Interview Communication Strategies

Landing interviews but not turning any into job offers? Try a Value Validation Project (VVP). It’s the closest thing to a silver bullet in the job search. Here’s how it works in 8 simple steps: 1. What Is A Value Validation Project (VVP)? A VVP is a deliverable that illustrates your value on your terms. It shows initiative and enables you to prove your worth beyond a resume and a few interview answers. 2. Start With Research - Scan the company’s website - Listen to interviews with execs - Watch product tutorials - Read customer reviews - Use the product yourself - Analyze the competition Learn as much as you can, then use that to... 3. Identify An Angle Look for a gap in their strategy, a challenge they’re facing, or an opportunity. The key is ensuring it aligns with the role you’re interviewing for. That gives you a chance to showcase your skills in relation to a real business need. 4. Brainstorm Ideas Think of three ideas you could pitch to help the company. I love using ChatGPT for this: - Add the company’s website - Mention the angle you found - Share the research you did - Ask it to brainstorm 10 ways you could add value 5. Package Your Ideas In A Slide Deck Slide #1: Cover slide with a compelling title Slide #2: Quote from the company/executive framing the problem Slide #3: High-level outline of your ideas Slides #4-9: Present a problem/opportunity and your specific solution Slide #10: Quick bio + links to your resume & LinkedIn 6. When To Share Your VVP Ideally, you’d share your VVP ahead of your first interview. But it’s never too late. VVPs can be effective at any point in the process, even after a rejection. The key is to share them as early as you’re able given your situation. 7. When To Create A VVP I do NOT recommend making VVPs for every job you apply to. Instead, use these 3 criteria: 1. You already landed an interview 2. This is a *dream* company you’d do anything to work for 3. You’ve networked with someone who can refer you in (most common) 8. What If They Steal Your Ideas? This can happen. But the downside of it is far outweighed by the benefits of winning an offer at a company that sees the value in the extra effort, has a culture of recognizing people who go above and beyond, and is going to pay you what you’re worth. If you follow the criteria in Step #7 for when to create them, you minimize the risk while maximizing the upside.

I’ve been interviewing candidates for a new role and there’s one thing I’ve seen 90% of them struggle with: sharing the story of their career achievements. But don’t worry—I’ve got a simple hack that can help you overcome it: ✏️ Create a monthly ritual to review and document every significant work win, and turn each into a mini-case study. Documenting your wins regularly will save you HOURS when you prep for your next interview—plus it’s great fodder for: ⤷ your annual performance review ⤷ your 1x1s with your manager ⤷ your resume Here’s my 3-step process: 1️⃣ Weekly Check-in: Turn work ➡️ wins ⤷ Start a weekly habit of documenting your wins (grab my free template in the comments). ⤷ Block 30 minutes on your calendar every Friday to hold yourself accountable. ⤷ Ask yourself, “What did I accomplish this week that moved the needle?”   2️⃣ Monthly Recap: Turn wins ➡️ headlines ⤷ Identify 1–2 significant achievements and summarize them using this formula: [Action Verb] + [Specific Metric] + [Timeframe] + [Business Impact] ⤷ Make a bullet-point list (so you can stay organized and repurpose it for your resume later!) ⤷ Include dates and timelines for your own records—you’ll use them in step 3.   3️⃣ Quarterly Story-Building: Headlines ➡️ stories ⤷ Identify your top 3 quarterly wins. ⤷ Start a fresh document and map out each of those wins using the STAR method: ️ ⭐ Situation: What was the context? ️⭐ Task: What was your specific responsibility? ⭐ Action: What steps did you take? ⭐ Result: What measurable outcome did you achieve? ⤷ Ask AI to help you share that information as a story. Here’s the prompt I like to use: ✍ Can you help me turn this achievement into a story using the STAR framework for an upcoming interview for a [title here] role? Please keep it concise. [paste win]   Here’s what this looks like in action 👇 ⤷ Weekly win: March ’23 → Decreased CPA by 28% & increased conversion by 15% ⤷ Monthly recap: Optimized paid search campaigns in March 2023 that decreased CPA by 28% while increasing conversions by 15%, resulting in higher profit margins for the company. ⤷ Quarterly story: When I joined the marketing team in January 2023, our paid search campaigns were generating leads but at a high CPA, with budget constraints approaching in Q2.I was tasked with reducing CPA without sacrificing lead volume. In March 2023, I audited our campaigns and implemented three key changes: restructured ad groups with tightly-themed keywords, refined match types with strategic negative keywords, and A/B tested value-focused ad copy. By month-end, these optimizations decreased cost-per-acquisition by 28% while increasing conversion volume by 15%, saving budget and creating a scalable framework for future campaigns. What are your tips for storytelling in your interviews? I’d love to hear them. 

