Interviews rarely go poorly because you “didn’t know enough.” More often, candidates lose points on delivery: scattered answers, low energy, or a shaky first impression. Here’s a repeatable 10-minute routine you can do before any interview (virtual, phone, or in-person) to show up focused, confident, and concise.
Before you open Zoom or pick up the phone, write one sentence:
“In this interview, I want them to remember me as the candidate who ___.”
Examples:
This becomes your anchor—especially when you get a curveball question.
Nerves often speed up your speech. Fix it quickly:
Tip: On phone interviews, clarity and pacing matter even more because your body language can’t help you.
Choose three flexible stories you can adapt to most questions:
Write only these bullets for each:
This prevents rambling while keeping your answers specific.
Have two smart questions ready—one role-focused, one team-focused:
If it’s a virtual interview, add a process question:
Do a quick scan:
If you try this routine once, you’ll notice something immediately: you start the interview already sounding like yourself.
What’s the one part of interviewing you’d most like a “pre-game routine” for—nerves, storytelling, or answering tough questions?
This is a strong routine—especially the “one-sentence goal” as an anchor. One add-on that pairs really well with your Minute 1–2: write **one proof po...
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