Interview Techniques for Recruiters

Not every candidate walks into an interview at their best. Some are coming out of survival mode. Grief still fresh. Confidence shaken. Months of silence after sending out applications. A toxic job that left its mark. They’ve made it to the interview, but they’re carrying more than a CV. You might not see it straight away. It can show up in small ways: A nervous pause. A slightly off answer. A missed email. A quiet voice. A sudden withdrawal. It’s easy to misread it. To think they’re not ready. Not engaged. Not the right fit. But sometimes, they’re just human. Doing their best in difficult circumstances. And showing up took courage. That doesn’t mean lowering expectations. It means raising our awareness. It means: Being transparent about the process. Giving space where it’s needed. Letting flexibility be the default, not the exception. Making kindness part of how we hire. We don’t always know what someone’s had to overcome to get here. But we get to choose how we meet them, how we act and we treat people..

If a job applicant said "I have no idea how to grow your startup" would you hire them as your VP of Growth? (Because I probably would). Wait, hear me out… If there was an obvious way to grow your startup, you'd already have done it. If you haven’t, you're betting on your next hire to help figure it out. But candidates with the most confidence often, paradoxically, have the hardest time uncovering new ideas, thanks to the “illusion of knowledge bias.” 𝗧𝗵𝗲 𝗶𝗹𝗹𝘂𝘀𝗶𝗼𝗻 𝗼𝗳 𝗸𝗻𝗼𝘄𝗹𝗲𝗱𝗴𝗲 𝗯𝗶𝗮𝘀 - Individuals mistakenly believe they possess a deeper understanding of a topic than they actually do. They overestimate their knowledge and fail to recognize the gaps in their understanding, leading to poor decision-making and an unwillingness to seek further information. Wait, it gets worse - Commitment & consistency bias If they claim to know the right strategy, they will become anchored to that approach, even if it's incorrect, thanks to the Commitment & Consistency bias. (That's the one that says: After we state a position, we’re far more likely to act in accordance with that belief, even if it’s incorrect, and less likely to consider alternatives.) What should you do instead? When interviewing candidates, focus less on how much they know, and more on how quickly they can figure things out. That starts the moment a candidate walks in the door. People are uncomfortable admitting “I don’t know” — especially in a job interview! So take a moment to create space for humility and candor in the conversation. Talk about your own mistakes and blind spots, and explain that you don’t expect people to have all the answers – only to figure them out. Then ask questions about their experience finding and applying new information, such as: 1. Tell me about a time when you were wrong about something? How did you find out? And what did you do as a result? 2. What’s something you learned recently from your customers or your data that surprised you? What did you do with that information? 3. Looking at our business, what things do we need to figure out before we can scale? And how do you suggest we bottom those things out? 4. Tell me about a time when you had to tell your boss they were wrong, how did that conversation go? These aren’t easy questions, give them time to think. As they’re answering, focus on what they say plus how they say it. Are they comfortable talking about surprises and unknowns? Simple next step Be honest with yourself, are you hiring a VP of “drive it like you stole it” or a VP of “figure out how to grow my business?” If you need someone to figure it out, hire with that explicit mandate, and ask the whole team to do everything they can to support the discovery process. By the way, this approach can also unlock thinking in your existing team. Helpful? Follow me for more Matt Lerner .

