When Arvid walked into his first job interview at the age of 19, he thought confidence meant talking nonstop. He barely paused for breath, throwing out every achievement and skill he could think of. Halfway through, the interviewer gently interrupted: “Arvid, can I speak too?” His face turned red. After coaching over 700 candidates through successful interviews at companies like Google, Amazon, and startups worldwide, I can tell you this: interviews are a game of strategy, not speed.
Most job seekers think interviews are about showing how much you know. Wrong. Interviews are about connection, listening, and proving you solve problems. According to a 2024 LinkedIn Talent Solutions report, 92% of hiring managers say cultural fit and soft skills matter more than technical qualifications alone. Yet candidates spend 80% of their preparation time memorizing answers instead of learning how to engage authentically.
This guide will walk you through the exact 10 things to do during an interview that separate offer letters from rejection emails. These strategies come from real coaching sessions, hiring data from 2024 to 2025, and lessons learned from both successful placements and painful failures.
Prepare Yourself Before the Interview
Zihan from Malaysia reached out to me after failing seven interviews in three months. Smart graduate, great resume, but zero offers. When I asked about her preparation routine, she said, “I read the job description twice and practice some common questions.”
That’s not preparation. That’s hoping for luck.
Real preparation means understanding three layers: the company, the role, and the people. According to Glassdoor’s 2024 Job Search Report, candidates who research company values and recent projects are 40% more likely to receive callbacks. But most people stop at the company website.
Here’s what actual preparation looks like. First, study the company’s recent news, product launches, or challenges. Check their LinkedIn posts, press releases, and industry articles. Zihan started doing this and discovered the company she was interviewing with had just expanded into Southeast Asia. During her next interview, she mentioned how her language skills could support that expansion. Instant connection.
Second, decode the job description. Every bullet point is a pain point that needs to be solved. If they mention “managing cross-functional teams,” they’ve struggled with team coordination. If they emphasize “data-driven decisions,” someone probably made expensive mistakes without checking the numbers. Your job is to show that you solve these specific problems.
Third, research your interviewer on LinkedIn. Not in a creepy way, but understand their background and priorities. If your interviewer started in sales before moving to HR, they’ll value results and numbers. If they have a design background, they’ll appreciate creativity and user focus.
A 2024 SHRM Talent Acquisition Study found that 68% of recruiters form their initial impression within the first 90 seconds based on how well candidates understand the role and company mission. Preparation isn’t about memorizing facts. It’s about walking in with context so your answers land with impact.
Zihan changed her approach. She started spending three hours researching before each interview instead of 30 minutes. Within two months, she landed three offers and negotiated a 15% higher salary than the initial range.
Master Professional Body Language
Loressa thought she was blowing her interviews because of her answers. She’d practice for days, craft perfect responses, and still get rejected. When we did a mock interview session, I saw the real problem immediately. She looked terrified.
Her shoulders hunched forward. She avoided eye contact. Her hands stayed frozen in her lap. Her voice dropped to barely audible. Despite saying all the right things, her body screamed “I don’t belong here.”
Body language speaks louder than words. Harvard research on nonverbal communication shows that 55% of how we perceive someone’s confidence comes from body language, 38% from tone of voice, and only 7% from actual words spoken. Most candidates obsess over that tiny 7% and ignore the 93% that actually drives perception.
Here’s what confident body language looks like in practice. Sit with your back straight but not rigid. Imagine a string pulling the crown of your head toward the ceiling. Keep your shoulders relaxed and pulled back slightly. This opens your chest and makes you appear engaged and energetic.
Eye contact matters enormously. In Western business cultures, maintain eye contact about 60 to 70% of the time while listening and 40 to 50% while speaking. Looking away occasionally is natural, but staring at the table or ceiling makes you seem dishonest or disinterested. If you’re doing a video interview, look at the camera when you want to make a key point, not at your own image on screen.
