The modern job market is more competitive than ever, and while a strong resume gets your foot in the door, a standout interview is what lands the offer.
But what separates the good candidates from the truly great ones? It’s often not just about a list of accomplishments or a perfect resume.
It’s about the unspoken signals—the mindset, preparation, and subtle behaviors that demonstrate a candidate’s true value and potential.
This HR Spotlight article compiles invaluable insights from business leaders and HR professionals, revealing the top strategies and hidden elements they look for in a candidate.
From demonstrating a growth mindset to asking the right questions, these experts share how to go beyond the basics and present yourself as an indispensable asset to any organization.
Read on!
Irmgard Naudin ten Cate
Global Talent Attraction & Acquisition Leader, EY
Ace Interviews with Strategy and AI
Here are the quick tips to set candidates up for success in the job search and interview process.
Know your value and keep learning: Understand your strengths and what makes you unique. Employers are looking for skills, but also mindset and potential. Confidence in what you can bring to the table is key. Keep upskilling, stay curious and show that you’re willing to grow – whether that’s through learning, training, mentorship or hands-on experiences. In today’s workforce, soft skills like adaptability and decision-making are just as critical as technical experience and be sure to be able to share relevant examples.
Network with purpose: Your network is more powerful than you think. Connect with people, ask questions and open yourself to learning. Sometimes opportunities come from unexpected conversations. Continue asking thoughtful questions in the interviews so you can learn more.
Using AI is advised – if used responsibly: AI is a smart resource for your job search and to prepare for interviews. When used responsibly, AI can help candidates identify great roles. Use AI to immerse yourself in the company’s vision and values. Look for values that align with you and prepare for interviews by identifying anticipated questions.
Alexei Morgado
Realtor & CEO, Lexawise
Tech, Data, Resilience Win Interviews
Highlight technical competence: Show up with a professional digital portfolio on a laptop or tablet containing your finest listings, video tours, and AI-generated marketing materials—a showcase for the tech-savvy advantage Florida brokerages favor. Next, talking about how you utilize tools such as ChatGPT to generate client letters or automate proposals clinches the deal: it indicates that you understand how AI functions and leverage it for productivity.
Lead with Data-Driven Market Insight: Lead with hyper-local figures Florida’s single-family median sale price in December 2024: $415,000; how long it took them to list: approximately 70 days—they live and breathe them. Having a one-page visual of these figures is proof that you’re able to take information and boil it down into actionable information.
Show Resilience and Drive: Third, give an example of a specific experience when you rebounded from a fallen deal in last year’s slump and closed an even better one. This self-discipline and perseverance witness the resiliency that high-end brokerages value, demonstrating that you perform well when the market fluctuates.
Alexis Truskalo
Strategic Operations Partner, ConsciousHR
Empathy, Skills, Initiative Boost HR Success
An ideal candidate looking to break into the Human Resources field would be able to demonstrate strong interpersonal skills, clear communication and a genuine interest in people development and assistance. Personality-wise, it helps to have empathy, the ability to absorb chaos vs contributing to it, and be able to maintain confidentiality in many forms.
A foundational knowledge of HR principles such as: compliance, recruitment, people management, and employment relations is essential whether gained through education, certifications, or on-the-job experience. Generalists often have to have the administrative and payroll experience, or the ability to learn quickly when hired.
While experience may be limited, a candidate who shows initiative, a willingness to learn, a willingness to assist staff (often with repetition), and alignment with a company’s values and culture can stand out. Generally speaking, those with people-management skills or background: retail, store management, etc find a smooth transition into the Human Resources field.
Solve, Empathize, Learn from Failure
Demonstrate cross-functional problem solving: I’ve seen engineers thrive by merging analog design principles with software workflows. Candidates who share examples like “I applied manufacturing QA tactics to debug cloud latency” stand out. Show how your niche skills solve unrelated problems, it signals adaptability.
Practice customer whispering: When hiring for WeLoveDoodles, I prioritize candidates who obsess over user pain points. One applicant redesigned a pet carrier’s latch after watching 50 TikTok reviews. Share how you’ve turned customer gripes into solutions. Bonus points for quoting specific feedback from the company’s Amazon reviews.
Use failure as fuel: At Broadcom, a chip design error cost me 3 months. I now value candidates who unpack failures and their rebound. Example: “My app crashed at launch, so I open-sourced the code and crowdsourced fixes.” Vulnerability + iteration = gold.
