Interview Boss

What do you do when your dream job rarely comes up...and thousands of other people want it too?
From airlines and emergency services to government graduate programs, intelligence and wildlife roles, some jobs are notoriously tough to land.
In this week's episode, Sarah and Emma unpack how to prepare when opportunities are few and far between, build experience that strengthens your next application, and decide just how much you're willing to trade for the dream.
🏀 Shoot Your Shot - Shoutout to Derby who bought us 5 coffees!
"Googling 'Tell us about yourself' became the resource I never expected while navigating this interview process. That led me to best bits, interviewing for an internal position, applying for my first manager role, making a presentation. Anything that I've experienced in this process so far, y'all had an episode for me to listen to. The only thing I couldn't find was something about full day interviews, I just went from 8:30AM-3:30PM, phew....but I still had y'all with me as I listened right before and right after. I was already on my way to get my treat with my family and I cracked up when I received y'alls affirmation! From the bottom of my heart, thank you. Y'all were the push I needed to be comfortable bringing in notes. Even if I didn't reference my written best bits a lot throughout the day today, the process of writing them out had them top of mind. I ended up with 59 best bits to play with! I came to the table with a masters degree for this doctorate preferred position, but I met every other qualification and had experience to back up every piece of the job description, so I was confident that I would get my shot. I was debating on whether I should wait to share until I hear back, but that doesn't matter. I left that interview today with no regrets. I laid the best of myself out there and there's nothing else to do. Y'alls impact isn't in whether I get the job or not, you helped me have the best possible experience I could throughout these interviews. Thank you!"
🎥 Check out BRAND NEW free training - Top Interview Tips https://www.interviewboss.com.au/top-interview-tips
🏫 To get step by step help with your interview prep on demand check out our Interview Academy https://www.interviewboss.com.au/interview-academy
☕ Did our podcast help you out? Want to say thank you in coffee form? Shout us a virtual coffee here: www.buymeacoffee.com/interviewboss
☎️ To book an interview coaching session with Sarah, go to www.interviewboss.com.au/coaching
❤️ Follow us on Instagram
📒 Check out our website for free jobseeker resources
www.interviewboss.com.au

Have you ever been asked to reapply and interview for a job you're already doing?
It can feel strange, and a little unfair, to prove you can do a job you've already been successfully doing.
But while being the internal candidate gives you a major advantage, treating the interview like a done deal can be a risky mistake.
In this episode, Sarah and Emma explain how to make the most of your insider knowledge and turn your experience in the role into detailed, persuasive answers.
Because even if the panel knows you and your work, you still need to spell out exactly why you're the best person for the permanent position.
🏀 Shoot Your Shot - Shoutout to Sarah who bought us 5 coffees!
“Hi from England I have been listening to your podcast throughout my job search and interviews, as my fiancé has now moved over to Sydney for his job and I’ve been looking at job opportunities so I can join him. After I received my visa to work there (woohoo!) and listened to your podcasts, I have received a verbal job offer! I particularly valued your tips on presentations, which helped me prepare for my 90-day plan presentation at the second stage. I have been asked to provide details of referees ahead of a formal job offer, so I had to break the news to my manager. I feel so guilty but know it’s the right decision. He was clearly on problem solving mode to work out how my activities will be completed when I leave. My question is, how can I reframe my guilt and sadness to face him, and how can I let go of my dream job of 11 years, to look forward to this exciting new chapter? What is the best way to resign after giving him the heads up and how do I let my team know? I want to help with upcoming work but know it will be awkward, especially as I really enjoy my job and will need to pass projects onto colleagues, including to my team, over the next couple of months. Perhaps it’s an opportunity to empower my team through more responsibility? It’s been a mix of emotions, particularly with the fact that I’ll leave family, friends and my home, but I can’t wait to be in Australia later this year! Thanks again for all your support!”
🎥 Check out BRAND NEW free training - Top Interview Tips https://www.interviewboss.com.au/top-interview-tips
🏫 To get step by step help with your interview prep on demand check out our Interview Academy https://www.interviewboss.com.au/interview-academy
☕ Did our podcast help you out? Want to say thank you in coffee form? Shout us a virtual coffee here: www.buymeacoffee.com/interviewboss
☎️ To book an interview coaching session with Sarah, go to www.interviewboss.com.au/coaching
❤️ Follow us on Instagram
📒 Check out our website for free jobseeker resources
www.interviewboss.com.au

Have you ever been told to “link it back” to the job at the end of your interview answers? You know the kind of thing: you finish your example and then tack on a little sentence explaining how you’d use those same skills in this role.
It sounds like decent advice. You’re trying to make a point about your transferable skills, and get your interviewers to imagine you in the job.
In this episode, Sarah and Emma break down why “linking it back” might not be achieving what you want it to, and give you an alternative. Our goal is to have your interviewers doing the linking for you, and ideally giving you some enthusiastic nods so you know it’s working.