Use your hands naturally when you speak. Keeping them completely still looks robotic. Waving them frantically looks chaotic. Find the middle ground. Rest your hands comfortably on the table or in your lap when listening. When speaking, use gentle gestures to emphasize points. According to a 2024 Forbes Career Development study, candidates who use moderate hand gestures are rated 15% higher on leadership potential than those who keep hands completely still.
Smile genuinely, especially at the beginning and end of the interview. Not a frozen corporate smile, but a warm expression that says you’re happy to be there. Mirror the interviewer’s energy level slightly. If they’re enthusiastic, match that energy. If they’re more reserved, dial it back.
After Loressa practiced body language techniques for two weeks, she landed her dream role at a tech startup. The hiring manager later told her she seemed “confident and ready to contribute from day one.” She didn’t change her answers. She changed how she showed up.
Listen Actively and Respond Clearly
Mayra interrupted the interviewer three times in the first ten minutes. She was excited, nervous, and desperate to prove her worth. Each time the interviewer started explaining the role, Mayra jumped in with “Oh, I can do that!” or “I have experience with that!” By the end, the interviewer looked exhausted.
She didn’t get the job. The feedback? “Doesn’t listen well. Might struggle with client communication.”
Active listening is perhaps the most underrated interview skill. A 2024 McKinsey workforce study found that 74% of executives rank listening and communication as the most important skills for career advancement, ahead of technical expertise. Yet candidates spend zero time practicing it.
Real listening means giving the interviewer your complete attention. Stop planning your answer while they’re speaking. Stop scanning the room. Stop thinking about the last question. Just listen. When they finish, take a genuine two-second pause. This pause does three powerful things. It shows respect. It proves you’re processing their question thoughtfully. And it gives you time to organize a clear response instead of rambling.
The STAR method works brilliantly for structured answers: Situation, Task, Action, Result. But before jumping into STAR, make sure you understand the question. If anything is unclear, asking for clarification is a strength, not a weakness. Try: “Just to make sure I’m addressing what you need, are you asking about my experience leading remote teams or managing projects remotely?”
Keep your answers focused. Recruiters from Indeed’s 2024 hiring report say the ideal answer length is 60 to 90 seconds for most questions. Longer than two minutes and you’re probably rambling or adding unnecessary details. Practice answering common questions while timing yourself. It feels awkward at first, but you’ll develop a natural sense of appropriate length.
One technique I teach is the headline method. Start your answer with a clear one sentence headline, then support it with details. For example: “Yes, I have strong project management experience. In my last role, I managed a six month website redesign project that came in 10% under budget and launched two weeks early.” Now you’ve answered clearly and set up the story if they want more details.
Watch for engagement signals. If the interviewer is nodding and leaning forward, they’re interested. If they’re glancing at their notes or looking distracted, wrap up your current point and ask if they’d like more details on anything specific.
Mayra learned this lesson. In her next interview, she focused entirely on listening first, answering second. She asked two clarifying questions during the interview. She paused before responding. The difference was striking. She got the offer and later told me the interviewer specifically mentioned her “thoughtful communication style” as a deciding factor.
Highlight Your Skills with Real Examples
A candidate once told me, “I’m really good at problem solving.” I asked him to give me an example. He stared blankly for fifteen seconds before saying, “Well, I solve problems all the time at work.”
That’s not an example. That’s a claim with zero proof.
The STAR method exists for exactly this reason. Situation describes the context. Task explains what needed to be done. Action details what YOU specifically did. Result shows the outcome with numbers when possible.
Here’s how it works in practice. Instead of saying “I’m good at handling difficult clients,” try this: “In my previous role, I inherited a client account that was threatening to leave due to missed deadlines (Situation). My task was to rebuild trust and retain the $50,000 annual contract (Task). I scheduled weekly check-ins, created a transparent project dashboard they could access anytime, and delivered our next three milestones two days early (Action). The client renewed for two years and referred two new clients to us (Result).”
See the difference? The first version is forgettable. The second version is proof.
According to the 2024 Harvard Business Review article on hiring practices, candidates who provide specific examples with measurable results are 3.5 times more likely to advance to final rounds than those who speak in generalities. Numbers don’t lie. Vague claims are easy to dismiss.
