Why Most Interview Training is Absolute Rubbish (And the Three Things That Actually Matter)

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Here's a truth bomb for you: 87% of interview training courses are teaching you to be a robot. I've been coaching executives and everyday Aussies through job interviews for the past 18 years, and the amount of complete nonsense being peddled as "interview expertise" would make your head spin.

You know what really gets my goat? These cookie-cutter programs that teach everyone to give the same bloody answers. "Tell me about a time you showed leadership." Everyone trots out the same rehearsed story about organising the office Christmas party or leading a team project that saved the company millions. Absolute codswallop.

The Problem With Generic Interview Advice

I was running a workshop in Perth last month when this bloke - let's call him Dave - came up to me afterwards. Dave had been unemployed for eight months despite having brilliant technical skills in mining engineering. He'd been to three different interview training sessions. All three taught him to "be more confident" and "tell better stories."

Dave was already confident. His problem? He was answering questions like he'd swallowed a corporate training manual.

The real issue isn't that people don't know how to interview. It's that most interview training treats every person and every role like they're identical. A CFO interview is not the same as a trades apprenticeship interview. A startup culture is not the same as a government department. Yet somehow, we're all supposed to use the same techniques?

What Actually Works (The Three Non-Negotiables)

After nearly two decades of this work, I've boiled successful interviewing down to three core elements. Not seven steps, not twelve principles. Three things.

First: Research like your mortgage depends on it. Because it bloody well might. I don't mean looking at their website and memorising their mission statement. I mean understanding their actual problems. Who are their competitors? What challenges is their industry facing? What would keep their CEO awake at 3am?

I had a client land a role as Operations Manager at a Brisbane logistics company because she'd researched their recent expansion into Queensland regional areas and came prepared with specific ideas about how to manage the supply chain challenges. She didn't just know about the company - she understood their pain points.

Second: Stop trying to be perfect. Perfect candidates are boring candidates. I actively encourage people to admit when they don't know something. "I haven't worked with that specific software, but here's how I'd approach learning it" is infinitely better than trying to bullshit your way through.

The most successful interview I ever witnessed was a woman applying for a marketing role who said, "I've never run a campaign with that budget level, and honestly, it terrifies me a bit. But that's exactly why I want this role." She got the job.

Third: Ask questions that matter. Not "What's the culture like?" Everyone asks that. Ask about their biggest upcoming challenge. Ask what success looks like in 12 months. Ask what would make someone fail in this role.

The Australian Advantage (That Most People Waste)

Here's something that might ruffle a few feathers: Australians have a natural interview advantage that we completely waste. We're generally more genuine and less formal than our American or British counterparts. Yet we spend interview training trying to sound like corporate robots.

I worked with a tradie from Geelong who was applying for supervisor roles. Traditional interview advice told him to wear a suit and speak more "professionally." Wrong approach entirely. His strength was his authenticity and practical problem-solving approach. We worked on channeling that genuine personality while demonstrating leadership capability.

Some of my most successful placements have been people who brought their authentic Aussie directness to the table. Not the ocker stereotype - just genuine, straight-talking humans who could articulate their value without corporate speak.

Where Most Training Goes Wrong

The biggest myth in interview training? That there's a "right" answer to every question. I've seen people lose opportunities because they gave textbook responses instead of honest ones.

"Where do you see yourself in five years?" The standard training answer involves career progression and company loyalty. But what if you're genuinely not sure? What if you're considering a career change? What if you want to start your own business eventually?

A client of mine answered that question with, "Honestly, I'm not entirely sure, which is why this role appeals to me. I want to explore whether the strategic side of operations is where I want to focus my career." He got the job because his honesty was refreshing.

The Real Secret (It's Not What You Think)

Here's what 23 years in business has taught me about interviews: they're not really about your qualifications. By the time you're sitting in that room, they already know you can do the job. The interview is about whether they want to work with you every day.

That's why handling office politics and understanding workplace dynamics matters more than having perfect answers to behavioural questions.

I remember interviewing someone for my own team who gave mediocre answers to most questions but made me laugh three times during the conversation. She got the job. Why? Because I realised I'd enjoy having her around during stressful periods.

The Reality Check Most People Need

Let me be brutally honest: if you're not getting interviews, the problem isn't your interview technique. It's your resume, your network, or you're applying for the wrong roles. No amount of interview training will fix that.

But if you're getting interviews and not converting them? That's when technique matters. And the technique isn't about having perfect answers - it's about being memorably genuine while demonstrating you understand what they actually need.

What I Tell My Clients (The Uncomfortable Truth)

Stop trying to be the candidate they want. Be the candidate they need. Sometimes that's the same thing. Often it's not.

I worked with a woman applying for HR roles who kept getting feedback that she was "too direct." Rather than soften her approach, we repositioned her directness as exactly what dysfunctional teams needed. She landed a role fixing a toxic workplace culture specifically because of her straight-talking style.

The best interviews feel like conversations between colleagues, not interrogations. If you're walking out feeling like you performed perfectly, you probably came across as rehearsed.

The Bottom Line

Most interview training teaches you to be a better performer. What you actually need is to be a better match. That starts with understanding what they really need (not just what the job description says) and honestly assessing whether you can deliver it.

Stop trying to nail the perfect interview. Start trying to have the right conversation.

And for the love of all that's holy, stop ending every answer with "Does that answer your question?" Just stop. It makes you sound insecure, even when you're not.

The best interview advice I can give you? Be prepared, be genuine, and be specific. Everything else is just noise.