With 71% of businesses struggling to find qualified candidates, the demand exists alright, but nailing interviews is just as crucial.
This HR Spotlight article compiles tips from business leaders and HR professionals on three standout elements to impress in interviews.
Experts emphasize preparation through company research, authentic attitude over polish, and specific examples to showcase impact.
They highlight soft skills like dependability, outcome-focused answers, and closing strong by asking for the job.
From trades to tech, these strategies—grounded in clarity, enthusiasm, and relevance—help candidates stand out, proving fit beyond resumes.
Mastering these can turn interviews into offers, bridging the talent gap in competitive markets.
Read on!
Here’s what I look for when someone walks into an interview at Lightspeed Electrical — or anywhere in the trades, really.
Show me you’re switched on. That doesn’t mean perfect answers — it means you’ve done your homework. You know what we do, you’ve read our site, and you can talk shop.
Don’t dress like you just rolled out of bed. I don’t expect a suit, but if you can’t respect the room enough to look sharp and clean, how can I trust you in front of a client?
Attitude over everything. Skills can be taught. Work ethic can’t. If you’re hungry, humble, and ready to learn, that gets my attention — every time.
Prep, Polish, Passionate Attitude
Alex Johnson
HR Manager, Man & Van Star
The three most important qualities that impress me in an interview are genuine enthusiasm, effective communication, and a problem-solving attitude.
I appreciate candidates who exhibit genuine interest in our business and express their motivation through concrete examples instead of general statements.
Being well-dressed and presenting yourself professionally in appearance matters, but no less important is your attitude; a positive, eager-to-learn attitude leaves a strong impression.
Also, I seek proof of critical thinking—how they tackle challenges or respond to surprise questions—since flexibility is crucial in our rapidly changing field.
For example, I once interviewed a candidate who didn’t merely respond to questions, but presented solutions to theoretical problems, demonstrating initiative and pragmatism.
When preparing, emphasize genuine enthusiasm, clearly articulate your thoughts, and be prepared to explain how you’ve addressed real-world problems; these factors distinguish you.
Enthusiasm, Clarity, Problem-Solving
Bill Dow
Owner, Dow Publishing
I have been interviewing for a long time, 30+ years actually and there are many tips I would give for candidate including:
Know the job description front and back. Many times, people don’t study the job description that well and I think that is wrong. I believe you need to know the job description inside and out, because most often they are written by HR and not the hiring manager, so there could be disconnects on the real work needed.
When you do that, you are well armed with the knowledge of what the JD says and you can formulate a lot from what they are expecting of you in the role. Study it as much as you study the company itself!
Do your research on the company. Go to LinkedIn to their company page, Google them, find out big events and talk to those big events. Don’t go overboard, but staying on top of what is happening helps you understand the company better.
Have questions for the end about the role and the company. Focus on what you don’t like and do like about the role, then ask questions and ask questions about the company itself. When you do that, they will understand you care enough to do your research.
Study JD, Research Company, Ask Questions
Michelle Schafer
Career Coach, Michelle Schafer Coaching
Provide a specific example for each question – even when not asked for one: Examples are the proof and evidence you have done your job well over the years. So if the question is “describe how you build relationships with external stakeholders”, provide insight into your general approach, then anchor your response with a STAR-framed example that showcases a time where you developed a strong relationship with an external stakeholder (note:- STAR = Situation, Task, Action and Result).
Research the company: Do your homework – look at the company website, see how they are represented in the news and talk to others who work there (or used to work there). When we ask “why do you want to work there”, be ready!
Ask insightful, strategic questions at the end: Questions like “what will be a key challenge for the successful candidate”, “how does the company demonstrate a commitment to work-life integration” or “what 3 words would people who report to you use to describe your leadership style?” are questions that can help you assess the opportunity for fit and show you are keen on the role.
Examples, Research, Insightful Questions
Mike Lyons
Chief HR Advisor, Seasoned Advice HR Services
Landing a healthcare role hinges on more than just qualifications. First off,projecting a positive attitude and high energy can be surprisingly impactful, often overshadowing minor shortcomings.
Secondly, prepare 3-5 compelling anecdotes from any stage of your life that highlight your drive, adaptability, and interpersonal abilities. These stories offer genuine insights into your character.