When choosing examples, align them with the job requirements. If the role emphasizes teamwork, share a collaboration story. If it requires independent work, highlight a project you led solo. If they mention managing tight deadlines, talk about your experience with time-sensitive deliverables.
Keep a mental library of five to seven strong examples that showcase different skills: leadership, problem solving, teamwork, customer service, innovation, handling conflict, and meeting challenging goals. With these ready, you can adapt to almost any behavioral question.
One coaching client, Arvid (yes, the same Arvid from the opening), transformed his interview performance by preparing eight detailed STAR stories before each interview. He practiced them until they felt natural, not memorized. His callback rate jumped from 20% to 75%. The content of his stories didn’t change. The way he delivered proof changed everything.
Remember, interviewers have heard “I’m a hard worker” and “I’m a team player” thousands of times. What they haven’t heard is YOUR specific story about the time you saved a project, delighted a customer, or solved a problem nobody else could figure out. Those stories are your competitive advantage.
Ask Smart Questions at the End
When the interviewer asks, “Do you have any questions for us?” and you say, “No, I think you covered everything,” you just lost major points.
I learned this lesson watching a candidate in Spain named Loressa. She interviewed for a marketing coordinator position and asked zero questions. The hiring manager later told me, “She seemed nice but not very interested in the role. We hired someone who asked great questions about our strategy.”
Asking questions isn’t optional politeness. It’s a strategic move that shows you’re evaluating the company as seriously as they’re evaluating you. According to Glassdoor’s 2025 Candidate Experience Report, 87% of hiring managers say thoughtful questions from candidates positively influence their hiring decision.
Smart questions fall into three categories: role clarity, company strategy, and growth opportunity.
Role clarity questions help you understand expectations: “What would success look like in this position after six months?” or “What are the biggest challenges someone in this role typically faces?” These questions show you’re already thinking about performance and results.
Company strategy questions demonstrate business awareness: “I noticed you recently expanded into Southeast Asian markets. How is that initiative going, and how might this role support it?” or “What are the team’s top priorities for the next quarter?” These questions prove you did research and care about the bigger picture.
Growth questions show ambition and long term thinking: “What does the typical career path look like for someone starting in this position?” or “How does the company support professional development?” Just avoid making it sound like you’re already planning to leave the role.
Here’s what NOT to ask. Don’t ask questions easily answered on their website. Don’t lead with compensation and benefits (save that for when they make an offer). Don’t ask “What does your company do?” That screams “I didn’t prepare.”
Keep three to five questions ready. You might not need all of them if the conversation naturally covers some topics. And it’s perfectly fine to say, “You actually answered most of my questions during our conversation, but I’d love to know more about…”
The best question I ever heard came from a candidate interviewing for a project management role. She asked, “What’s the biggest project that failed in the last year, and what did the team learn from it?” Brilliant. It showed she understands failure is part of innovation, values learning, and wants to avoid repeating mistakes. She got hired.
Your questions reveal how you think. Make them count.
Additional Practical Tips for a Successful Interview
Beyond the core five strategies, several practical elements can make or break your interview performance. These might seem small, but small details add up to big impressions.
Dress professionally and appropriately. Fashion isn’t the point. Fitting in is. Research the company culture beforehand. Tech startups might embrace smart casual. Law firms expect formal business attire. When in doubt, dress one level above the daily office standard. A 2024 Indeed survey found that 73% of hiring managers say inappropriate attire has cost candidates job offers. Better slightly overdressed than underdressed. Make sure your clothes fit well, are clean and ironed, and feel comfortable. If you’re uncomfortable, it shows in your body language.
Arrive 10 to 15 minutes early. Not 30 minutes (that’s awkward for everyone) and definitely not late. Early arrival shows respect for their time and gives you a buffer for unexpected delays. For virtual interviews, log in five minutes early to test your technology. Check your camera angle (eye level is best), lighting (face the light source, don’t backlight yourself), and audio. Close unnecessary programs that might cause notifications or slow your computer. According to LinkedIn’s 2024 Remote Work Report, technical difficulties in the first five minutes of virtual interviews reduce callback rates by 34%.
