My Top 5 Interview Tips

Written By: Anastasia Apostol, CEO & Co-founder of YNS

Interviewing is a skill — and most people aren't treating it like one. Here are five moves that separate candidates who get offers from those who get ghosted.

1. Research the company before you walk in the door. Look up their mission, vision, and values — then weave them into your answers. When two candidates are equally qualified, culture fit is often the tiebreaker. Show them you've done your homework, and you've already set yourself apart.

2. Look up your interviewers on LinkedIn. Sun Tzu said you win when you know both yourself and your opponent. Your interviewer isn't your enemy — but they are your gateway to the offer. Find common ground before you sit down. People hire people they like, and familiarity builds fast when you know where to start.

3. Use their name. Dale Carnegie was onto something in How to Win Friends and Influence People: people love hearing their own name. Drop it naturally a few times during the conversation. It signals presence, warmth, and engagement — three things that make you memorable.

4. Dress like this is the best version of you. Because it should be. Interviewers know you won't always show up like this — but if your "best" underwhelms them, they'll assume your everyday is worse. Dress sharp, bring printed copies of your resume, and set the bar high from the jump.

5. Know your must-say moments. An interview isn't a Q&A — it's your pitch. Before you walk in, identify the 2–3 things you need them to walk away knowing about you, then find natural ways to surface them. Being intentional here is what keeps you in the conversation when they're comparing candidates.

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Want to put these into practice? Join us at our free webinar: "Ace Your Interview" — Thursday, 04/23 at 7pm CDT by signing up here.

And when you're ready to go deeper, the Your Next Step curriculum will walk you through building a full SMART plan for your dream career — module by module.