How to Find the Win-Win Opportunity When Interviewing

I was working recently with two clients of mine who were each in the midst of a job search. One client was crafting responses to potential behavioral questions for an upcoming Zoom interview (“Tell me about a time when you…”), while the other was answering a 20+ question “quiz” from a potential employer (something that’s becoming more and more common).

Each client had the same goal – coming up with the “correct” answer that would satisfy the interviewer or evaluator and bring them a step closer to getting hired. And each was struggling at points with questions where the “correct” answers were inauthentic and didn’t speak to their actual values and strengths.

It made sense they were stuck. Both were strongly tied to the outcome of getting a new job and landing the job was their only measure of immediate success.

This was a binary, win-lose scenario ultimately out of their control. No matter how much they prepared, rehearsed and scripted their responses, the decision about whether they were going to be hired was in someone else’s hands.

I asked each of them if the goal they were pursuing – getting “a” job – was the appropriate one. What if, I asked, their goal was getting the “right” job? How would that change the way they prepared for interviews and answered questions? What questions would they in turn ask the employer to determine if this role played to their strengths and aligned with their values?

Both clients felt empowered and in a greater sense of control and their fears of failure and of being judged by others disappeared. They recognized the mutual opportunity that interviewing provides to help each party learn more about the other one. Rather than an interview being a win-lose situation, each now saw it as a win-win: either both sides saw there was a strong fit or they agreed to walk away and pursue other options.

Each continued their preparation based on authenticity and honesty. They were much more comfortable being and presenting their whole selves than they were before. Their answers flowed from them with an ease they did not believe was possible and their confidence skyrocketed.

So, how did it work out for them? Both said, “Great!”

The client working on the quiz landed a screening interview with HR that led to a multi-round series of meetings with the hiring manager, business partners and peers. It’s still in flight, and she is very optimistic about her prospects and the positive indications she’s received about fit and alignment.

My client who was prepping for the Zoom interview discovered there wasn’t a great fit between his most important values and the company’s culture. This knowledge was a great relief to him. In fact, he saw some alarming parallels between this organization’s culture and a prior employer where he was profoundly unhappy. At the end of the interview, he graciously thanked the interviewer for the meeting and said he was no longer interested in the position. The manager, at first somewhat surprised, appreciated his candor.

When you are getting ready for your interview, focus on the win-win opportunity. You have control in that outcome. Use that as a strength to be your genuine, authentic self.