How to Flip the Interview Power Dynamic and Make Employers Sell Themselves to You

You walk into the interview feeling like you're auditioning for a part you desperately need. They ask about PowerPoint experience. Your heart sinks—you've never used it. Panic mode activates: "Should I lie? Should I overexplain? Should I promise to learn it on weekends?" The interviewer leans back, waiting. You're convinced this gap just cost you the job.

But what if that question wasn't a dealbreaker—it was actually a trap designed to keep you small, focused on checking boxes instead of demonstrating your real value?

This episode demolishes the outdated belief that interviewers hold all the power. Just like modern dating isn't about one person deciding if the other is "good enough," job interviews shouldn't position you as a performer begging for approval. You're not there to convince—you're there to offer something valuable and determine if they're the right fit to receive it.

The breakthrough comes when you learn to answer "trap questions" with what's called the "mic drop response." Instead of scrambling to explain why you don't have a specific skill or overcompensating with promises to work extra hours, you confidently own the gap while redirecting to the bigger picture of what you actually deliver. This psychological shift makes interviewers lean in rather than check you off their list.

The episode reveals why Harvard Business Review research shows that despite what hiring managers say about wanting specific skills, they actually hire based on who they like best—and then justify the decision with logic after the fact. When you stop performing and start leading the conversation toward vision and impact, you activate this emotional decision-making in your favor.

What You'll Learn in This Episode:

• The three levels of answering "trap questions" about missing skills or experience
• Why convincing energy repels opportunities while confident ownership attracts them
• How to redirect box-checking questions to high-level vision conversations that excite interviewers
• The "dinner guest" analogy that reveals why getting certifications before job offers wastes time
• Specific scripts for owning gaps in experience while demonstrating you understand what actually matters

Ready to discover if you're unconsciously giving away your power in interviews? Take the Value Vision Quiz to see where you might be undervaluing yourself -  link here. 

Listen to the Full Episode: 

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