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Better Interviewing Strategies - Interview Like A Consultant
PLUS: How to write a meaningful cover letter, redefining what a perfect job looks like, top 3 ways to land an interview, and more!
Hannah Morgan
June 22, 2025
Welcome to Career Essentials, where I share actionable insights and curated articles that will help accelerate your career and supercharge your job search.
Better Interviewing Strategies - Interview Like A Consultant
First, let’s acknowledge that many employers do not know exactly what they want or need. But let me ask you this. If I asked you to identify the perfect life partner, would you be able to provide an exact description? Let’s help them define what they need instead of getting frustrated.
Hiring is more about feeling than skills. It isn’t (nor should it be) just based on a skills match-up, an impersonal interrogation, or a popularity contest.
Now that you realize there are many factors employers consider, let’s get ready to treat the job interview more like a meeting.
Recognizing the many factors employers weigh, let's approach the job interview as a collaborative meeting. If you're concerned about being over or under-qualified, remember that employers are primarily looking for someone who can solve their problems. By preparing your thoughtful responses and insightful questions, you'll significantly improve your interviewing success. Let's explore how.
Are you what the employer is looking for?
The job description often provides the first hint of an employer's expectations. For instance, if it specifies 1-3 years of experience, it indicates a preference for candidates with limited prior work history. If you possess substantial experience, you have two options:
Demonstrate willingness to accept a lower-level position. This entails accepting reduced compensation and refraining from referencing past company practices.
Opt not to apply. The only exception is if it's a highly desirable company and you're determined to gain entry. In such a scenario, refer to the first option.
Learn Everything You Can About the Company
The best way to understand what the job really requires and what the company really needs is to speak to people who currently work there and even those who used to work there. This type of intelligence gathering is critical because it provides the insight you won’t find on their website.
Sure, scour the company’s website, know its mission, and learn about projects, clients, customers, and everything else. However, there is no replacement for a person-to-person conversation to gain the inside scoop on what is really going on inside the company.
Use LinkedIn to find people you know (a lot or a little). When you reach out, explain why you want to talk with them.
Tip: you want to learn about X. This is more important than wanting a job.
Use the information you gather to prepare STAR stories that show how you are perfectly qualified and how you have fixed similar problems before in previous roles.
To truly understand a job's demands and a company's needs, engage in conversations with current and former employees. This intelligence gathering is crucial for insights not available on the company website.
While it's important to thoroughly research the company's website, mission, projects, clients, and customers, direct person-to-person conversations offer invaluable insider information.
LinkedIn is your go-to resource to find individuals you know, even slightly who work for the company you are targeting or will be interviewing with. When reaching out, clearly state your desire to learn about specific aspects of the role or company (e.g., "I want to learn about X") rather than immediately expressing your job interest.
The information you gather will help you craft relevant STAR stories that demonstrate your qualifications and how you've successfully addressed similar challenges in past positions.
Prepare Answers to Difficult Questions
If you're overqualified for a position, be prepared to address it. Interviewers may not voice this concern directly, but it's likely on their minds. Be ready to dispel the idea that you're too senior by providing examples of times you've successfully and happily taken on projects below your typical level.
Avoid overselling yourself. The goal is to present yourself as perfectly qualified. For instance, if a job description states the need to answer phones and relay messages, don't mention that you've managed people doing this work. This can make you appear overqualified. Instead, focus on how you performed that task in your most recent role, not 15 years ago..
Act Like a Consultant
Approach an interview as if you were going to be consulting for them. This means you will have to ask a lot of questions! Never ASSUME anything.
A consultant would ask questions to help the company clarify and/or identify what they truly need done.
Steve Levy, a recruiter, wrote an excellent post years ago on how to interview like a consultant. Below are the questions he recommends candidates ask to understand the business needs for the job:
What are the company’s problems that you hope to resolve/solve?
What are they presently doing to resolve/solve the problems?
What has been previously tried and why did these methods succeed or fail?
What resources – internal and external – will be available to resolve/solve the problems?
Do they have a vision for the work that you will perform?
What are the time constraints to resolve/solve the problems?
What budget has been allocated to resolve/solve the problems and what factors would cause this budget to deviate?
What risks are you and the company willing to take in resolving/solving the problems?
Who are the customers and how do they measure satisfaction?
Dig deep. Keep asking “why” so you can truly understand the interviewer’s true needs!
Be Likable
Even the most qualified candidate can get eliminated if the interviewers don’t like him or her. What can you do to be sincere and likable?! Here is a post with suggestions on how to increase your “like-ability”!
Not A Fit? Ask for a Referral
If the interviewer clearly states, “YOU ARE NOT A FIT FOR THIS JOB” or something similar (and I mean they really say those words) to indicate you are no longer a candidate for that job, then you may consider asking them if they know anyone who may need your skills and talents.
You have nothing to lose. They know lots of people in your industry and may know of either another position within the company or perhaps at another company you may be a better fit for! What do you have to lose?
Does asking questions to uncover their business goals help you sound like a consultant? Try it and see!