When I interviewed at Google, they asked me: “How many soccer balls fit in a school bus?” Here’s what went through my brain: "WHAT did this guy just ask me?! … I think I’m going to barf… No, Sarah, you can do this.  Wait - what’s the area of a circle? π r²? No, that’s not it. ... How big is a school bus? Does it have seats? Are there kids in it? … This is such a dumb question. WHY are they asking me this?! ... They’re trying to see if I’ll squirm. I actually might barf. SAY SOMETHING, ANYTHING!!." 👉 Don’t be like me. Don’t freeze and spiral in your inner dialogue. So, how’d I handle it? I took a breath, forced a laugh, and said, “Hm. Great question!” - trying to buy myself a few extra seconds. Back to my inner dialogue: “F*ck. AH! Okay, take a step back - What are they *really* asking? Why would *anyone* NEED to fit lots of soccer balls in a school bus? 💡 Oh - that’s a good place to start. Maybe if I understand the problem, I can make a plan.” So, with all the fake confidence I could muster, I said, “Well, to get started, I’ll need to know why we’re putting soccer balls in a school bus; What's the end goal?" The interviewer nodded. I was on the right track. Now that I’ve trained Google interviewers and analyzed thousands of interview feedback reports, I know the right way to answer.  When you get hit with a curveball question that seems totally unrelated to the job, here’s what they want you to do: ✅ Ask clarifying questions to understand the end goal & business needs.  Who’s involved, why, what are the timelines & budgets? Has this been done before?  ✅ Take notes to organize your thoughts. ✅ Make your assumptions explicit. To solve hypothetical problems, you’ll likely have to make assumptions.   ✅ Think out loud. ✅ Don’t rush into solutioning. ✅ Consider alternate approaches. ✅ Address risks & dependencies. At the end of the day, your thought process matters more than the answer. You’ve got this!! Drop the wildest interview Q you've been asked in the comments section & follow me, Sarah Goose, for job search strategies that actually work. ♻️ Repost to help your network.

Ever gone blank during an interview or realized your answer wasn't the best? 🤔 Here's how to handle it: 1. Pause and Reflect: If you recognize your answer could be better, don't hesitate to ask if you can provide a more thoughtful response. It shows self-awareness and dedication to presenting your best self. 2. Follow Up: If a better answer comes to you post-interview, send a thank-you email to your interviewers with your revised thoughts. It's a great way to demonstrate initiative and your commitment to quality. Remember, it's okay not to have a perfect response every time. What's important is showing you can think on your feet and are committed to continuous improvement.

If you’ve ever walked out of an interview replaying every answer, worrying if you were likable enough, polished enough, or impressive enough, let me tell you something: none of that matters. Interviews aren’t about charm or perfection they’re about demonstrating that you solve problems and create impact. I break down exactly how top candidates approach interviews strategically and how you can too! 1. Stop selling potential start showing solutions. Every role exists because something in the organization isn’t working, isn’t scaling, or could be improved. Your goal isn’t to convince them you deserve the job it’s to show that you already operate at the level of the role and can immediately move things forward. 2. Your resume isn’t your story. Reading your resume aloud is boring. To stand out, you need to share examples using the CAR framework: Context, Action, Result. Show how your experience maps to real problems the organization is facing. For example: "I noticed your team recently expanded into new categories, which often creates operational challenges. At my last company, I worked with cross-functional teams to streamline approvals, improving launch efficiency by 25%." This positions you as someone who thinks like a peer, not a hopeful applicant! 3. Questions aren’t small talk they’re your superpower. At the end of every interview, you have a chance to demonstrate strategic thinking. The right questions signal leadership and curiosity: What does success look like in the first six months for this role?   What are the biggest challenges this role needs to solve immediately?   How do you define top performance here, and how do promotion decisions get made? These questions show that you’re already thinking about impact, results, and growth, and they set you apart from every other candidate who just says, “No, you covered everything.” 4. Follow-up is more than etiquette. A thoughtful follow-up reinforces your value. Reference a topic you discussed and demonstrate your understanding: "I’ve been thinking about our conversation around onboarding and am excited by the opportunity to streamline that process." This reminds them that you’re a problem solver who already adds value. The truth is, most people treat interviews as auditions. But career growth isn’t about being liked it’s about demonstrating your impact, asserting your value, and choosing the organizations you want to work with.