Silence your phone completely. Not vibrate. Off or completely silent. Put it away where you won’t be tempted to glance at it. If your phone buzzes during an interview, you’ve just told the interviewer that someone else might be more important than this conversation. It’s a small thing that sends a terrible message.
Bring the necessary documents organized in a folder. This includes multiple copies of your resume, a list of references, any portfolio work relevant to the role, a notepad and pen, and identification if required. Looking professional and prepared from the moment you pull out materials reinforces your attention to detail. I’ve seen candidates fumble through messy bags searching for their resume. It undercuts everything else they do right.
Stay authentic and honest. Lying about your skills or experience will catch up with you, either during deeper questions in the interview or after you start the job. If you don’t know something, admit it and explain how you’d find the answer or learn the skill. A Forbes 2024 study on workplace integrity found that 82% of managers prefer honest candidates who admit knowledge gaps over those who bluff their way through answers. Authenticity builds trust. Exaggeration destroys it.
Keep your energy positive throughout. Interviews are long and mentally draining. Your energy might dip halfway through, but the interviewer is evaluating your enthusiasm about the role. Maintain an engaged, optimistic tone even when discussing challenges or failures. According to research from the Society for Human Resource Management, candidates who maintain consistent positive energy throughout interviews receive 23% higher likability scores from hiring panels.
Watch your language and stay professional. Avoid slang, excessive casual language, or anything that might seem unprofessional. Don’t badmouth previous employers, even if you had legitimate complaints. Negativity reflects poorly on you, not them. Frame past challenges as learning experiences. Instead of “My last boss was terrible at communication,” try “I learned the importance of clear communication when working with different management styles.”
Follow up within 24 hours. Send a brief, thoughtful thank you email to everyone who interviewed you. Reference something specific from your conversation to make it personal, not a generic template. Restate your interest in the role and your key qualifications. Keep it to three or four sentences. This simple gesture sets you apart. A 2024 CareerBuilder study found that 68% of hiring managers say receiving a thank-you note positively impacts their decision, yet only 24% of candidates actually send one. Easy competitive advantage.
These practical elements aren’t flashy, but they demonstrate professionalism, preparation, and respect. They show you take the opportunity seriously. And in a competitive job market, every advantage matters.
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Mini Success Stories: Interview Wins from Real Candidates
Real people implementing these strategies have seen remarkable results. Here are a few success stories from my coaching practice.
Zihan’s turnaround in Malaysia:
After seven failed interviews, Zihan committed to research-based preparation. She spent three hours before each interview studying the company, role, and interviewer. For a fintech startup position, she discovered they’d just received Series B funding and were expanding their mobile platform. During the interview, she connected her UI design experience directly to their mobile expansion goals. She also prepared six STAR method stories. Within two months, she received three offers and negotiated a starting salary 15% above the initial range.
Arvid’s confidence transformation in Sweden:
Remember Arvid, who talked non-stop in his first interview? After that embarrassing experience, he focused on active listening and structured responses. He practiced the two second pause before answering. He timed his practice answers to keep them under 90 seconds. He prepared questions that showed strategic thinking. His next five interviews resulted in four callbacks and two offers. The hiring manager at the company he joined specifically mentioned his “thoughtful communication style and ability to listen before responding” as key factors in their decision.
Mayra’s body language breakthrough in Mexico:
Mayra had the skills and experience but kept getting rejected after interviews. During mock interview sessions, we discovered her hunched posture and lack of eye contact made her appear unconfident. She spent two weeks practicing confident body language: sitting up straight, maintaining eye contact, using gentle hand gestures. She also worked on her tone of voice to project more energy. Her next interview was for a client-facing role at a consulting firm. The feedback: “She came across as confident and ready to represent our company to clients.” She started two weeks later.
