What I’m seeing in interviews right now
Across industries, hiring hasn’t simply “slowed” or “sped up”—it’s becoming more selective and more role-specific. Many companies are still cautious on headcount, but they’ll move quickly when a role is tied to revenue, risk reduction, or operational efficiency.
Below are practical, interview-ready insights you can use to choose targets, tailor your stories, and predict the process before you step into a screening call.
5 hiring trends shaping interview processes
- More “proof-of-skill” steps: Expect take-homes, case prompts, live exercises, or portfolio reviews—especially in product, data, engineering, and growth roles.
- Fewer generalists, more specialists: Job descriptions are narrowing. The winning candidates show depth in a specific stack, domain, or customer segment.
- Finance-style rigor outside finance: Even non-finance roles are getting asked about ROI, unit economics, prioritization trade-offs, and resource constraints.
- AI literacy is becoming baseline: You don’t need to be an AI engineer, but you should articulate how you use AI tools responsibly to improve speed/quality.
- Culture + resilience checks are back: After waves of reorgs, interviewers probe adaptability: “Tell me about a time priorities changed overnight.”
How to tailor your interview strategy (actionable)
1) Rewrite your stories in “business impact” language
Use a simple structure:
- Problem (what risk/opportunity existed)
- Constraints (budget, time, compliance, headcount)
- Actions (what you did and why)
- Results (numbers, customer outcomes, risk reduced)
Tip: If you don’t have metrics, estimate ranges or proxy metrics (cycle time reduced, fewer escalations, improved conversion).
2) Predict the hiring manager’s real question
Most questions translate to:
- “Can you do the work here?”
- “Will you ramp fast with our constraints?”
- “Will you make my team’s output more reliable?”
Prepare two versions of each story: one for a scrappy environment and one for a structured environment.
3) Watch for green flags in the process
You’re likely in an “active priority hire” when you see:
- Interview steps scheduled within 7–10 days
- Clear scorecards/competencies shared
- A recruiter who can explain decision timelines and criteria
Red flags include vague role scope, shifting requirements, or long gaps without feedback.
Quick self-check: are you positioned for today’s market?
- Do you have 3 impact stories with numbers?
- Can you explain your work in two levels (executive + technical)?
- Do you have one differentiated niche (industry, domain, toolset, segment)?
Your turn
Which industry or role are you targeting right now, and what’s the hardest interview step you’re encountering (case, take-home, behavioral, technical, or hiring-manager screen)?