Interview Boss

Amongst the stress of an interview, it’s easy to forget the stories and examples you prepared, or lose your train of thought and start rambling. But what if you had a secret weapon you could fall back on? Enter: The Magic Interview Notebook.In this week’s episode, Sarah and Emma explain why bringing a notebook into an interview is NOT a crime, despite it feeling like one. From jotting down your carefully crafted questions to having prompts that jog your memory when you go blank, your notebook can be an epic safety net that can help keep your nerves at bay.We share how you can organise your notes, use them seamlessly without reading them word-for-word and bring it into the conversation naturally.🏀 Shoot Your Shot - Shoutout to Pat who bought us 5 coffees!“Emma and Sarah, Almost a year ago, my wife and I decided to make a big move to a new city with our boys. You may remember me as the jack of all trades — music, building, environmental work— too many disparate elements for a digestible resume. Like many others, I tried everything, and my wife started referring to me as "the invisible man." I was working so hard, making an impact that I was proud of, yet everything seemed to go unnoticed. I started with your podcast, listening while remodeling friends' homes. Then I moved on to the Interview Academy and worked through developing my best stories and responses. Within a few months, I was getting noticed and landed an incredible interview for a role leading an environmental non-profit in the city we hoped to move to. It felt like I had a great authentic story for every question, and within a few weeks, I got the offer. I've been in the job for 7 months now, and while every position comes with its challenges, it's been incredible. I've developed a whole new set best bits to live alongside the old ones. Listening to the podcast, I kept having the feeling that you two had some magical power that seeped through listeners' earbuds. All these months later, I'm certain of it. But really, you're providing us all with confidence, kindness, laughter, and actionable steps to improve our career transitions. Thank you and cheers! Pat!”🎥 Check out our BRAND NEW free training - Top Interview Tips https://www.interviewboss.com.au/top-interview-tips🏫 To get step by step help with your interview prep on demand check out our Interview Academy https://www.interviewboss.com.au/interview-academy☕ Did our podcast help you out? Want to say thank you in coffee form? Shout us a virtual coffee here: www.buymeacoffee.com/interviewboss☎️ To book an interview coaching session with Sarah, go to www.interviewboss.com.au/coaching ❤️  Follow us on Instagram📒 Check out our website for free jobseeker resourceswww.interviewboss.com.au

Discover how any job can yield valuable stories for interviews, with a focus on roles that enhance transferable skills. Learn the importance of strategic job choices to accelerate career growth. Small shifts in responsibility can lead to significant resume wins! The hosts share real-life success stories and practical advice, from negotiating benefits to crafting compelling narratives about your experiences. Plus, find out how experiences in various dining environments can uniquely shape your skills.

You’ve probably spent hours crafting the perfect resume, but have you ever stopped to consider whether the hiring manager actually knows anything about your previous employers? You shouldn't assume they would have heard of the company before!In this week’s episode, Sarah and Emma discuss the importance of including a brief company description on your CV to give context to your experience, clarify the scope of your role and the time period you worked there. This simple addition can save you from misunderstandings and help the hiring manager understand your background quickly and clearly in this competitive job market.🏀 Shoot Your Shot - Shoutout to Mendy who bought us a coffee!"Thank you for making the podcast and the resources available to us for free, as much of the stress of being unemployed or underemployed is financial stress. I was laid off from a job in the middle of 2023. I'd been working 65-70 hour weeks and not taken a single day of vacation for 11 months because I was trying to prove myself and get a solid foothold on a competitive team. I got stuck in a bad situation with a toxic boss, and spent most days stress crying just to get through the day. I'd chosen this job though, and very much felt I had to lay in the bed I made. The layoff was devastating, but in some ways was a relief. I took a few months to get healthy and started applying at the start of 2024, but couldn't get anyone to pick up my resume. I applied for 1200 + jobs. I wove in and out of depression thinking that there was something wrong with me that I just couldn't see. I received no feedback, so I couldn't improve my resume or my application to do better the next time. I contacted my friend's realtor at the end of December to begin the process of selling my home because I'd used all of my savings. I felt like I was failing as an adult. If this gets read on the show, for all the folks dealing with these difficult situations, KEEP YOUR HEAD UP. It's so hard to continue trying when you get "rejected" (I know it's a bad word) over and over. It feels like a rejection of your life's work, your education, your capabilities, your desires, and your life and ability to fund it. But keep it up. Keep trying, keep adjusting, keep applying. You are not alone. The week before Christmas, right after that call with the realtor, I received a few wonderful offers, and I am now preparing to start 2025 - over a year and a half after I'd been let go - in a new path. Your podcast and resources were like scaffolding to help me mentally work through the confusing process and stressful steps of this journey, and I'm so incredibly grateful. Thank you, thank you.”🎥 Check out our BRAND NEW free training - Top Interview Tips https://www.interviewboss.com.au/top-interview-tips🏫 To get step by step help with your interview prep on demand check out our Interview Academy https://www.interviewboss.com.au/interview-academy☕ Did our podcast help you out? Want to say thank you in coffee form? Shout us a virtual coffee here: www.buymeacoffee.com/interviewboss☎️ To book an interview coaching session with Sarah, go to www.interviewboss.com.au/coaching ❤️  Follow us on Instagram📒 Check out our website for free jobseeker resourceswww.interviewboss.com.au