Finally, rehearsing your answers is key. Practice giving responses to standard interview questions, such as “tell me about yourself” and “describe a time you excelled in service.” Thorough preparation builds confidence and ensures you shine when it counts, ultimately increasing your chances of success in the competitive healthcare field.
Energy, Stories, Rehearsed Answers
Sari Honkala
Co-founder & Head of Performance Marketing, Glow Digital
When discussing your skills in an interview, make sure to connect them to real business outcomes. This helps demonstrate the impact of what you do. Many candidates struggle to sell themselves effectively because they don’t know how to highlight the value of their skills.
Be clear and concise in your answers. Practice common interview questions ahead of time. One question you can almost always expect is about your work history and your day-to-day responsibilities. It’s surprising how many candidates struggle to answer this clearly. Think of it as your elevator pitch. You should be able to describe what you do in 30 seconds with confidence and clarity.
Be honest. While your resume is in many ways a sales document, exaggeration can backfire. Nowadays, it’s common for candidates to use AI assistants when writing CVs and I don’t see that as a problem in itself. The problem is that sometimes these can contain outlandish claims about the candidate’s experience.
For example, if your resume says you “spearheaded the development of a new advertising campaign,” but your job title was ‘Intern’ and you worked in that role for two months, that’s definitely going to raise some eyebrows. If you can’t back up those claims during the interview, your chances of landing the role are likely slim.
Impact, Concise, Honest Claims
Andrea Hayley-Sankaran
Owner & Director, Lotuswood Organic Wellness Farm
When I’m interviewing someone to join our team at Lotuswood Organic Wellness Farm, I’m not looking for polished perfection — I’m looking for presence, purpose, and personality.
Show up grounded. We’re a farm. It’s nature-based. I want to see calm energy, not performative polish. How you walk in, breathe, and connect tells me a lot.
Know what lights you up. If you’re applying here just because it’s a job, I can tell. But if you talk about how working in fresh air or supporting meaningful celebrations excites you — now we’re talking.
Be real. I respect authenticity over slick answers. If you don’t know something, just say so. I value honesty and willingness to grow over experience alone.
Grounded, Purposeful, Authentic Presence
David Case
President, Advastar Group
Understand the company’s projects, clients, and focus, then reference those in your interview answers. Not only does this demonstrate that you’ve done your homework, but it also helps you to highlight why you’d be an ideal fit for this specific role and company. Before the interview, research the company and identify some major projects, areas of specialization, technologies used, reputation in the market, or aspects of their culture that you can refer to in your answers. When candidates do this, they always stand out in the right way.
Demonstrate the right soft skills. Dependability, work ethic, and teamwork are top of this list for the industries I work in. Stand-out candidates show these traits in multiple ways—through the career highlights in their resume, in how they answer interview questions, and by modeling these traits during the interview process, for instance by arriving for their interview on time and responding promptly to communications.
Bring documents that verify your skill sets. It’s a smart move to bring copies of your resume, first of all. For those in design roles, it’s also valuable to bring your portfolio of past projects. In other roles, documents can take the form of certifications, trade licenses or qualifications, or safety records. Having these documents on-hand reinforces your suitability for the role and demonstrates a level of preparedness and professionalism that interviewers want to see.
Company Fit, Soft Skills, Documents
Gene Caballero
Co-Founder, GreenPal
My biggest tip I’d love to share with any candidate is to close the interview or essentially ask for the job.
Before I started my entrepreneurial journey, I worked as a sales manager for 7 years in a call center at a Fortune 50 tech company. I was also in charge of headcount for our division and have conducted hundreds of interviews.
The biggest mistake interviewers can make is not asking for the position. Especially in a sales environment, we want the interviewer to close the “proverbial sale” and ask for the job at the end of the interview. This is a mistake that many make when it comes to solidifying themselves as a front-runner for a position.
Interviewees should ask this question at the end of the interview. “Based on your experience, what are some of the characteristics that successful individuals demonstrate in this position?”
The interviewer should then spout off a few of the characteristics they are looking for in their ideal candidate.
Then the interviewee should close the interview by responding: “Having talked about my strengths earlier in the interview and what you just described as needing to be successful in this role, is there a reason why you would not recommend me for this position?”
Close Interview, Ask for Job
The HR Spotlight team thanks these industry leaders for offering their expertise and experience and sharing these insights.
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