Interview Skills: Good to Great

Most IT leaders are pretty good at interviews. On a scale of 1 to 10, they’re often a solid 6 or 7.

But here’s the problem: good enough doesn’t cut it in a highly competitive job market. Because it’s a game where only one person wins, everyone else is left behind.

When a 9/10 or 10/10 candidate walks into the room, the 7/10 candidates get knocked out. Being "good enough" might keep you in the game, but you’ll never win. To secure top-tier roles, you need to be exceptional.

In this article, we’ll break down how to transform from a “good” candidate into a 10/10 candidate, specifically by crafting witty and sharp interview responses. And yes, we’ll dive into tactical steps to help you get there.

Understanding the Question Behind the Question

Every question an interviewer asks has a purpose. Unless they’re wasting everyone’s time, or they don't know how to properly interview (in either case, you should probably run!), there’s a reason behind it.

To craft a sharp, witty response, you need to first understand the question behind the question. Ask yourself:

• Why are they asking this?
• What requirement does it translate to in their organization?
• What skill or character trait are they assessing through my response?

By understanding the “why” behind each question, you’re not just answering the surface-level query—you’re addressing the deeper concern that matters to the hiring team. This is the foundation of crafting a truly impactful answer.

For instance, if they ask, “Tell me about a time you disagreed with a colleague,” they’re not just probing for conflict stories. What they really want to know is how you handle difficult situations, your communication style, and whether you can navigate disagreements without damaging relationships.

So, a great response would go beyond the disagreement itself and highlight your ability to resolve conflicts constructively. And you might want to focus more on your general framework for handling disagreements.

Taking it up a notch, you can even ask "Are there any typical type of disagreement handling you're looking to assess - for instance, a day-to-day conflict vs a more strategic one?"

The 4 Key Elements of a Great Response

Once you understand why the question is being asked, you can focus on delivering a response that not only answers the question but keeps the interviewer engaged and interested. Here are the four key elements of a 10/10 response:

1. Interrupt their pattern – Keep them engaged by offering something unexpected.
2. Lucid structure – Make your answer easy to follow.
3. Concise and bite-sized – Deliver your points so they’re easy to digest.
4. Emotional connection – Tell a story that resonates, because all decisions, even business and hiring ones, are emotional.

Once you understand why the question is being asked, your next task is to craft a response that not only addresses the question but also keeps the interviewer fully engaged. A 10/10 response goes beyond the basics and shows that you’re thoughtful, strategic, and aligned with what the organization is looking for. Here are the four essential elements of a truly great response:

1. Interrupt Their Pattern – Keep Them Engaged by Offering Something Unexpected

Interviewers hear a lot of standard, rehearsed answers—especially from senior candidates. If your responses are predictable, you risk losing their attention. To stand out, you need to interrupt their mental pattern with something unexpected, something that breaks the monotony of typical interview responses.

This doesn’t mean shocking them with an outrageous answer, but rather offering a fresh perspective or framing your response in a way that they weren’t anticipating. For example, instead of a generic answer like "I manage my team by setting clear goals," you could say, "I empower my team by creating an ownership mindset, where everyone feels accountable not just for their tasks but for the success of the whole project." This subtle shift in how you frame your answer makes it stand out.

It works great because humans are wired to notice and remember things that break patterns.

2. Lucid Structure – Make Your Answer Easy to Follow

Even if your content is great, a response will fall flat if it’s not structured well. A great response is like a well-organized narrative, guiding the interviewer through your thought process clearly and logically.

It's imperative because interviewers have to process a lot of information in a short time, and then remember all of that to make a decision later. The more lucid you are, the more memorable it gets.

3. Concise and Bite-Sized – Deliver Your Points in Easily Digestible Pieces

It’s easy to get carried away with over-explaining, especially when you’re passionate about a topic. However, most interviewers only retain about 2-3 key points from each response - that's pretty much the processing power of the human brain. That’s why it’s critical to keep your answers concise and break them into bite-sized pieces.

If your answer is getting too long, ask yourself if you’re adding value with each detail. If not, wrap it up. You can always provide more context if asked.

4. Emotional Connection – Tell a Story that Resonates

Even though interviews are business-related, decision-making—whether hiring or otherwise—is still an emotional process. Storytelling is one of the most effective ways to connect emotionally with your interviewer and make your responses more impactful.

A good story paints a vivid picture and involves emotional stakes. Instead of simply describing what you did, explain how it felt, what challenges you faced, and how your actions led to a successful outcome. For example, instead of just saying “I led a product launch,” you could say, “We were under immense pressure to deliver the product in time for a major client demo. The stakes were high because our competitor was aggressively pushing a similar solution. I had to keep my team motivated while balancing tight deadlines. When we launched successfully, the feeling of accomplishment was incredible because we knew we’d beaten the odds.”

And it works great simply because people remember stories, especially those that evoke emotion.

That said, let's get into the operational bit.

Step 1: Get to the Point First

Once you understand why they’re asking the question, get to the point immediately. Don’t meander or over-explain at the start—start with the main thesis of your answer.

Examples:

• How do you manage deadlines? → “Prioritization.”
• How do you handle conflicts? → “Communication.”
• How do you plan for risks? → “I ask an expert unless I am the expert.”
• How do you convince someone? → “I focus on their self-interests and apprehensions.”

If you notice the examples above, no matter the story behind it, the key point is irreplaceable. And by you putting out your "lesson" in the story first, gives a quick summary to the listener.