If you’re ready to make bold moves this year, this episode is a MUST listen. In 2025, we want you to embody our mantra and ‘SHOOT YOUR SHOT!’Whether it’s applying for a job even though you don’t meet every single requirement, sliding into someone’s DM’s that you admire, entering a competition or asking to taste test an ice cream flavour before committing to a choice, we want to inspire you to stop waiting for permission, and start taking action.It's time to stop letting the fear of rejection hold you back!🏀 Shoot Your Shot - Shoutout to Jane who bought us 3 coffees!“Hey Emma and Sarah. I've been listening to your podcasts for 2 years already! Not anymore sorry but I recommend your podcast to everyone around me. I got my dream job by listening to your podcasts and applying what you advised. I listened so much that your voices became so sincere and dear to me (I even have a notebook dedicated to your episodes). Everyday I listened and took notes. I don't know how many times I listened to your group interview episode, before my own group interview! Now that I am in the corporate world, I think there are lots of things to consider, because just getting the job done won't get you promoted. If you run out of content one day I would love to hear some advice related to the corporate world, the oil and gas industry, gender imbalance, toxic environments, how to rise up despite all the hardships and de-motivation and being a woman in male dominated environment. I would love to hear about ADHD as well."🎥 Check out our BRAND NEW free training - Top Interview Tips https://www.interviewboss.com.au/top-interview-tips🏫 To get step by step help with your interview prep on demand check out our Interview Academy https://www.interviewboss.com.au/interview-academy☕ Did our podcast help you out? Want to say thank you in coffee form? Shout us a virtual coffee here: www.buymeacoffee.com/interviewboss☎️ To book an interview coaching session with Sarah, go to www.interviewboss.com.au/coaching ❤️  Follow us on Instagram📒 Check out our website for free jobseeker resourceswww.interviewboss.com.au

Discover how to supercharge your job search with ChatGPT! The hosts share eight powerful prompts for crafting resumes and cover letters that stand out. They highlight the balance between utilizing AI tools and maintaining genuine effort throughout the process. With practical tips for salary research and building your job search toolkit, you'll gain insights to transform your approach. Don't miss the engaging anecdotes that bring humor and relatability to the job-seeking journey!

Are you tempted to script your interview answers? Discover why this approach may hinder your success. The hosts discuss the dangers of sounding robotic and emphasize the need for authentic, engaging communication. Learn about a flexible answer framework that balances preparation with conversational ease. They also share tips on embracing natural storytelling to foster genuine connections during interviews. Tune in for practical advice paired with humor that empowers you on your job-seeking journey!

If you're feeling crushed after getting knocked back from a job, then this episode is for you.We've created a mindset exercise to help put your 'rejection' into context. We hope this role-playing exercise will help you to understand just how subjective hiring decisions can be - and how it's not always about being 'better,' but about being the right fit for the specific need.We’d love to hear who YOU picked and why! Drop us a comment on Spotify for this episode or slide into our DM's with your thoughts!🏀 Shoot Your Shot - Shoutout to CC who bought us 10 coffees!“The sisters I never had! I moved out of leadership from a toxic company and got a good job with slightly better pay but after a year and an unsuccessful application for a promotion I was feeling a bit stagnant. I thought I was in a good position this time around when another leadership opening in my department came up, but wanted to leave nothing to chance. I am confident in my employability and skills, but I have ADHD, anxiety and hot mess energy. Sometimes it feels like nobody understands my brain. The content was all somewhat familiar to me, and I had luckily been preparing for interviews in similar ways, but the podcast and Interview Academy really helped me not feel alone in the process. You gave me clear strategies, goals, accountability, and permission to calm down. I listened to the “before you go into your interview” literally standing in a power pose in a small room with the air conditioner maxed out and tears welling in my eyes because I was so inspired. My career story sold like hotcakes. The rest of the interview is a blur. I got the promotion and a fatter pay rise than expected. I can’t thank you enough for helping me stay focused!”🎥 Check out our BRAND NEW free training - Top Interview Tips https://www.interviewboss.com.au/top-interview-tips🏫 To get step by step help with your interview prep on demand check out our Interview Academy https://www.interviewboss.com.au/interview-academy☕ Did our podcast help you out? Want to say thank you in coffee form? Shout us a virtual coffee here: www.buymeacoffee.com/interviewboss☎️ To book an interview coaching session with Sarah, go to www.interviewboss.com.au/coaching ❤️  Follow us on Instagram📒 Check out our website for free jobseeker resourceswww.interviewboss.com.au

They unpack why past success from winging it can be misleading. They explore how role level, interviewer style and market pressure change what works. They compare personal interview track records and explain when experience alone is enough. They frame preparation as a safety net and point to practical resources for reliable interview readiness.

