Forget the stiff answers and forced smiles. This is your no-fluff guide to owning the room in any interview.
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We know you’d rather be on your couch binge-watching your latest Netflix obsession – but in this economy? Jobs are the new relationships. And ghosting an interview? Not an option.
It’s time to cash in all that prep we covered in the last article (and if you haven’t read it…get your a– actually, you do you, queen).
But seriously, this is your moment to stop lurking on the sidelines and start owning the room. You’ve done the work, rehearsed the lines, and now it’s time to bring that energy, personality and edge to the table, making sure they remember your name long after the interview ends.
Think Elle Woods in Legally Blonde: walking into a room where she supposedly doesn’t belong – pink, poised, and absolutely unbothered.
Just because it’s an interview doesn’t mean you have to press mute on your personality. You’re not a robot. You’re not just a bullet-pointed list of achievements in a blazer. You’re the plot twist they didn’t see coming.
Start strong with your posture, pace, voice, and greeting. Sit up like you mean it. Breathe like you belong. Speak with warmth, not like you’re being held hostage by your own mouth. A confident, well-paced conversation can go a long
Ah yes, the classic opener: “Tell me about yourself.” Simple in theory. Terrifying in practice. Suddenly, you forget everything you’ve ever done, who you are, and why you even applied in the first place (because rent doesn’t pay itself, unfortunately).
Here’s the trick: Don’t just recite your rehearsed lines like you’re reading from a teleprompter. Blend structure with personality. Start with your headline (what you do, what you’re good at), sprinkle in a bit of what excites you about the role or industry and wrap it up with something human. This could be your “why”, your passion, or even a quirky detail that makes you memorable.
Think of it as your trailer, not the full movie. Be real, be calm, and most importantly: stay in your body. You’ve got this.
Mid-answer, and suddenly your brain decides to clock out? Iconic. Love that for us.
But really, don’t panic. You’re not bombing, you’re buffering. Even the best of us forget our own names when the spotlight hits.
Step one: breathe. Pause like you meant to. Step two: say, “That’s a great question – just taking a moment to think it through,” and boom. You’ve bought time AND you look cool, collected, and in control (even if your inner monologue is screaming).
Step three: pivot. What were they actually asking? Find the heart of the question and dive back in. And if your brain is still giving you the blue screen of death, remember your safety net: Situation. Task. Action. Result.
Still spiralling? Channel Jennifer Lawrence at the 2013 Oscars. She tripped, laughed, kept it moving, and took home the award.
You’re not just there to answer questions. You’re there to ask them, too.
A well-timed, thoughtful question shows curiosity, insight and that you actually care about where you might work.
Skip the generic, “What’s the culture like?” (They’ll likely say “fast-paced.”) Instead, go for something specific that connects you to them.
Take it from Pranay (20), who once interviewed at an airline and had no clue how it was going, until he pulled out a fact he happened to know. The airline operated the A350, the same model that Qatar Airways had been having major paint degradation issues with.
“I asked if they’d been having similar issues with their A350s,” he says. “Her eyes lit up. She got really into explaining how they were handling it, and that’s when I knew I had the job.”
A smart question does two things: it shows you’ve done your homework and it turns the interview into a real conversation – one where they start seeing you as a teammate, not just a candidate.
Some interviews feel like a friendly coffee chat. Others feel like the final season of Who Wants to Be a Millionaire. Most fall somewhere in between.
The trick? Read the room and the person across from you. Matching their tone, energy, and level of formality helps you connect. Think mirroring their vibe, not mimicking it.
Elias (26) went into an interview where the recruiter opened with, “This isn’t really an interview, just a casual conversation.” Three seconds later, he was being grilled on his CV like it was his midterms.
He clocked the switch instantly, adjusted his tone and held his own.
Some interviewers change gears fast. Stay flexible, stay aware and adapt when needed. Just don’t leave your personality at the door.
You kept your cool even when your brain tried to betray you. That, my friend, is icon behaviour.
Whether it felt like a power move or a panic spiral, you made it alive. Take a breath. Romanticise your walk home. Maybe even reward yourself with an overpriced matcha.
And since we’re on a roll…
Let’s get into the follow-up phase: overthinking your every sentence and hitting refresh on your inbox like it’s a slot machine.
