How To Perform Well in a Job Interview (6 steps for a powerful interview success mindset)

You know that feeling when you land an interview with that company you’ve been dreaming of working at for YEARS and you’re calling your Mum screaming and dancing? 

Then, you remember that you have to sit down with someone and try to convince them that you’re THE one for this role 😨 That excited feeling is then replaced with one big knot in your stomach.

Let’s jam on interview prep. No, not the “researching the company website” or “stalking their Glassdoor page” (although that part is important too). We’re tackling that nervous feeling that has you freezing, blanking on answers, and rambling about nonsense. All the behaviour of a nervous, desperate, undesirable hire.

In case you missed it, interviewing is kind of a big deal. Think about it: if you spend the next 2 years working for the next company you interview with (and have about 3 weeks off in that time), that’s 4,000 HOURS of your life you’ve dedicated to them 😱 It’s CRUCIAL for you to understand “Is this the company for ME?”

I know, badass. The whole “interviewing is a two-way street” phenomenon is a lot more difficult in practice. Your interviewer holds the decision-making power - they decide whether you land the role or not. You need to level the playing field by showing them you are an IRRESISTIBLE high-value hire 💰

If the thought of job interviews has you quaking, you’re in the right place! Here are my six steps to interview SUCCESS 🌟

🌟 6 steps to interview SUCCESS 🌟

Interview Success Step #1: Reframe every interview as a business meeting 💼

All right, badass. Scrap the idea that you’re walking into a job interview. That is not the vibe we’ll be entering with. I want you to imagine you’re walking into a business meeting. Straight away, this tells your brain there is a more even distribution of power and sets you up with more control.

The mindset we’re aiming for is connection - not desperation. You want to come off as your authentic self. This way, you can see if your future employer likes you for YOU and can see how you will complement one another. Talk about aligned as F*CK 🤩

If you walk into this interview giving off desperate vibes, the interviewer will see it. You wouldn’t rock up to a first or second date thinking “Oh God, PLEASE just propose marriage right NOW - I’ll do anything!”, would you? Let’s not go into your job interview with that same energy. We don’t want them thinking you’ll bend over backwards to land this role - this is about assessing one another for the right fit.

Interview Success Step #2: Approach your interview with a curious mindset 🤔

Rather than pushing an agenda, I want you to approach your interview with genuine curiosity. How might you do that? Imagine you’re a consultant hired by your interviewer. You’re here to uncover what problems they’re having and how you can solve them. It’s like you’re a detective conducting an investigation - finding the puzzle pieces of their problems and connecting them with your experience to show how they fit together to solve these issues.

Walking into the interview with curiosity takes the focus and pressure away from you (phew!) and encourages you to ask questions. We’re unlocking that elusive “two-way street” conversation that is the mark of a powerful interview that the Recruiter won’t soon forget!

Interview Success Step #3: Remember, the job description is a wishlist 🧞

Ever read job ads that ask for a decade of experience for an entry-level position? Like, how on earth can I get experience if all entry-level roles first require experience, Debra? Make it make sense 🤔

Here’s how it makes sense: the job description is just a wishlist. The candidate they’re describing is a unicorn human who would exist in an ideal world. I promise, they don’t actually believe the person they’re describing is real - because they likely aren’t.

Let’s shift focus away from obsessing over the details of the job ab and focus on what you do have. I know you have so many amazing qualities (one being smart as hell because you’re here reading this 😉), so don’t let me catch you selling yourself short just because you don’t hit every mark on the job description.

Stop beating yourself up about things you don’t have and start focusing on all the things you do have. There’s no way management would be allowing senior employees to interview if they didn’t already agree you could do it! They’ve already decided you’re worthy, so it’s time you felt you were worthy too.

Interview Success Step #4: Stop the stories that are sabotaging your interview 🙅‍♀️

Throughout human history, evolution has hardwired our brains to keep us safe. In the caveman days, this meant alerting us to any dangerous predators lurking around the corner. Of course, we’re no longer in the caveman days so this looks a little different now.

