Showerthought: Over-preparing for interviews can make you seem less genuine, based on my experience.

In my last job search, I noticed that when I rehearsed every answer, I sounded scripted and nervous. I switched to only doing a quick review of the company and my past work. This made me more relaxed and able to have a real talk with the interviewers. Your mileage may vary, but it helped me land my current role.

3 comments

3 Comments

hayes.jenny17d ago

Yeah totally, that part about sounding scripted and nervous is so real. I've seen people get so stuck in their memorized answers that they totally miss the flow of the conversation. It's like they're waiting for their cue to say their line instead of just talking to another person. You can actually see the interviewer disconnect when it feels like a recital. It becomes more about proving you studied than showing you can think on your feet. Keeping it loose lets you actually listen and react, which is what most jobs need anyway lol.

derek_schmidt13d ago

Spot that deer in the headlights look all the time when I'm helping with mock interviews. You can just see them freaking out trying to remember their exact lines instead of hearing the question. It makes everything feel stiff and wrong, like they're acting in a bad play. Honestly the best answers come when people forget their perfect script and just talk.

annamurray17d ago

Totally, I prep bullet points instead of full answers to stay flexible.