The Stanford Interview Technique

Read Time — 3 minutes.

As a candidate, I used to be a really nervous interviewer.

A couple of days before the interview, I’d turn into a total stress case. I’d worry myself silly thinking about every possible thing that could go wrong.

Then when I got to the interview, my mind would go blank. I’d struggle to formulate solid statements about why I was a good fit for the job. And it didn’t seem to matter how much I prepped ahead of time either.

I knew I needed to change something drastic, or I was never going to get hired!

One thing that’s tough about interviews is that you’ll never know who else is interviewing for the same job you are. Or how many candidates you’re up against.

While uncomfortable to think about, every job interview is a competition.

The hiring team is highly likely speaking to several other candidates. That’s just a fact.

Once I came to terms with job searching being a competition, my whole strategy changed.

If I was going to be the one to receive an offer, I needed to outsmart everyone else.

But how in the world could I do that if I don’t know who I’m competing against?

The Game-Changer

A few years ago, I interviewed with McKinsey for a tech recruiting job.

You likely know that McKinsey is very selective. They’re quite famous for hiring grads from mainly Ivy League and other top-tier schools.

But I didn’t have an Ivy League degree. I went to a state school (and I’m proud of that). I had no pedigree (by a long shot) or connections to the Firm.

The deck was majorly stacked against me before the interview.

I knew that I had to get creative. So I devised a technique.

While I’d never know who the other candidates were, I envisioned who my biggest competition might be.

For me, that was a Stanford grad.

On paper, I could never stand a chance against someone with that caliber of education.

Given the circumstances, it was possible that someone who has that degree (or similar) might actually be in the running.

So I asked myself an important question:

“Why would McKinsey choose to hire me over a Stanford grad?”

This question was incredibly daunting.

I knew that I couldn’t compete on education. But I figured I could compete in other ways.

I worked on developing my core differentiators (and you should too!):

• What were 5 things I could offer an employer that few people can?

• Among those 5, what was my #1 selling point?

It took me some time to brainstorm and refine these points. But once I gained clarity, I knew I had a fighting chance.

My #1 selling point (at the time):

“I’m a 2x tech bootcamp grad, so I’m a recruiter who codes. My bootcamps were the catalysts to forming meaningful relationships with many engineers, UX designers, and product managers. Being able to ‘speak their language’ has amplified my ability to hire top-tier tech talent across San Francisco and NYC.“

I highlighted my unique experience to stand out in a meaningful way that could add a lot of value to their technical recruiting practice.

The hiring team loved it. This is the true story of how I got hired into McKinsey!

I share my success in the hopes that this sparks some ideas on how you can approach your job search differently.

Bring Your A-Game

I’ve heard countless stories of how tough this job market is in 2024.

This is why I see so much value in this interview prep technique. It’s crucial to stand out in valuable, impactful ways to get hired right now. And I always like to give Layoff Lemonade subscribers an edge!

Think about the persona of who your toughest competition might be. Then strategize on your 5 core differentiators to come up with a winning formula.

Make the interview team realize that you’re the only one worth hiring :)

Big hugs, Jenny

Whenever you’re ready, there are 3 ways I can help: