I’ve Been on 8 Interviews, nailed 5 – but I still overthink the 3 that got away 😅

Let me tell you a secret.

I’ve been to eight job interviews in my career (yeah, I don't switch job that often). I landed five of them. Sounds like a win, right? Five out of eight — that’s a strong batting average by anyone’s standards.

But here’s the thing: I still catch myself overthinking those three I didn’t get.

You know the feeling. The slow, creeping ugh, why did I say THAT? that pops into your brain at 1 a.m. The imaginary replays of what you should have answered differently. It doesn't matter that I’ve been in the recruiting world for over 15 years, or that I’ve interviewed hundreds (well.... alongside my team, probably more like thousands) of candidates in 5 years of my recruitment career.

Even with all that experience, I still cringe at some of my own interviews. That’s human. That’s normal. And if you're doing the same? Welcome to the club.

But being a recruiter — and especially a headhunter — also means I’ve had the rare privilege of seeing both sides of the interview process. I know what it feels like to sweat through an interview, and I also know what recruiters are really looking for when they’re sitting across from you with a polite smile and a list of questions.

So today, I want to share that with you.

Whether you're a job seeker preparing for your next big interview or a recruiter looking to better guide your candidates, this is your behind-the-scenes look at how to stand out without selling your soul. Let’s get into it.

Debunk a Myth: Recruiters Aren’t Looking for “Perfection”

Seriously. We don’t need you to be flawless. What we do want is:

• Someone who knows what they bring to the table

• Someone who’s done the work (internally and externally)

• And someone who can communicate their value — clearly and with a bit of self-awareness

You don’t have to dazzle us with textbook answers or fake confidence. You just need to be real, prepared, and intentional.

Let’s break it down.

🎬 Tell Us Your Story — Not Just Your Resume

Imagine someone opens with:

“I’m a results-oriented team player who thrives in fast-paced environments.”

...Yawn.

Now imagine someone says:

“I actually started out in customer service, and realized I loved solving messy people problems — which led me into ops and eventually HR. That’s where I’ve found my groove.”

That second one? Way more interesting.

Way more human. And it tells us what motivates you.

👉 So here’s what to do: Prepare a career narrative. Think of it like your movie trailer. You’re the main character. What’s the plot? What keeps showing up in your story — curiosity? Creativity? People-building? Do you take risks? Do you fix broken things? Do you lead quietly or shake things up?

We don’t just want the what. We want to know your why.

🧠 Show Some Self-Awareness (We Love That Stuff)

One of the biggest green flags in any interview? When a candidate owns their growth areas without crumbling into self-doubt or overcompensating with bravado.

Let’s say we ask, “What’s something you’ve struggled with at work?” Don't panic. We’re not trying to trap you. We just want to see if you’re aware, coachable, and honest.

You could say:

“In the past, I’ve struggled with overcommitting because I wanted to be seen as dependable. I’ve been working on being more realistic with timelines and speaking up sooner when things shift.”

Perfect? Nope. Relatable? Totally. And that kind of reflection builds trust fast.

📊 Make Your Value Tangible

You know what recruiters love? Impact. That’s the secret ingredient behind every memorable candidate.

We’re looking for evidence that you didn’t just do stuff — you made things better.

Let’s say you worked in marketing. Instead of saying, “I handled email campaigns,” say:

“I created and optimized a re-engagement sequence that brought 12% of dormant users back into the funnel.”

It’s okay if the numbers aren’t earth-shattering. What matters is you’re thinking in terms of outcomes. Show us the ripple effect of your work.

If you’re early in your career and don’t have a ton of data? You can still frame things in terms of contribution and results:

“I noticed we didn’t have a client onboarding checklist, so I made one — and it cut down repeat questions by 40%.”

That’s the stuff that sticks.

💬 Answer Questions Like a Pro (Without Sounding Scripted)

You've probably heard of the STAR method (Situation, Task, Action, Result). It’s a great way to stay focused in behavioral interviews, but don’t let it turn you into a robot.

Instead, think:

• What was the context?

• What did you do that was unique or proactive?

• What was the impact?

Say we ask: “Tell me about a time you handled a difficult colleague.”

A strong reply might include:

• A brief setup: “We were under tight deadlines, and a teammate wasn’t pulling their weight…”

• What you tried: “I initiated a 1-on-1 to understand what was blocking them instead of escalating it right away…”

• What happened next: “They opened up about being overwhelmed, so we redistributed some tasks. The tension eased, and we met the deadline.”

Doesn’t have to be dramatic — just real.

❓ Ask Us Great Questions Back

Spoiler alert: the “Do you have any questions for us?” part isn’t just a formality — it’s a test.

Good questions = you’ve done your homework, you’re thinking critically, and you actually care whether this is a good fit for you.

Skip the “What’s the culture like?” unless you’re going to follow it up with something deeper. Try:

• “How does your team define success — beyond KPIs?”

• “What’s something you’ve changed your mind about in this company?”

• “What makes someone really thrive in this role?”

If we’re impressed by your curiosity, that’s a huge plus.

✨ Bonus: How to Handle the Cringe Moments (They’ll Happen!)

Here’s the truth: even the best interviews can have awkward moments. You’ll ramble. You’ll blank on a word. You’ll say something weird and overthink it for three years.

Let. It. Go.

One clunky answer won’t ruin a great overall impression — especially if you recover with grace.

Try this if you get stuck:

“Actually, let me rephrase that.” “I’m blanking on the exact name, but the core idea was…” Or even just smile and say, “Wow, great question — I need a second to think on that.”

Recruiters are human. We get it.

🎯 If you take one thing away from this article, let it be this:

You are more than any single interview.

You’re more than your resume, your last job, or that one time you said “synergy” way too many times in 60 seconds.

The best candidates are thoughtful, curious, and real. They reflect. They prepare. They show up with a story, a few great questions, and the confidence to say, “Here’s who I am — here’s what I bring.”

Even if they don’t get the job, they leave a lasting impression.

And trust me: that’s the kind of energy that gets hired.

Hi, I’m Patricia — a recruiter, headhunter, and career coach who’s spent the last 15+ years living on both sides of the interview table. I’ve helped companies hire top talents, and yes — I’ve had my own fair share of sweaty-palm interview moments, too.

So, if you’re prepping for an interview and need help refining your story, building confidence, or answering those tricky “what’s your weakness” questions without spiraling — I’m here for you. You don’t have to do this alone. You can book a 1:1 interview prep session with me where we’ll walk through your pitch, tailor it to the job, and practice so you feel sharp, self-aware, and actually excited to walk into that interview. DM me and let's chat!