Why do interviews feel like a trap?  “What are your weaknesses?”   “How do you handle stress?”  These questions aren’t just about your flaws.   They’re a test of your self-awareness, resilience, and growth mindset.  Top candidates don’t fear tough questions.   They use them to stand out.  Here’s how:  --- 1. Understand What They’re Really Asking   - Weaknesses? They want to see honesty and self-awareness.   - Stress? They’re looking for problem-solving and resilience.  2. Show, Don’t Just Tell   - Share examples of how you’ve tackled challenges.   - Highlight growth—how you’ve turned weaknesses into strengths.  3. Align Your Answers to the Role   - Connect your responses to what the company values.   - Show them why you’re the best fit, even in tough moments.  --- The takeaway:   Interviews aren’t about perfection—they’re about connection.   Show who you are, and how you grow under pressure.  What’s the toughest interview question you’ve faced?   Share your experience in the comments.   Save this for your next job search.   Share it with someone preparing for an interview.   Follow Jay Mount for more tips on growth, leadership, and career success.  

Dear job seekers, Do you want to learn how to respond to questions that you don't know the answers to in a job interview? It can be hard to answer questions in a job interview that you don't know how to answer, but it's important to do so with kindness. Here are some ideas for what to say: 1. Stay cool: The most important thing is to stay cool and collected. Interviewers understand that you don't have to know the answer to every question. 2. Don't Guess: Don't make something up or guess, as this can lead to wrong information and hurt your reputation. It's fine to say you don't know something. 3. Know what you can and can't do: Be honest about what you don't know. You can say something like, "I don't know much about that subject, but I'm always willing to learn and can adapt quickly to new challenges." 4. Show You're Willing to Learn: Talk about how willing and able you are to learn new things. You can say, "Even though I don't have direct experience with that, I'm sure I can learn the knowledge and skills I need." 5. If the question is about a subject you know well, try to turn the talk to your strengths and experiences. Say something like, "I may not have direct experience with that, but I have dealt successfully with similar situations in the past." 6. Ask for Clarification: Don't be afraid to ask for clarification if the question isn't clear or you need more information. This can give you time to think and might help you figure out what the question is asking. 7. Redirect the conversation to your strengths. If it's acceptable, bring up your skills, experiences, and strengths that are relevant to the job. Share a meaningful success story or thing you've done that shows how valuable you are. 8. Show Interest: Say again how excited you are about the job and the company. Show that you're really interested in the chance. 9. Follow-up: After the interview, you might want to do some study on the question you couldn't answer to find out more. Mentioning your efforts in a thank-you email shows that you care about improving yourself and the job. Remember that interviewers often ask hard questions to see how you handle pressure, uncertainty, and being able to say "I don't know" Even if you don't have all the answers, you can make a good impression by being honest, humble, and willing to learn. #interview #prepration #success