The key to designing powerful interview questions is to focus on cognitive patterns rather than past accomplishments. Research shows strong connections between certain thinking patterns and job success. For example: • Original thinking strongly predicts innovation ability • Intellectual independence correlates with leadership effectiveness • Perseverance consistently outperforms raw intelligence in predicting achievement These research findings demonstrate why carefully crafted questions matter. To develop your high-impact questions, focus on five cognitive domains that predict exceptional performance. Follow this formula to create questions that uncover thinking patterns, not just experience: 💡 Design questions targeting original thinking: Ask about problems candidates see that others miss. Format: "What [challenge/opportunity/trend] do you notice that seems overlooked by most people in [relevant context]?" This reveals pattern recognition and the capacity for novel insights. 💡 Craft questions probing intellectual independence: Encourage candidates to articulate contrarian but thoughtful positions. Format: "Where do you find yourself disagreeing with conventional wisdom about [relevant domain]?" This assesses courage and independent analysis. 💡 Develop questions that examine perseverance: Structure questions around specific obstacles that have been overcome. Format: "Tell me about a time when you pursued [relevant goal] despite [specific type of setback]." Focus on process over outcome. 💡 Create questions measuring intellectual flexibility: Ask candidates to describe evolution in their thinking. Format: "What important belief about [relevant domain] have you revised recently and what prompted this change?" This evaluates adaptability and learning orientation. 💡 Formulate questions exploring intrinsic motivation: Probe self-directed development activities. Format: "How do you invest in developing [relevant skill/knowledge] when it's not required by your role?" This reveals a proactive growth mindset. The most effective questions avoid hypotheticals and instead target specific behavioral patterns that reveal how candidates actually think and operate. That's how you can develop interview questions that identify true potential—uncovering the cognitive patterns that transcend resume qualifications. Coaching can help; let's chat.  Follow Joshua Miller #executivecoaching #interviewing #careeradvice

Don't Message a Recruiter Like This 🚫 "Hi, I hope you’re doing well! I’m interested in the role you posted: Software Engineer. Based on my experience as Software Engineer, I believe I could be a good fit. Are you open to a quick chat to discuss the position? I’d love to learn more about it. I look forward to hearing from you." 👇 Do This Instead ✅ " Hi [Name], I hope you're doing well. I recently came across the [Job Title] opening at [Company Name] and was impressed by [specific aspect of the company or role]. With [X years of experience] in [Your Field], passion for [relevant industry or skill] and [your skills that matches job requirements], I believe I could contribute to [specific team or project]. I would love to connect and discuss how my background aligns with the needs of the team. Thank you for your time, and I look forward to the possibility of working together!" 🔑 Why The Second Approach Works: ✅ Personalization: Addressing the recruiter by name and mentioning something specific about the company shows that you’ve done your research and are genuinely interested. ✅ Value Proposition: Highlighting your experience and how it aligns with the role demonstrates your suitability and adds value to your pitch. ✅ Professional Courtesy: Acknowledging their time and expressing eagerness to connect makes your message respectful and engaging. Your approach to recruiters can make a lasting first impression—make it count! 💼 #JobSearch #CareerTips #LinkedIn #JobSeekingTips #FirstImpression #BeProfessional #YourNextRole #GetHired #GetInterviews

I had 15 rounds of interviews. Across many months. The process was rigorous, textbook, meticulous. It was for a position at a top global executive search firm. Everyone was involved. And on paper? The process was flawless. I was hired. Then came the realisation: We both got it wrong. It wasn’t a fit. Here’s what no one wants to say out loud: - More interviews ≠ better decisions. - Confidence in a candidate ≠ compatibility with your context. We hire the résumé. Then we work with the real human. And most interview processes don’t even come close to revealing who that person is: - under pressure, - in conflict, or - in real-world ambiguity. I learned the hard way. To get beneath the surface, you need to ask questions that bypass the rehearsed answers. You need to disarm people — not trap them. Here are 10 top interview questions for hiring manager to work with: 1. “When did you last completely fail at something you cared about? What changed after?” Shows resilience, self-awareness, and how they grow from failure. 2. “What’s a story you’ve told yourself about your career that you’ve had to unlearn?” Reveals capacity for growth, humility, and evolving perspectives. 3. “What would your harshest critic say about your leadership style?” Uncovers blind spots and emotional intelligence. 4. “What are you still trying to figure out about yourself?” Tests honesty, vulnerability, and self-reflection. 5. “Tell me about the last time you were in a room where no one agreed with you — and you were still right.” Surfaces conviction, influence, and independent thinking. 6. “What kind of culture would exhaust you — even if you were successful in it?” Cuts to real values and long-term cultural fit. 7. “If you were in this role, what’s one thing we’re currently doing that you’d immediately challenge?” Tests courage, insight, and fresh perspective. 8. “What’s a risk you didn’t take — and still regret?” Shows decision-making patterns and appetite for risk. 9. “What part of your professional identity is just armour?” Gets past the façade to the real person underneath. 10. “If we don’t hire you, what would be the real reason why?” Reveals self-awareness, honesty, and unspoken concerns. These questions reveal patterns. How someone reflects. Responds. Recovers. Grows. And that — more than any CV — is what predicts leadership impact. Hiring is not about certainty. It’s about clarity. It’s about asking the questions most people avoid. And listening for the answers that aren't always neat or polished. ♻️ Repost to help hiring managers hire better. Have a great week ahead dear reader! #culturematters #leadership #aviation

