it’s not as much about sharing the “right answer” as it’s about sharing your value and finding a fit. The goal is to highlight how you can help the company solve the problems they’re facing while also determining if you’re a match with the culture and fellow employees.
To shift your mindset from interrogation to conversation, keep reminding yourself how awesome you are. You have the qualifications, or they wouldn’t have called you for an interview in the first place! Your goal now is to share stories, ask and answer questions, and listen for hints about if this position will be a match. There’s nothing to dread or be overly nervous about; it’s just a chat.
Tip #2: Take Turns Talking
You’ve probably heard interview tips that your answers during the interview shouldn’t be longer than . . . [insert time limit here]. Yep, I’ve even told people to keep it brief, but that’s mostly because no one has all day, and you don’t want to lose your audience’s attention. But that could be true of a conversation as well, right?
An ideal interview will go back and forth: you talk, they talk; you talk, they talk. For example, if they ask about your leadership style, share your perspective, then follow up with: “Out of curiosity, how does the leadership team here collaborate across departments?”
Boom. Suddenly, you’re not just answering; you’re engaging. You’re creating dialogue instead of delivering a speech. And you’re not taking over the interview either.
Tip #3: Build Rapport Early
Rapport is the secret sauce of conversational interviews, and conversations in general, really. A little bit of small talk goes a long way to create a connection. Whether you talk weather, hobbies, or your favorite takeout dish, showing that you’re a human first before tackling the “tell me about yourself” question puts everything into a calmer light and helps everyone feel relaxed.
Not sure how to “be” in the interview? Mirror the other person’s tone. If they’re buttoned-up and formal, lean professional. If they crack a joke, don’t be afraid to match that energy. A big no-no in most situations, though, is cursing—even if they lob the first F-bomb. Keep that kind of language for your friends.
Tip #4: Ask (Thoughtful) Questions Throughout
“What questions should I ask in the interview?” is a question I often get when working with job seekers. You can certainly ask AI for some great questions based on not only the job itself but also the interviewer (share with AI the interviewer’s LinkedIn URL to get insights). But don’t keep these questions on mute until the end of the meeting. Instead, sprinkle them in naturally throughout. After all, that’s what you’d do in a conversation.
For best results, tie your questions into something that was just shared, such as:
- “That project sounds fascinating. How did the team overcome the biggest challenge?”
- “You mentioned a new product launch; how does this role support that?”
- “I notice you’ve mentioned a lot about collaboration. How do you help cross-functional teams collaborate in a remote environment?”
See what’s happening? You’re still learning about the company while showing you’re engaged and genuinely curious. That’s a win-win.
Tip #5: Share Your Personality
You are absolutely in a job interview. Never forget that. However, being professional doesn’t mean you can’t be yourself. In addition to the skills and talents you offer, you are also going to share with them your energy and communication or leadership style. News break: This may also mean smiling and laughing a bit during the interview.
One way to infuse a bit of personality into the conversation is with a dose of humor. Stories go a long way to accomplishing that. Instead of sharing how “I’m great under pressure”—full stop—try: “Once, the Wi-Fi crashed in the middle of a client presentation. I pretended I was playing Pictionary and used the whiteboard to draw a few of the ideas from the slide deck. It kept things moving forward seamlessly, and the client was totally engaged.”
Not only will you highlight your point (resilience and tenacity, in this example), but you’ll also probably get a smile out of them.
Tip #6: Remember That a Conversation Is a Two-Way Street
When I talk to job seekers, most are either meek during the interview, following the employer’s lead, or feel like they must. take. control. of the interview. In reality, one of the best interview tips I can provide it that it should be a two-way conversation. You, of course, want to share information about how awesome you are, but you also want to see if they actually deserve full-time access to all that awesomeness. It’s expected that you’ll ask questions to make that determination because, after all, the employer wants you to stick around a while.
Great questions to ask throughout the interview to gain insights include:
- “What’s the team dynamic like?”
- “How does the company support professional growth?”
- “Why is this position vacant?”
- “What will success look like in 30, 60, and 90 days?”
- “What qualities do you think will most complement the team?”
You’re not being nosy here; you’re being smart. And when you treat the interview like a mutual discovery process, it naturally feels less one-sided.
Tip #7: Wrap Up with Gratitude and an Eye to the Future
You already know that the last question you’ll get asked in an interview is: “Do you have any other questions?” While it’s great here to ask if they have any questions you can answer to confirm your fit with the role, you can also close out the conversation like you’ve just been having a nice chat:
- “This has been such a helpful conversation! Thank you for walking me through the team’s priorities.”
- “I really enjoyed hearing about your upcoming projects. It gave me a great sense of how I could contribute right away.”
It’s polite, it’s warm, and it leaves the interviewer with a final impression of you as someone with whom they’d enjoy working.
Why These Interview Tips Works IRL
Going through the interview and hiring process may make your tummy turn, but it’s no picnic for the employer either. They meet a lot of qualified candidates, and when it comes right down to it, they’re going to go with the person who has the skills and they like the most. You can make yourself more likable by shifting from an interrogation-style interview to more of a conversation. Believe me, the employer doesn’t want to feel like they’re grilling you anymore than you want to be grilled.
When you focus on having a conversation and making a connection during interviews, you do three key things:
- Build trust. When you have likability and trust, you’re on the way to building credibility—and employers hire credible employees.
- Demonstrate fit. Instead of merely answering questions, you begin to explore how you can collaborate to elevate results.
- Stand out. Long after they forget all the things that are on your resume, they’ll remember you and how you communicated.
With all these three things in place, you create your own success.
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