Liam Killen recently joined Sarah Denholm for a LinkedIn Live, where he shared his clear, modern approach to tackling interviews — so that they feel natural, not forced.
We’ve packaged up Liam’s key take-aways from the session (strongly recommend downloading this one and keeping on file) — or you can watch the full discussion recording here.
Do your homework
- Research the company beyond the job ad.
- Understand their challenges, growth plans, and team dynamics.
- Look at news articles, LinkedIn, and tap into your network.
Internalise, don’t memorise
- Prepare your stories and examples.
- Focus on being familiar with your content rather than word-perfect.
- Trust your knowledge and stay present in the moment.
Practice your pitch
- Have a clear, concise career story (think Pixar-style storytelling).
- Identify 2–3 key points you want to convey.
- Rehearse out loud: in the shower, car, or with friends.
- Avoid overloading with too much detail.
Think problem-solving, not performance
- Show how you can help the team or organisation succeed.
- Highlight achievements that solve real problems (e.g., “Reduced month-end close from 10 days to 3”).
- Be authentic, humble, and confident.
Improvise naturally
- Treat the interview as a conversation, not a script.
- Prepare your key points but allow flexibility to adapt.
- Improvisation demonstrates confidence, self-awareness, and engagement.
Serve don’t sell
- Focus on helping the organisation succeed, not just pitching yourself.
- Approach the interview as contributing value, not proving worth.
- Be authentic, humble, and solution-oriented.
Be present & engaged
- Listen actively—avoid tunnel vision.
- Use “peripheral awareness” to stay open and alert.
- Ask thoughtful questions:
- “What’s your biggest team challenge right now?”
- “What does success look like in the first 90 days?”