🔎 JOB SEARCH
How to Write a Truly Authentic Cover Letter - Jon Shields, Workinglife.com
Cover letters have evolved. And while not everyone reads them, some will. You want to make sure yours is strong. Let’s take a look at what a cover letter is NOT:
A cover letter is NOT for recruiters
A cover letter is NOT your introduction
A great cover letter is NOT a summary, it's an add-on
A generic cover letter is NOT “better than nothing”
This article walks you through each section of the cover letter and shows you exactly what to include to make it interesting and genuine. PLUS, a super AI prompt to make it easier to blend all the necessary info into a great read.
No Perfect Job, Just Aligned Work - Steve P Brady, The Catalyst
Searching for the “perfect” job is the wrong goal, for a couple of reasons. First, you want a job that aligns with what is important to you at this stage in your career. That is the new measure. Second, a job shouldn’t define you or your success. This article will help you re-evaluate your quest for a new job.
🗨 INTERVIEWING
The First Interview is a Filter, Not a Test - Sonika, Onboarded
What are they really looking for during that screening interview? It’s not skills. They want to evaluate if you are a “safe bet.” And this article lays out four things you can easily do to show you are. Refine your answer to tell me about yourself, mention recent news about the company, and ask questions. There are additional tips in here too. While this is written for tech interviews, I’ll let you know a secret: this is true across all jobs and industries.
🔮 WORKFORCE
Tech Innovation in Labor Market Matching - Guy Berger, Guy’s Substack
Guy is an economist. And this is his interpretation of how technology in the job application process has evolved. Maybe not for the better. The time and effort required by job applicants may filter out high-quality candidates. But low barriers to applying flood the candidate pool. There isn’t an answer, but it’s an interesting look at the evolution of how companies and candidates connect.
💰 CAREER
Navigating the Jump from Manager to Executive - Harvard Business Review
What got you to the executive level isn’t what will help you succeed. Develop your coaching skills, guide important decisions, and develop a list of priorities.
Making the successful transition is in your court. And if you are looking for a job at a higher level, make sure your resume includes some of the things mentioned in the article and you use STAR stories that emphasize these three important areas.
From Curiosity to Connection: The Art of Asking and Listening - Frank Sonnenberg
Listening might just be the most important yet under-valued skillset. See the 12 ways better listening improves your work and professional life.
And there is evidence in this article that opportunities for older workers isn’t dead.
📶 RECRUITER PERSPECTIVE
I know I shared this last week, but want to point out that internal hiring is on the rise. This happens when companies have limited growth and the desire to hire known entities (current employees). For reference, the research finds that there was a “decrease in offer rates among all application sources except for internal applicants.” This means internal applicants have the best odds of getting hired/promoted.
But note: “Across all jobs, candidates from internal, referred, and agency were found to be more likely to get interviews than inbound applicants — and be hired after an interview.” This means that getting referred and working with external recruiters is the best path to getting interviewed.
Mergers lead to layoffs. In August, the newly formed joint venture between Randstad NV and Apollo Global Management said it plans to close its U.S. headquarters in Chicago and expects to terminate employees on August 4. These two job boards struggled to compete for years so it isn’t surprising to see. Combine this with the increased market share LinkedIn job postings have gained and Indeed’s stronger online search rankings, this is what you get. There’s one more factor to weigh in right now. Hiring is down and it isn’t expected to increase in the near future.
PS: The letter of notification is cold and a lesson in what NOT to do when announcing future layoffs.
EVENTS
If you want to receive specific assignments each week (with instructions and templates), then join the Job Search Challenge.
HERE’S WHAT YOU GET EACH WEEK
5 actionable job search goals to move you forward
Step-by-step instructions so you never feel stuck
Ready-to-use templates, samples, and checklists
30-minute group check-in call on Zoom for accountability and support
Delivered straight to your inbox, every Monday
August 4, 11, 18, 25, September 2
Check-in calls are at 12pm ET
$39 for all 5 weeks
JOB SEARCH VISUAL
Too many job seekers walk into interviews underprepared—but not you. Here are 7 steps to help you stand out and show up with confidence.
1. KNOW THE BASICS
➡️ What’s the role?
➡️ Who do you know at the company?
➡️ What recent news or trends could you mention?
2. GET INSIDE THE ROLE
Identify the top 3 skills or qualifications the job requires. Then ask:
🛠 What problems does this role need to solve?
4. CRAFT YOUR OPENING
Your “Tell me about yourself” answer should highlight your skills and the reason you’re excited about this role. Use Past, Present, Future to structure your 1-2 minute answer.
5. BUILD YOUR STORIES
Use the STAR method to structure 3 compelling examples that prove you’ve got what it takes.
✔️ Situation
✔️ Task
✔️ Action
✔️ Result
6. ASK SMART QUESTIONS
Come prepared with 3-5 thoughtful questions that show you’ve done your homework.
7. CLOSE STRONG
Remind them what makes you the right fit—and why they should remember you.
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