Stop Rehearsing Scripts: A Human Approach to Interview Preparation
By Diana — Burned out at 42. Rebuilt by 44. The cool aunt energy you need. ·
I still remember the last 'big' interview I aced before my life imploded. I was 41, wearing a structured blazer that felt like armor, reciting bullet points I’d memorized until they sounded like they were coming from a teleprompter. I got the job. I also got a looming sense of impending doom and a cortisol level that eventually landed me in the ER.
Fast forward to 2026. I’m 47, I’m wearing a sweater that is actually comfortable, and I’ve spent the last few years unlearning the idea that an interview is a performance. If you’re currently prepping for a career pivot or a climb up the ladder, stop treating the interview like a stage play where you need to hit your marks. You aren’t auditioning for a role you have to fake; you’re evaluating a partnership.
The 'Perfect Candidate' Myth
When I was a VP, I interviewed hundreds of people. You know what I remember? Not the people who gave me the glossy, textbook answers about their 'greatest weakness being that they care too much.' I remember the people who could speak to their experience with nuance.
We’ve been conditioned to think we need to be static, perfect, and bulletproof. That’s a trap, and it’s the quickest route to burnout. In my coaching practice, I see so many high-achievers walk in terrified of being 'found out.' Let’s clear the air: If you have to lie or over-perform to get the offer, you’re just buying yourself a ticket to misery. Your interview prep shouldn't be about crafting a character; it should be about curating your honest narrative.
Audit Your Story (The 'Why' Matters More than the 'What')
Before you look up the company’s stock price or memorize their mission statement, sit down with a notebook. Not a laptop—a pen and paper. I want you to write down three moments in your career where you felt truly capable of solving a problem.
Don’t just list the project name. Write down: 1. The friction point (the problem). 2. Your specific, messy, human intervention. 3. The outcome—and here’s the kicker—what you learned about your own boundaries or preferences.
When you prep your stories, stop using 'we' when you mean 'I.' I spent years hiding behind 'we' because I was terrified of looking arrogant. Own your wins. If you say, 'I led the strategy,' it’s not bragging. It’s an accurate status report. If you can’t own your contribution, how can you expect the interviewer to pay for it?
Kill the Script, Master the 'Anchors'
Rehearsing word-for-word answers is the kiss of death. When you memorize a script, your brain goes into 'retrieval mode' under stress, which makes you sound robotic and disconnected. Instead, use the 'Anchor' method.
For every standard question—'Tell me about a time you failed,' 'How do you handle conflict?'—identify three bullet points (the anchors). If they ask about failure, your anchors might be: 1. The context (brief). 2. The mistake (honest). 3. The pivot (the system I built so it wouldn't happen again).
That’s it. You don't need a paragraph; you need a framework. This allows you to speak naturally, adjust based on the interviewer’s energy, and—most importantly—breathe. If you can breathe while you talk, you’ve already won half the battle.
The Reverse Interview: Your Secret Weapon
At the end of the interview, when they ask, 'Do you have any questions for us?' please, for the love of all that is holy, do not ask about the company’s hybrid work policy unless you truly care about the answer.
Ask questions that show you understand business friction. Ask: 'What is the biggest challenge the team is currently facing that you wish you had more bandwidth to solve?' or 'How does leadership handle disagreement when projects hit a wall?'
These questions change the power dynamic. You are no longer the supplicant begging for a job; you are a consultant evaluating whether this environment is healthy enough to sustain your talent. Paul and I talk about this at the dinner table all the time—the best work happens when everyone is showing up as a whole person, not a professional ghost.
A Note on the 'Human' Element
If you’re nervous, say it. Seriously. I once had a candidate say, 'I’m really excited about this, and I’m a little nervous because this is a big step for me.' You know what I did? I leaned in. It made them real. It made them relatable. It’s 2026—we are tired of the stiff, corporate mask.
Prepare your data, know your value, and then show up like the person you actually are. If they don’t like the real you, that’s not a failure on your part—it’s a bullet you dodged.
Take a deep breath. You’ve done the work to get here. You’re ready.
How are you feeling about your upcoming interviews? Are you over-rehearsing or under-prepared? Drop me a line—let’s grab a (virtual) coffee and talk it through.