Chances are you've probably been told you need to customise your resume for every single job you apply for, to perfectly match the job description, reflect the company culture and stand out from the crowd.BUT what if we gave you permission to abandon this time consuming and exhausting advice?In this week's episode, Sarah and Emma share an alternative tip that will alleviate stress and prevent you from burning out before you've even landed an interview.🏀 Shoot Your Shot - Shoutout to Lysandra who bought us 3 coffees!“I went for a management position in educational psychology that I'm not sure I had enough experience for. It was a panel interview (4 people) which overran, lasting for 1hr 40mins. I was shattered! It was a virtual interview which I do not love but your pod helped me to see the positive side to this. I worked hard on my initial story. I was able to read from my notes & screen share ideas I'd prepared in advance. I also didn't let the lady with the 'resting b***h face' distract me like it often does. One other thing that I normally stress about is finding the perfect example for the "tell us a time when you..." questions. Instead, you helped me to focus on explaining my self-awareness & learning from the examples rather than the event itself. Last night I got the call to say they want me! Thank you guys so much for your help. Enjoy the coffee."🎥 Check out BRAND NEW free training - Top Interview Tips https://www.interviewboss.com.au/top-interview-tips🏫 To get step by step help with your interview prep on demand check out our Interview Academy https://www.interviewboss.com.au/interview-academy☕ Did our podcast help you out? Want to say thank you in coffee form? Shout us a virtual coffee here: www.buymeacoffee.com/interviewboss☎️ To book an interview coaching session with Sarah, go to www.interviewboss.com.au/coaching ❤️  Follow us on Instagram📒 Check out our website for free jobseeker resourceswww.interviewboss.com.au

If you're hoping to ask about taking on a role part-time, but have no idea how or where to bring it up in the interview process, then this episode is for you!Sarah and Emma explain what you can say if you're strictly looking for part-time work, or looking to eventually transition from part-time into full-time.We explain why it's important to highlight your flexibility to boost your chances, but remind you that you can't control what the companies answer will be. You will never know until you ask!🏀 Shoot Your Shot - Shoutout to Tricia who bought us 6 coffees!"Omg where do I even begin?!? It has been my life-long dream to live in the mountains, so 2024 was the year my husband and I made the decision to move across the country to Colorado. This meant I needed to quit my comfy corporate job where I had been for the past 6 years and find something new. I went into the job hunt very confident, because I have amazing experience and I thought my resume spoke for itself. I thought getting interviews would be a piece of cake. Boy was I wrong. With 28% of the American population looking for jobs right now, I literally picked the worst time to quit with no other job lined up. We moved in August, but I proactively started applying for jobs in January. I didn’t get a single interview until July. Yikes!! By September, I was extremely discouraged and terrified that I would have to take a significant step back in my career that I had worked so hard for. Your podcast was the one thing that kept me going and made me feel better. Anytime I had anxiety, I’d listen to an episode and felt more reassured. At this point, I’ve listened to almost every episode. Finally I secured 2 interviews in the same week with 2 companies. We will call them company 1 and 2. Neither job was my “dream job,” but at this point I was getting desperate and I definitely had to take my dream job off a pedestal. Company 1 was easy breezy. The interviewer didn’t ask me a single question but I was sure to interrupt him so I could tell him my best bits. He was thoroughly impressed. Company 2 was more intense. They made me prepare a 10 min presentation using 3 excel sheets of data where I had to give them a sales pitch. I was absolutely terrified and froze several times throughout the presentation… BUT I nailed the “tell me about yourself” part (which I had been practicing for the past 8 months), and every “normal” interview question. I even had them laughing with my jokes. I told them I was nervous because I cared about this job lol. At the end of the interview process, company 1 offered me a job with my preferred salary, and company 2 told me that I didn’t get the job I had applied for, but they liked me so much that they asked if I would interview for a different role! So thanks to you guys, I knew exactly how to play my power move!! I told company 2 that they needed to interview me and offer me the job within 1 week because I already had another offer. They ultimately told me they couldn’t meet my timeline, so I thanked them for their consideration and took the offer at company 1!! Even though company 2 was my preferred company, I’m SOOO happy to have a job (contract has been signed!). The bonus is that I ended on great terms with the HR team at company 2 and they told me they’d let me know if another role opens up!”🎥 Check out BRAND NEW free training - Top Interview Tips https://www.interviewboss.com.au/top-interview-tips🏫 To get step by step help with your interview prep on demand check out our Interview Academy https://www.interviewboss.com.au/interview-academy☕ Did our podcast help you out? Want to say thank you in coffee form? Shout us a virtual coffee here: www.buymeacoffee.com/interviewboss☎️ To book an interview coaching session with Sarah, go to www.interviewboss.com.au/coaching ❤️  Follow us on Instagram📒 Check out our website for free jobseeker resourceswww.interviewboss.com.auMentioned in this episode:New To the Podcast? Start Here!Episodes For Your Situation