By offering your key takeaway first, you immediately hook the listener. This also shows that you’re socially calibrated—you understand that interviewers are busy and want the crux of your answer first. Once they’re hooked, you can draw them into the example or elaboration.

Step 2: Tell Your Story from Your Point of View

After you’ve delivered your main point, tell a story that highlights your experience or illustrates your answer. People aren't interested in what happened alone, they are interested in your perception and handling of the problem.

Here’s how to keep the interviewer engaged with your storytelling:

• Paint a picture from your point of view. Describe the scenario as you experienced it.
• Highlight observations and key moments. Explain your thought process and how you arrived at critical decisions.
• Use present tense (active voice) to draw the listener into the story and make it feel immediate.

Example: “As I was touring the shop floor with the VP of Operations, excited about rolling out a new digital logger for our asset management system, we overheard two linemen complaining about how frustrating the rollout had been. The VP turned to me with a look that clearly said, ‘Fix this.’”

“At that moment, I knew we had to improve our training methods, making them more interactive and hands-on.”

By telling the story from your perspective, you make it more vivid and engaging. This brings the interviewer into your experience, allowing them to better understand your thought process and leadership.

Again, if you feel that this kind of response will be too detailed, know that I’m only adding detail here to the moment of critical decision. You wouldn’t be adding this level of detail to every part of your response.

Step 3: Use Bullets To Structure Your Responses

A clear structure helps the interviewer follow your logic and prevents your answer from feeling disjointed. Use a bullet-point structure or numbered lists to organize your thoughts.

Example: “We approached the problem in two ways:

1. We improved the training process.
2. We streamlined communication between teams.”

By structuring your answer like this, you make it easier for the listener to process. People can usually only remember 2-3 pieces of information at once, so presenting your response in chunks makes it more digestible.

Step 4: Use Conjunctions and Grace Phrases

One common problem candidates face is that their answers can sometimes feel disjointed, especially if English isn’t their first language. This makes the response hard to follow, even when the content is solid. A simple fix is to use conjunctions to connect your ideas and maintain logical flow.

Conjunctions like:

• And
• But
• Because
• However
• Although

help smooth transitions between thoughts and create a more cohesive argument.

Example of a Disjointed Response: "We implemented a new solution. The old system was inefficient. It caused delays in production. We needed to scale up quickly. The new system reduced costs. It improved output."

While this response provides facts, it feels scattered and doesn't connect the dots. Now, let’s see how conjunctions can improve the flow.

Revised Response with Conjunctions: "We implemented a new solution because the old system was inefficient, causing delays in production. And since we needed to scale up quickly, the new system not only reduced costs but also improved output."

Now if this looks like a simple grammar lesson, think again. We're surprised by how often candidates don't even know that their responses lack a proper connection. Only when we have them record themselves and listen to it, is when they realize it.

Are you doing it too? Perhaps try recording yourself.

Step 5: Keep Categories of Arguments Together

To make your responses cohesive and easier for the interviewer to follow, it's important to group related points together. This method ensures that your answer flows logically and keeps your key points organized, helping the interviewer absorb and remember your response.

Here’s how you can compartmentalize your thoughts:

• What: Discuss all the action items or tasks you undertook in one section.
• Why: Explain the reasoning or motivation behind your actions.
• How: Describe the steps or approach you used to execute your actions.
• Result: Conclude with the outcome, impact, or lesson learned.

By structuring your response this way, you deliver a more compelling and organized answer.

Full Example: Responding to a Behavioral Interview Question

Question: “Tell me about a time you had to lead a team through a difficult project. How did you handle it?”

Answer:

1. What (Action) "Last year, I was tasked with leading the implementation of a new ERP system at our company, a project that affected multiple departments. We were facing significant resistance from several teams, especially the finance department, who felt the existing system was working fine and saw no need for a change."

2. Why (Reasoning) "The primary reason for this project was that our existing ERP system had become outdated and was no longer capable of supporting the company's growth. We were seeing inefficiencies in reporting and inventory management, which were directly impacting our profitability. Additionally, without an upgrade, we wouldn't be able to scale effectively as the company expanded into new markets."

3. How (Approach) "To manage the resistance and ensure successful implementation, I took a few key steps. First, I held a series of meetings with each department to listen to their concerns and demonstrate how the new system would improve their processes. I also worked closely with our IT team to ensure that the training sessions were tailored to each department’s unique needs. We created a phased rollout plan so that each team could adjust gradually to the new system while still maintaining their current workloads. Lastly, I made sure to communicate progress regularly, so everyone felt informed and involved throughout the process."

4. Result (Impact) "As a result, we completed the ERP implementation two weeks ahead of schedule. The new system reduced our reporting time by 30% and cut inventory discrepancies by 20%. More importantly, after the initial resistance, the finance department became one of the strongest advocates for the system, as they saw firsthand how it improved their workflow."

Bonus Tip: Gracefully Handling Transitions

No matter how well-prepared you are, interviews are dynamic, and sometimes, you’ll want to pivot or introduce a tangential point. To handle this smoothly, use transition phrases like “by the way” when introducing a related topic and “anyway” when you want to return to the original point.

Example: “By the way, another aspect we focused on was how the rollout affected long-term scalability. Anyway, once we addressed that, we were able to move forward with implementation.”

These small phrases help you handle transitions with grace and keep the conversation flowing naturally.

Hopefully, these strategies will help you craft better interview responses. That said, I can not overstate the importance of recording your responses at least once.

While these may seem like apparent pointers, I wanted this article to be more of a detailed checklist and a guideline for ensuring you're deploying all strategies at hand.

Hope this helps ??