Why should we enjoy the interVIEW?

Have you ever asked yourself:

- “How many interviews have I gone through?”

- “How many of those interviews brought me joy versus anxiety?”

- “What’s my success rate in interviews where I felt anxious and thought I did horribly?”

- “And how about the ones where I felt at ease and confident?”

Take a moment to reflect. Do you notice a trend?

After asking myself these questions and analyzing? both my experiences and those of the job seekers I’ve worked with, I discovered a key factor that can make or break an interview:

VIBES.

Imagine you’re an employer, sifting through countless resumes each day. Even if you’re lucky enough to have HR to help, you still face a barrage of interviews.

After conducting several interviews that didn’t lead to a hire, you’re exhausted —not just from the interviews but from your day-to-day responsibilities. You desperately need to hire someone to share the workload,? but you’re hesitant to make a quick decision that you might regret later. At the same time, you're feeling discouraged.

You try to stay attentive during interviews, but it’s becoming harder to stay engaged. Lately, the candidates you’ve interviewed seem as drained as you are. While you can relate to them, none of these interviews have sparked joy.

Then one day, you meet John—a candidate whose resume didn’t particularly stand out. At the start of the interview, John seems a bit nervous.

But then something changes. As John begins to answer your questions, he provides exactly the information you’re looking for. He even addresses your main concern—his lack of experience in litigation.

You find yourself becoming more interested. John’s knowledge of your work impresses you, and he asks thoughtful, relevant questions. It’s clear he has a genuine interest in joining your team.

After the interview, you check your watch and are surprised to find that an hour has passed. It didn’t even feel like a 30-minute conversation. Unlike other interviews, you feel like you really got to know John, and he seems like someone you’d enjoy working with.

You pass John’s resume to Melinda, the Talent Acquisition Manager, with a note: “Please proceed with this candidate. Although he lacks the required litigation experience, I’m willing to train him. I enjoyed the interview and can see myself working with him.”

Vibes go both ways. Although we cannot control how others present themselves in the interview, as a candidate, when you show your genuine self and stay present during the interview, you invite the interviewer to do the same. The purpose of an interview, after all, is for both you and the employer to get to know each other.

To all job seekers: while interviews can be intimidating, don’t forget to be present and enjoy the interVIEW!

Hi! I’m Irina. Thank you for reading my first newsletter. If you enjoyed it, don’t forget to subscribe for updates.

As a legal career coach, I’ve helped practicing and aspiring lawyers in Canada triple their interview opportunities and secure multiple offers. If you’d like to elevate your interview experience and success rate, drop me a DM or schedule a complimentary discovery call with me —let’s chat!