🏀 Shoot Your Shot - Shoutout to Amanda who bought us 5 coffees!
“Thank you both so much! I just landed the job I’ve been wanting for years. In college I had a personal emergency and had to drop out of college for bit. This derailed me and my mental health and I was no longer able to get back into the curriculum with my old major without adding a semester to my graduation date which I couldn’t afford. So I switched to a similar major, but it wasn’t the same. Then I took a job at a start-up over a more stable offer, only for the start-up to move operations overseas and lay me off three months later. I started working at an office job just to pay my loans but I wasn’t learning anything or using my degree. I was so scared to go back into a job I cared about that I stayed there for almost two years. When I did look, I was asked why I would stay as a secretary when I said I wanted to be in an analytical role. Everything changed when I found your podcast. I was able to articulate my career story in a way that was both true and sounded professional and intentional. I could answer questions, work my best bits in, and even just hearing your wording and logic behind answers helped me emulate that in the interviews for curveballs (which there were a lot of). It helped me build my confidence and I listened to your podcast for support for everything from the interviews, my resume, and quitting. In the US the job market is tough right now, but I landed a role doing what I want to do at a fortune 100 company! I was told it was one of their most competitive seasons too! Now I feel like I’ve truly bounced back from the issues I had in college and am back on track. I know I have a lot to offer and am on my way to my first in person day at work! Thank you both so much!!"
🎥 Check out BRAND NEW free training - Top Interview Tips https://www.interviewboss.com.au/top-interview-tips
🏫 To get step by step help with your interview prep on demand check out our Interview Academy https://www.interviewboss.com.au/interview-academy
☕ Did our podcast help you out? Want to say thank you in coffee form? Shout us a virtual coffee here: www.buymeacoffee.com/interviewboss
☎️ To book an interview coaching session with Sarah, go to www.interviewboss.com.au/coaching
❤️ Follow us on Instagram
📒 Check out our website for free jobseeker resources
www.interviewboss.com.au

Does your industry treat the hiring process like the Wild West? Maybe resumes are optional, cover letters are unheard of and the “interview” is really just a chat with the boss.
Just because it’s “just a chat” doesn’t mean a little preparation won’t help. Putting more thought into your resume, bringing a few stories to mind, preparing some questions or writing a genuinely personalised cover letter can help you communicate what you have to offer—without suddenly becoming stiff or overly corporate.
And when nobody else is doing those things, that small amount of effort can become a HUGE advantage. In this week’s episode, we’re talking about “interview culture” and how to match the vibe of your industry while quietly raising your own standard.
If this episode doesn’t sound like it applies to you, send it to the person in your life who insists they don’t need interview advice because their industry is “different.” We know they think they don’t need us. That’s okay. We’re still right.
🏀 Shoot Your Shot - Shoutout to Victoria “Emma and Sarah, you both are stars! I'm so grateful to have found Interview Boss as you've completely changed my job search mindset. I was looking for a new role after a layoff while on maternity leave (ouch!), and I was in such a negative headspace going in. I'd been casually looking for over a year in fear of a future layoff and not having success so the negativity spiral was very real. After listening (and re-listening) to your episodes over two months, I was a changed woman. I navigated 2.5 months of intense job hunting, 60+ applications, 20+ interviews, and 3 job tasks with you by my side. My husband joked that our newborn was going to have an Aussie accent after listening to so many hours of you two! I'm so happy to have landed a new role where there were all green flags during the interview process. You helped me SO much to bounce back from the jobs I didn't land (I won't call them rejections!), and I know that positivity helped me to land the right role. Thank you, and (if you read this on air), job seekers listening, keep your head up! You will persevere!”

🎥 Check out our free training - Top Interview Tips https://www.interviewboss.com.au/top-interview-tips
🏫 To get step by step help with your interview prep on demand check out our Interview Academy https://www.interviewboss.com.au/interview-academy
☕ Did our podcast help you out? Want to say thank you in coffee form? Shout us a virtual coffee here: www.buymeacoffee.com/interviewboss
☎️ To book an interview coaching session with Sarah, go to www.interviewboss.com.au/coaching
❤️ Follow us on Instagram
📒 Check out our website for free jobseeker resources
www.interviewboss.com.au

"When can you start?" is a simple interview question...but what if the honest answer is "It depends."
In this week's episode, Sarah and Emma unpack how to have this conversation when factors like childcare, relocation or other commitments mean you can't give a straightforward date.
Being upfront can feel risky, but it's often the best approach. We'll share how to set realistic expectations, explain your situation professionally, and give employers a timeframe they can actually work with.
🏀 Shoot Your Shot - Shoutout to Chris C who bought us 4 coffees!
“Thank you so much for your help prepping for my interview! I landed a dream job as an instructional designer for a construction company, but it came out of nowhere and I had little time to prep. In one of your episodes you gave some great advice on how to politely and respectfully lead an interview if the interviewer doesn’t ask many questions. That’s exactly the curveball I was given, but I was able to steer the conversation toward my STAR responses and knocked it out of the park.“
🎥 Check out BRAND NEW free training - Top Interview Tips https://www.interviewboss.com.au/top-interview-tips
🏫 To get step by step help with your interview prep on demand check out our Interview Academy https://www.interviewboss.com.au/interview-academy
☕ Did our podcast help you out? Want to say thank you in coffee form? Shout us a virtual coffee here: www.buymeacoffee.com/interviewboss
☎️ To book an interview coaching session with Sarah, go to www.interviewboss.com.au/coaching
❤️ Follow us on Instagram
📒 Check out our website for free jobseeker resources
www.interviewboss.com.au