Today, our minds are working overtime to hold us in our comfort zone because who knows what diabolical horrors could be out there?! This means your brain is going to spin stories to stop you from taking a risk and being hurt. These stories could be “Oh, I’m not qualified enough for this role” or “They probably already have an internal hire lined up”. This is the kind of thinking that sabotages your interview.

Let’s switch this mindset up. Instead of worrying about being too inexperienced, instead try “Wow! I’m so grateful to let my enthusiasm shine through in this interview” or “I’m excited to learn about this company and maybe meet some cool people!” or even “I can’t WAIT to show them the project I just completed, I’m so proud of it”. 

Another example is that people worry that they’ve job-hopped a lot and think this will look awful to Recruiters. Think about it this way, you have such diverse experience in a range of companies and industries - there’s so much value and perspective you can bring to the table!

Interview Success Step #5: Humanise your interviewer - they want you to get the role from this interview 🖤

It’s easy to think the person interviewing you is out to get you and is throwing all these difficult questions at you hoping you’ll fail. As someone who is been on the other side of the table, this just isn’t true. Your interviewer wants you to succeed. The last thing they want is to waste their time meeting misaligned people who can’t do the role.

They’re already in the “I hope this works” mindset, they want this for you. They’re your ally, not your enemy! In fact, since you’re already at the interview stage, you already have a super high chance of landing this role. Their goal is to fill the role - why shouldn’t it be you?

Interview Success Step #6: Use enthusiasm and hunger to trump your lack of experience or qualifications in your interview 🤩

While I’ve talked about levelling the playing field and upgrading your confidence, I don’t want you to be playing it too cool or holding back. If you’re excited about the role, get excited with your interviewer! I can’t count the number of times that someone’s enthusiasm has meant they’ve landed the role over someone else with more qualifications or experience.

The reason why your hunger can trump someone who may be “good on paper” is that enthusiasm cannot be taught. Your new company will have the tools to help you grow into the role if you don’t tick every experience or qualification box. Do you know what can’t be taught? Grit. Purpose. Excitement. These qualities will win over any skill or qualification every time.

💡 Bonus Tips for Interview Performance 💡

Did someone say bonus tips? We’ve broken down the mindset for interview success, but maybe you’re still a little jittery leading up to your interview. Here are some quick tips to shake off those nerves right before you walk in the door:

Bonus tip for Interview Performance #1: Dance out those pre-interview nerves 💃

Get those nerves out! Put on some fun jams in the car or at home before your interview and start getting down. My personal favourite for this is “Hey Ya” by Outkast (immaculate vibes only). You don’t want to go too crazy with it and walk in red in the face and sweating - just enough to shake it out. You’ll walk in smiling because of how silly you looked and tap into that inner child joy.

Bonus tip for Interview Performance #2: Use power poses to unlock interview confidence 🦸‍♀️

Take up space, badass! I don’t want to see any hunched shoulders - open up your chest, put your shoulders back and fill up as much room as you can. Try the classic superhero pose - feet planted shoulder-width apart, put your fists on your hips and puff that chest out! Sometimes this one can look a little ridiculous - but it primes you to feel powerful!

Bonus tip for Interview Performance #3: Utilise deep breathing for the optimum interview mindset 😮‍💨

If the other two feel a little too silly, deep breathing may be more your style. Take a few minutes to dedicate to some mindfulness and breathing exercises. Remind yourself that this is just a conversation between two adults, we’re rolling in with a curious mindset, seeing how you can help these people who are your allies. What’s the worst that could happen? Even if it’s a no this time, this connection could branch out into some amazing opportunities.

Welcome to the optimum interview mindset life, badass! You’ve unlocked the power of being authentically YOU during interviews - and when you’re hired for being you, it is the best feeling ever. I’m so excited to see where you land with your newfound confidence - hit my email or my DMs on Instagram and let me know how it went!

Do you want to dive deeper into some intentional and pragmatic interview prep? You’ll want to check out my FREE interview workshop, High-Vibe Interviews! I’ll be showing you the 4 steps to convert interviews into lucrative, dream job offers 🤩 See you there, mindset master.



Stay Badass,
Rosie x