Revealing my best-kept interview secret
Over the past four years, I’ve been interviewed over 50 times for colleges, clubs, internships, and job opportunities.
The first five were rough. And I mean really rough, even despite the hours of practice with family and friends.
Around interview #10, I developed a general strategy for interviewing, and it has opened far more doors than I could have imagined. It played a critical role in my acceptance to Georgetown, the handful of selective organizations I participate in at school, and the dozen internship opportunities I’ve been offered in the past few years.
I’ve shared this same strategy with a handful of close friends for college interviews, and they noticed that their interviewers were more engaged and, as a result, they got more out of the interviews as well.
I don’t say this all to gloat. I am no interview guru. I am as much of a beginner as you are in the grand scheme of things.
I merely wish to share the lessons I’ve learned throughout this process so you can skip the headache.
So, what is the strategy?
Tell a compelling story that demonstrates your value to that organization.
Let’s unpack what that means…
First things first, what makes a compelling story?
To answer that question, let me share a story I tell during most of my interviews as an example. Then, we can dissect what makes it successful together.
My name is Asher Bykov. I was a nationally ranked debater in high school and had the wonderful opportunity to travel across the country for tournaments. What I loved even more than competing was the wonderful experience of talking to people from all walks of life about policies like universal basic income, qualified immunity for police officers, and nuclear proliferation. These conversations would get heated, sometimes screaming ensured, and as much as I loved the activity, I couldn’t help but feel dissuaded by the barrage of hostile attacks.
I wasn’t the only one feeling this way, however. My brother, who is two years younger than me, had just started debating and also felt the pressure of the moment. When we took a peak outside our bubble, we noticed the same toxic tactics in debate on the news and in Congress. Debate was just a microcosm of what was boiling to the surface around our country — and the world.
We still loved what debate instilled in us: public speaking skills, expanded knowledge of politics and philosophy, and — most importantly — the ability to empathize with alternative view points.
One day, while we were driving with our parents, an idea came to mind: why don’t we start a podcast that emulates the benefits of debate but removes the hostility associated with winning an argument? And, Depolarized was born.
We didn’t know the first thing about podcasting, so we test ran the show with the equipment we had available — the Voice Memos App on our iPhones and an empty room in our basement. When we realized the audio was subpar, we dove head deep into the free resources on internet on microphones, hosting software, and interviewing best practices.
Over the course of the next two years, our podcast grew into something so much greater than two kids talking to their friends. We have interviewed the likes of Gary Vaynerchuk (CEO of VaynerMedia), Cal Newport (NY Times bestselling author of Digital Minimalism), and Nupol Kiazolu (former President of Black Lives Matter NY) over the course of our 55 episodes to date. We’ve been featured in various publications and have grown our audience to over 20,000 listeners across 80+ countries. Our basement project has truly turned into a global movement to end polarization through conversation.
So, what makes this story compelling?
First, it’s quirky and out of the ordinary. Anyone can start a podcast these days, but not many people execute on that desire — and even less stay consistent with it for over two years.
Now, I am not saying that the only way you will do well in interviews is by starting a podcast (although I have found it incredibly rewarding and hope you consider starting one). Instead, I recommend considering what makes you stand out.
Second, this story communicates a handful of valuable, transferable skills: digital marketing, public speaking, problem-solving, among others. Upon telling this story, I tend to connect these skills to the organization I am interested in.
In the case of a college interview, I would express my deep passion to formalize my education in the aforementioned skills, adding a handful of courses that would do so.
In the case of a job interview, I would express how the aforementioned skills might improve the company’s workflow, reduce costs, and establish the relationships necessary to increase profitability.
Third, this story demonstrates my entrepreneurial spirit. I witnessed (and participated) in the problem. I understood it deeply and took the initiative to solve it. That speaks volumes to the type of student/club member/employee I will be for others, namely that I will be a proactive participant and throw everything in my toolbox to help the team.
Fourth, I establish social proof by namedropping recognizable guests. This alone increases my credibility tenfold because it demonstrates that other respected individuals were willing to join me, even if only momentarily.
How does this apply to you?
As you prepare for an interview, ask yourself:
What story can I tell that demonstrates my value?
This can feel like a daunting task, especially as we all doubt our uniqueness.
First, I hear you. I’ve been right where you were. Here’s what I did to get over that hump:
I didn’t ask myself, “What makes me unique?” Instead, I asked myself, “What story would I want to tell a friend?”
Some topics to consider:
- Did you create a new student organization at your high school or college?
- Did you raise money for a nonprofit you believe in?
- Did you code a project or create something by hand with a group of friends?
Remember, your story doesn’t need to be some heroic effort. In my opinion, the more mundane the experience seems from an external perspective, the more interesting the story tends to be.
Also, don’t assume that you will land on the perfect story — or the perfect version of your story — the first time you do it. If you can, pick three different stories and test run them with three people who have never heard them before. See which story or which version of your story resonates the most. To determine that, keep note of how others react, paying special attention to their nonverbal cues. Research indicates that nonverbal communication conveys a majority of our communication as humans.
Once you find the story/stories that resonate(s) the most, practice practice practice. You want to get to the point where you flow through your words without internally questioning where you need to take it next. You want to be a well-oiled machine.
A word of caution: there is such a thing as too much practice. You don’t want to come off as rehearsed.
Instead, memorize a rough outline of the crucial touchpoints of your story. Then, you can connect the dots authentically in the interview.
Returning to my story as an example, I isolated the key touchpoints as (1) my experience as a national debater in high school, (2) why that led me to the podcast, (3) how we’ve grown over time, and (4) some notable guests to satiate the brand association point I made earlier.
To stand out in interviews, you should:
- Focus on the value you offer an organization.
- Consider the story you can tell that demonstrates that value.
- Improve your storytelling based on interviewer reactions.
For more on this subject, you can watch this episode from Depolarized on strategic communication.
