My partner works as a professional interview coach and helped me land a new job after I got laid off from my software development role. I spent 10 months job hunting and finally got hired in a marketing position. During this time, I picked up some really effective interview strategies that might help others.
Control the conversation flow
Most candidates let the interviewer completely run the show, but this can work against you. You want to demonstrate leadership while still being respectful.
- Set clear expectations about timing - Always mention you have other opportunities moving forward. I would say something like “I’m currently in final rounds with a couple other companies and expect to make a decision within the next 2-3 weeks.” This creates urgency even if you don’t have other offers yet.
- Ask meaningful questions - Turn the tables and evaluate them too. Questions like “How has the company performed financially this past year?” or “Is this a newly created position or am I replacing someone?” show you’re selective about where you work.
Know exactly what makes you different
Especially when changing careers, you need to clearly articulate your unique value.
- Focus on understanding your core strengths - I spent time really figuring out what soft skills I developed in my previous role that would transfer well to marketing.
- Be specific about your abilities - My new manager later told me that my clear communication about my strengths was a major factor in hiring me despite my non-traditional background.
- Use assessment tools - I took the StrengthsFinder assessment which helped me understand why marketing was a better fit than development and gave me language to explain this transition.
Master the art of storytelling
Learn to share your experiences through specific examples rather than generic statements.
- Show don’t tell - Instead of saying “I’m great at problem solving,” tell a specific story about a problem you solved.
- Keep stories focused and short - Pick one clear example that demonstrates the skill you want to highlight.
- Include your thought process - Walk them through how you approached the situation, not just what you did.
For example, instead of saying “I improved our website conversion rates,” I would say: “Three months ago, our signup rates dropped 15% after a site update. While the team wanted to revert everything, I noticed users were abandoning specifically at the payment page. I spent a weekend analyzing user session recordings and discovered a form field was causing confusion. I proposed a simple label change that brought conversion rates back up 20% within two weeks.”
This approach worked really well for me and I hope it helps someone else going through a similar transition.