9 Characters You Might Encounter In Your Next Job Interview

🎭 Welcome to Job Interview Theater

Meet the players...

You know how you’ll show up for your job interview.
How will they show up?

We have NO idea. 

🤖 Reading from a script?
🥗 Eating lunch mid-call?
😃 Super friendly… then disappears?

When you walk into a job interview...
You’re often walking into a cast of characters.

The opportunity: don’t just answer questions.
Read the room. Know your audience.

Here are 9 characters you might meet - and how to handle them:

🔹 1. The Robot
Stuck to the script. Zero warmth. Monotone questions.
What to do:
Reframe the questions.
Tell better stories.
Bring the humanity back.

🔹 2. The Distracted One
They show up late. Multitask. Maybe even eating lunch.
What to do:
Say: “Just checking if this time still works. Is this a priority right now?”
You’ll either earn their attention or reclaim your afternoon.

🔹 3. The Best Friend
Overly friendly. Full of compliments. No clarity.
What to do:
Stay grounded.
Make an agreement about next steps.
You’re here to co-create a decision, not win a popularity contest.

🔹 4. The Rambler
20 minutes in… and still talking about the weather.
What to do:
Gently guide the convo back:
“Let’s get back to what’s possible for your team.”

🔹 5. The Interrogator
No small talk. No pacing. Rapid fire questions.
What to do:
Slow the rhythm. Don't get rattled.
Answer one, then ask one.
Turn it into a two-way conversation.

🔹 6. The Ghost
Super enthusiastic… then silence.
What to do:
Before you leave, say:
“What agreement can we make about when we’ll be in touch? And if we’re not by then, how will we handle it?”
Create an agreement. Don’t chase.

🔹 7. The Over-Explainer
Tells you everything about the company. You barely speak.
What to do:
Anchor the conversation:
“If we bottom line what would really move the needle here… it sounds like this.”
Speak their language. Be of service.

🔹 8. The One-Upper
Every story you tell? They’ve done it bigger, faster, louder.
What to do:
Feed their ego, don’t fight it.
“That’s impressive. What I’ve found works well too is…”

🔹 9. The Mind Gamer
Long pauses. Cryptic expressions. Trying to throw you off.
What to do:
Don’t flinch. Stay grounded.
Say: “I’m noticing an expression on your face, and I’m wondering what it means.”
You can out-mind-game the mind gamer.

🎭 Interviews aren’t just about answers.
They’re a chance to show how you adapt.
To lead in real time.
To serve by reading the moment.

Know who you’re talking to.
Speak in a way they can hear.

🚀 Let's get your career stuff handled, find time to talk here. 📲