Job hunting is tough we’ve all been there. Applications, interviews, rejections... it's a rollercoaster. But there’s one mistake I see freshers making over and over again: Using the same resume for every single job application. It’s tempting, I get it. You create one version of your resume, feel it’s your masterpiece, and send it out to every job opening. But let me tell you why this is a major red flag for recruiters. 📌 Why is this a problem? ▪️ In the tech world, job roles aren’t one size fits all. Even if two roles have the same title, the skills required can differ drastically depending on the company. ▪️ Example: A “Data Analyst” role at one company might focus heavily on SQL and Excel, while at another, they’re expecting Python and machine learning basics. ▪️ Even within the same role, some companies emphasize problem solving skills, while others prioritize specific domain expertise like marketing or e commerce. ▪️ Using a generic resume tells the recruiter, "I didn’t take the time to understand what you’re looking for." It’s a missed opportunity to show them that you’re exactly the right fit. ✏️ What should you do instead? Here’s how you can fix this: 🔆 Study the Job Description (JD): Think of the JD as a cheat sheet. It’s literally telling you what they want! Highlight the key skills, tools, and responsibilities mentioned. 🔆 Tailor Your Resume: Reorganize or reword your experience to match the JD. Use the same keywords the company uses. For example, if they mention “data visualization tools,” highlight your Power BI or Tableau experience instead of just saying “created dashboards.” 🔆 Add Relevant Projects or Skills: If the role mentions Python but your resume only shows SQL, consider adding a project where you used Python even if it’s just a personal one. 🔆 Optimize for ATS: Most companies use Applicant Tracking Systems to scan resumes. If your resume doesn’t match enough keywords from the JD, it might not even make it to a human recruiter. 🔆 Customize the Summary Section: If you include a summary or objective at the top of your resume, tweak it to align with the specific role. For example, mention the company’s name or emphasize the exact skills they’re looking for. 📌 Why It’s Worth the Effort I know tailoring your resume for every job feels like extra work. But this small effort can make a huge difference. It shows recruiters: ▪️ You’ve done your homework. ▪️ You care about this job, not just any job. ▪️ You’re proactive and detail oriented qualities every company values. ✏️ Final Thoughts Your resume isn’t just a document, it’s your first impression. Make it count. A generic resume might save you time, but a tailored resume can land you the job. 🔆What are your thoughts? Share in the comments. 🌐If you found this helpful, like and repost to reach others who might need it. ✳️Follow for more daily content!

Senior-level interviews aren't just about what you say. It's how you think on your feet. At the senior level, interviewers aren’t just evaluating your experience - they’re watching how you synthesize complex problems, communicate under pressure, and influence strategically. Let me show you what that actually looks like: 🧠 Example 1 – Strategic Framing: Q: "Tell me about a time you led a major initiative that failed." 📉 Common answer: “We missed the deadline because the team lacked urgency.” 🚀 Stronger answer: “We underestimated cross-functional dependencies—so I implemented a new stakeholder mapping approach that improved buy-in for future initiatives.” 👉 Why it works: Shows ownership, adaptability, and strategic thinking, not blame. 💬 Example 2 – Executive Presence in Action: Scenario: You’re asked a vague, high-level question: “What’s your leadership style?” ✅ Weak: “I’m collaborative and hands-on.” 🔥 Strong: “I empower teams by setting clear strategic goals, then stepping back to let functional leaders own execution. For example, at [Company], I restructured a team across 3 countries to scale faster-without adding headcount.” 👉 Why it works: Anchors style to impact-this is what execs want to hear. 🧩 Example 3 – Thinking on Your Feet: Q: “If we gave you this role, what would you do in your first 90 days?” ❌ Weak: “I’d spend time meeting the team and understanding the business.” ✅ Strong: “I’d start by identifying revenue bottlenecks and talent gaps. At my last company, we unlocked a $5M opportunity in Q1 by aligning product and GTM priorities in the first month.” 👉 Why it works: Specific, forward-looking, and shows you can think like an operator from day one. At this level, it’s less about rehearsed answers. It’s about how you approach ambiguity, pressure, and complexity. They’re not just hiring an employee. They’re hiring a thought partner.