I've placed 100+ senior executives. One interview question predicts who lasts year one and who's gone in 18 months. The question is this. "Tell me about a decision you made in your last role that you would make again exactly the same way, knowing what you know now." It sounds simple. It's not. McKinsey & Company's CEO Excellence research lays out something most boards underweight. The biggest predictor of CEO success isn't IQ, network, or pedigree. It's the relationship a leader has with their own decisions under pressure. How they hold conviction. How they hold doubt. How they hold both at the same time. From my seat in executive search, the answers fall into three buckets. The first is the candidate who can't think of one. They list decisions, then immediately add what they'd do differently. Every decision becomes a learning. Sounds humble. Often signals something else. The leader who can't defend a single past decision under pressure usually can't defend their current ones either. Boards smell that quickly. The second is the candidate who defends every decision. Nothing they did was wrong. The market was wrong. The team was wrong. The board was wrong. That's the other failure mode. Confidence without calibration. The third is the candidate who answers crisply. Names a specific decision. Acknowledges it cost them something. Then explains, with conviction, why the principle behind it still holds. Those leaders survive year one. They survive year three. They tend to build mandates that compound. The question matters because it surfaces something every board needs to know but rarely tests for. Can this person hold a controversial position when the room turns against them. Will they own the call six months later when the data isn't yet conclusive. In FMCG specifically, where pricing decisions, portfolio cuts, and talent moves rarely show their full impact within a quarter, this matters more than almost anything else on a CV. What's the single decision you'd make again exactly the same way? If the answer comes slowly, that's worth sitting with. #ExecutiveSearch #Leadership #CEOTransition #FMCG

When strengths get lost in translation Why traditional interviews fail many neurodivergent (and other) candidates. I asked you answered... nearly 1000 ND people. Despite efforts to improve equity in recruitment, many interviews still exclude talented individuals—especially those who are neurodivergent. A recent Neurodiversity 101 discussion revealed key challenges and reflections on what goes wrong—and what could change. *Common themes from contributors Processing challenges: thinking under pressure Time-limited or vague questions create barriers. “Thinking of a response quickly. My mind goes blank.” “Remembering all the parts of a multi-part question.” Even preparation can feel discouraged: “I ask for questions in advance, but some think that’s cheating.” Speed vs substance “The pressure to respond instantly derails my focus.” “My ADHD child struggles with anxiety, my dyslexic daughter with quick responses.” Too much or too little “Not answering the first question with a 30-minute monologue.” “I give the answer I think they want, even if it’s not really me.” Masking and managing social cues “Eye contact, facial expression… distracts from what I want to say.” “Even after disclosing my diagnosis, I’m still expected to conform.” Understanding ambiguous questions “Some questions are so open I don’t know what’s wanted.” “I keep talking until I know they’ve got everything.” Confidence ≠ competence “It’s the best talker who gets the job—not the one best at doing it.” “Confidence is gone after months of job searching.” Testing the wrong things “Cognitive assessments cause frustration and anxiety.” “If my answer isn’t word-for-word, it’s marked wrong.” What can help? 🔹 Share questions in advance 🔹 Allow written or recorded responses 🔹 Permit pauses, prompts, or notes 🔹 Clarify it's okay to ask for clarification 🔹 Focus on potential, not performance under pressure What can we take from this? An interview should reveal capability—not punish difference. “If a workplace is put off by how I communicate, maybe it’s not where I’d thrive.” It’s time to stop testing confidence—and start valuing competence.

They’re hiring you, not your team. In interview prep sessions, 1 of the most common things I hear is “we”. → We built this process → We organised this event → We developed a new system → We launched this new product Yes, you worked in a team and in many instances, results can’t be achieved alone. But in interviews, companies are deciding whether to hire “you”, not your team. When you keep telling “we” and “team” stories, your role and specific contributions in the team become diluted and even unrecognisable. That’s not what you want in interviews. I know what you’re going to say - “But Gladys, I really worked in a team. I didn’t do it alone. Are you telling me to take all the credit for a team achievement?” Of course not and you don’t have to do that. You can start by highlighting that you worked in a team, before moving to and focusing on your role and specific accomplishments within the group. Here’s how it looks: ➡️ Company: Tell me about a time when you managed to find a simple solution to a complex problem? ➡️ Me: When I was at (company) as (role), I was part of a small team of 4 to tackle (complex problem). We came up with (solution) because (brief reason). When rolling out the solution, I stepped up and (things I did to solve the problem) and achieved (key results I brought in). I was especially proud of my role because I enabled (achievements beyond the problem/solution). See how you can acknowledge the “we”, before moving on and focusing on “me”? You don’t appear like a credit stealer, you show how you can work in a team YET hold your weight and demonstrate your individual role and achievements.