Loressa’s strategic questions in Spain:
Loressa initially asked zero questions at the end of interviews, thinking it was just polite formality. After losing a role she was perfect for because she “didn’t seem engaged,” she changed her approach. She prepared five thoughtful questions for each interview focusing on role expectations, team challenges, and company strategy. In her next interview for a marketing coordinator position, she asked about the biggest marketing challenge the team faced in the past year. This sparked a 15-minute strategic conversation where she offered ideas. The interviewer later said that the conversation convinced them she was the right hire. She got the offer the next day.
These aren’t exceptional people with special advantages. They’re regular job seekers who implemented specific strategies and saw real results. The difference between rejection and offers often comes down to mastering a few key skills and showing up prepared.
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Common Challenges Candidates Face & How to Solve Them
After coaching hundreds of job seekers, I’ve seen the same challenges surface repeatedly. Here are the most common problems and practical solutions.
Nervousness and anxiety:
Solution: Nervousness is normal and even expected. The key is managing it. Practice your introduction and key stories until they feel natural. Do mock interviews with friends or family. Use breathing techniques before walking in: breathe in for four counts, hold for four, exhale for four. Physical exercise in the morning of an interview releases tension. Remember, slight nerves can actually help you stay alert and focused. It’s when anxiety becomes paralyzing that it’s a problem.
Not knowing how to answer unexpected questions:
Solution: You can’t prepare for every possible question, but you can prepare your thinking process. If you get surprised by a question, buy yourself time. Say, “That’s a great question, let me think about that for a moment.” Take a breath. Break the question into parts. If you truly don’t have relevant experience, be honest and pivot to a related skill or how you’d approach learning. Interviewers often care more about your thought process than having the perfect answer immediately.
Talking too much or too little:
Solution: Record yourself answering practice questions and time them. Aim for 60 to 90 seconds for most answers, up to two minutes for complex behavioral questions. If you tend to ramble, practice ending your answer with a clear closing sentence and then stopping. If you’re too brief, use the STAR method to add structure and detail. Pay attention to interviewer body language. If they’re leaning back or looking at their notes, wrap it up.
Recovering from a bad answer:
Solution: If you realize mid-answer that you’re going off track, it’s okay to pause and say “Actually, let me reframe that” and start over. If you finish an answer and realize it was weak, you can briefly add “To give you a better example…” and provide a stronger response. Don’t dwell on mistakes. Interviewers understand nervousness. One mediocre answer won’t ruin your chances unless you let it shake your confidence for the rest of the interview.
Virtual interview technical issues:
Solution: Test everything an hour before the interview. Have a backup plan: your phone as a hotspot if WiFi fails, a phone number to call if video doesn’t work. Position your laptop on a stable surface at eye level. Use a simple, uncluttered background. If something goes wrong during the interview, stay calm and professional. Apologize briefly, fix it quickly, and move on. How you handle unexpected problems reveals your composure under pressure.
Most interview challenges come down to preparation and mindset. Prepare thoroughly so you have confidence. Maintain perspective so one mistake doesn’t spiral. And remember, the interviewer wants you to succeed. They’re hoping you’re the right person so they can stop interviewing people. You’re on the same team.
Conclusion
Interviews don’t have to feel intimidating when you understand what interviewers truly look for. With the right preparation confident body language, active listening, smart questions, and authenticity you move from sounding nervous to showing real professional value. Interviews are conversations, not performances, and success comes from how you show up, not just what you know. Master these fundamentals, learn from every experience, and each interview brings you closer to the offer you want.
Frequently Asked Questions
Research the company, maintain confident body language, listen carefully, provide examples, and ask thoughtful questions.
Review the company and job role, prepare STAR examples, plan your outfit, set your travel route, and practice key answers.
Sit straight, keep natural eye contact, smile, use light hand gestures, and avoid fidgeting.
Ask about success metrics, team challenges, growth paths, and role expectations.
Keep answers 60–90 seconds, and up to 2 minutes for detailed STAR responses.