Dennis Shirshikov
Founder, Growth Limit
Prep, Clarity, Fit Win Finance Interviews
Here are a few hints on interview preparation for accounting or finance candidates specifically. Working closely with people in our profession, at all stages of their development, I’ve seen firsthand how certain qualities can set a candidate apart. Three elements are the ones that attract my attention on the interview in my case:
Preparation: A candidate’s power to convey knowledge about the company, its business or industry signals seriousness and engagement. It’s not just a matter of reading the company’s website — it’s about knowing the challenges the company faces, its competitors and the current state of the industry it’s in.
You can be a little bit brusque, because you have no time. A candidate who can clearly communicate what they are thinking without stumbling around to express their thoughts is communicating both competency and the capacity to positively influence others.
Cultural fit: Tech skills are most important to me, but I look for candidates who are a perfect cultural fit for the company. Enthusiasm, a willingness to pitch in and an ability to work in a change-oriented atmosphere are important ingredients in our scramble.
Kevin James Saunders
Global Learning & Performance, Oculus Training Group
Dress, Research, Showcase for HR Success
Dress to fit in: While it’s important to dress your best, consider the company’s culture. As a HR company, we appreciate a smart casual look. When a candidate mirrors our style, it’s easier for us to envision them fitting in.
Be Proactive: Ask questions and do research before the interview! Demonstrate to the interviewer that you understand the company’s mission, values, goals, and key team partners. By connecting your answers to the information you’ve prepared, you will show that you have done your homework and are ready for the opportunity.
Examples: Do you have case studies, data, social media posts, or other materials that demonstrate your abilities? Visual resources can be incredibly effective. Being able to present specific projects or data that highlight your results can have a significant impact, just like the experience listed on your resume. This approach will boost your confidence and affirm your competence in your abilities.
Matthew Goulart
Founder, Ignite Digital
Analyze, Reflect, Strategize for Marketing Success
Reverse-engineer our marketing before you walk in: The best candidates come in having run a technical SEO audit on our site or analyzed one of our ad funnels. When someone shows up with actual observations like, “I noticed your local SEO structure on service pages could benefit from internal linking to sublocations,” I’m all ears! You just proved you can do the job without being asked.
Cite failure with clarity: One thing I always ask is, “What’s a campaign you ran that didn’t work—and why?” I’m not looking for a sugar-coated answer. I want to know what brought you to your knees, how fast you pivoted, what you learned, and whether you blamed others or took ownership. Resilience beats perfection in this game.
Ask layered and intelligent questions, not lazy ones: “What’s the culture like?” is entry-level. As a candidate who wants to stick in your interviewer’s mind, ask “How does your team balance client success metrics with Google algorithm changes?”
It tells me you’re already thinking like a strategist under pressure—exactly what we need in digital marketing.
Monique Farmer
Founder & CEO, Avant Solutions
Impact, Alignment, Self-Awareness Win Interviews
Connect the Dots: It’s not enough to list achievements. I want to hear how your work moved the needle. Did your campaign drive engagement? Did your strategy shift public perception? Walk me through the why and the impact—not just the what.
Mirror the Mission: Show me you’ve done your homework. The most memorable candidates find a way to weave our mission and values into their answers. When you can speak to how your purpose aligns with our work, I know you’re not just looking for a job—you’re looking for this job.
Lead With Self-Awareness: Confidence is great, but what I’m really listening for is insight. Candidates who are honest about their growth edges—who can say, “Here’s where I’m strong, and here’s where I’m still learning”—earn my respect every time.
Nicole Martins Ferreira
Product Marketing Manager, Huntr
Connect, Smile, Relax for Interview Success
There are things to keep in mind in an interview. First, acknowledge every person in the call or room. Don’t choose to connect with one person and ice out another. Also, smile a lot as it helps you connect with people positively.
The last thing to remember is to relax your shoulders and make the conversation casual instead of formal; it’ll allow you to connect better with your hiring managers.
The HR Spotlight team thanks these industry leaders for offering their expertise and experience and sharing these insights.
Do you wish to contribute to the next HR Spotlight article? Or is there an insight or idea you’d like to share with readers across the globe?
Write to us at connect@HRSpotlight.com, and our team will help you share your insights.