“A recruiter told me they don’t even want to post jobs anymore.” “Why?” I asked. “Because we get 150–200 applications. We’d rather go straight to someone who’s visible and looks like a low-risk hire. This is the reality now. It’s an 𝗲𝗺𝗽𝗹𝗼𝘆𝗲𝗿’𝘀 𝗺𝗮𝗿𝗸𝗲𝘁. They have options. Too many of them. So, how do you stand out in this market? Here’s what I’ve learned from recruiters and clients: 🔹 𝟭. 𝗥𝗲𝗰𝗿𝘂𝗶𝘁𝗲𝗿𝘀 𝗱𝗼𝗻’𝘁 𝗮𝗹𝘄𝗮𝘆𝘀 𝘁𝗿𝘂𝘀𝘁 𝘆𝗼𝘂𝗿 𝗔𝗜-𝗴𝗲𝗻𝗲𝗿𝗮𝘁𝗲𝗱 𝗿𝗲𝘀𝘂𝗺𝗲. What they want? The human behind the words → Be honest. Be specific. Tell your career story like no one else can. 🔹 𝟮. 𝗟𝗶𝗻𝗸𝗲𝗱𝗜𝗻 𝗶𝘀 𝗮 𝗽𝗶𝗽𝗲𝗹𝗶𝗻𝗲 You need the right 1 recruiter to message you. → Optimise your profile with keywords specific to your industry, tools, and niche. → Engage once a week. Even 2 lines of insight on someone else’s post keeps you on the radar. 🔹 𝟯. 𝗧𝘄𝗼 𝗖𝗮𝗹𝗹𝘀 𝗕𝗘𝗙𝗢𝗥𝗘 𝗳𝗼𝗿𝘄𝗮𝗿𝗱𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝘁𝗼 𝗵𝗶𝗿𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗺𝗮𝗻𝗮𝗴𝗲𝗿𝘀. I've seen the trend of 1 voice call and 1 Zoom call with recruiters before passing to the interview. →Why? Trust matters. → Be ready to speak with clarity and communicate your "value" 🔹 𝟰. 𝗖𝗼𝗳𝗳𝗲𝗲 𝗰𝗵𝗮𝘁𝘀 𝗵𝗮𝘃𝗲 𝗲𝘃𝗼𝗹𝘃𝗲𝗱. → Invite recruiters for a 15-min virtual coffee (even voice chat). But don’t pitch. Instead: ✔ Ask what roles they’re hiring for ✔ Ask what challenges they see in the industry ✔ Share how your skills align with that 🔹 𝟱. 𝗚𝗼 𝗱𝗲𝗲𝗽𝗲𝗿 𝘄𝗶𝘁𝗵 𝘆𝗼𝘂𝗿 𝗷𝗼𝗯 𝘁𝗮𝗿𝗴𝗲𝘁𝗶𝗻𝗴. → Don’t just say Business Analyst. Say: 𝘗𝘳𝘰𝘥𝘶𝘤𝘵-𝘧𝘰𝘤𝘶𝘴𝘦𝘥 𝘉𝘈 𝘪𝘯 𝘧𝘪𝘯𝘵𝘦𝘤𝘩, 𝘧𝘢𝘮𝘪𝘭𝘪𝘢𝘳 𝘸𝘪𝘵𝘩 𝘴𝘵𝘢𝘬𝘦𝘩𝘰𝘭𝘥𝘦𝘳 𝘦𝘯𝘨𝘢𝘨𝘦𝘮𝘦𝘯𝘵 𝘢𝘤𝘳𝘰𝘴𝘴 𝘧𝘪𝘯𝘢𝘯𝘤𝘦 + 𝘰𝘱𝘴. → Make it EASY for the recruiter to say, “Yep — this is our person.” If this felt like a wake-up call, it’s because it is. You don’t need to be perfect. You just need to be visible, forward-thinking, and human. #jobsearch #hiring #linkedintips #linkedinoptimization #careercoach

Most candidates think interviews reward preparation. They don’t. They punish it. Here’s what that looks like from the other side of the table. You ask a candidate: “How would you approach this role in the first 90 days?” Candidate A gives a clean, confident answer. Structured. Rehearsed. Bullet-point perfect. Candidate B pauses. ➡️ They ask one clarifying question. ➡️ They say, “It depends what you’re optimising for.” ➡️ They explain the trade-off they’d make if resources were tight. 🏆 Candidate B gets the offer. Not because their answer was better. But because their judgment was visible. This is the part most candidates miss. ❌ Interviewers aren’t testing whether you’ve prepared answers. ✅ They’re testing whether they can trust how you’ll make decisions when things are unclear. The candidates who struggle usually do the same three things: 🚧 They recite their CV instead of interpreting the role. 🚧 They list skills without connecting them to the real problem. 🚧 They answer quickly to sound confident, instead of slowing down to think clearly. Nothing they say is technically wrong. But nothing makes the interviewer feel safe betting on them. The candidates who get hired do something quieter and more powerful. They show how they think. They: ✅ Clarify the problem before solving it ✅ Talk in trade-offs, not achievements ✅ Admit uncertainty, then explain how they’d decide ✅ Anchor every answer to this role, this team, this moment That’s judgment. 👉 And judgment is what actually decides offers. Not confidence. Not polish. Not “strong answers.” Here’s the uncomfortable truth: 👎 If you can’t clearly articulate why this role exists, you’re not ready for it. 👎 If you can’t explain your value in 90 seconds, you don’t understand it yet. 👎 And if your answers sound interchangeable with other candidates, you’ve already lost. Interviews aren’t auditions. They’re alignment checks. The best candidates don’t try to impress. They make it easy to trust them. 🔁 Save this if interviews are coming up. ♻️ Repost it if someone in your network needs it. And if you’ve ever hired someone: What was the moment you knew, “Yes — I trust how this person thinks”?

Hate editing your CV for every job? I used to feel the same way so here’s how I used to tailor mine (no paid tools used) in under 10 minutes without rewriting every single sentence. And as a matter of fact, it also got me interview calls more often. ⏩Step 1: Drop the JD into a free AI tool (there are various options like Claude/ChatGPT) Use a prompt like ‘I want you to think like a recruiter for this role. Based on this job description (paste JD), what keywords, skills, and responsibilities are being prioritised?’ You’ll get the exact patterns and themes the recruiter is scanning for. ------------ ⏩Step 2: Quick CV alignment Pull up your current CV. The key is to understand what to highlight here, not rewrite entirely. Ask yourself and you can ask even the AI: -What points already match this JD? -What’s missing that I’ve done before, but haven’t included? Use these AI tools to match your CV against the JD and identify the overlaps and potential gaps ------------ ⏩Step 3: Focus on tweaking only the key zones 👏Work experience section: Look at your existing bullet points under each role. Can you quickly tweak the phrasing, verb, or add a specific metric that directly relates to a requirement in the job description? 👏Skills section: Reorder your skills so that the ones explicitly mentioned and prioritised in the job description appear first." 👏Interests/Other/Additional information section: If the job description or company research reveals specific values or interests they promote (e.g., innovation, community involvement, sustainability), and you have a genuine interest or involvement in a related area, you should briefly mention it. This can showcase culture-fit even before the interview rounds. I know job-hunting is already exhausting. But tailoring your CV matters. A lot. So, try this no-fluff shortcut that helps you match what they’re looking for in your next application and let me know how it goes! #cvtips #jobsearch