FutureProof You

Ace the Interview #fu
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dan-yu_1_02-24-2025_123925: thank you everyone for joining another episode of Future Proof U's podcast. F yourself. This week we are talking about a topic that we all love to talk about here at Future Proof U. It's interviewing, and later this week we'll have our class, Ace the Interview, on Thursday. We'll talk a little bit more about that later, but For all of you, it is, um, it is really special, I think, to have our resident expert on interviewing John Lovig.

dan-yu_1_02-24-2025_123925: John, uh, you know, it's, um, it's so great to hear all of your stories throughout, you know, throughout your career about interviewing you, being interviewed, but you also interviewing talent. Um, I mean, for 15 plus years. You know, being in recruiting, I mean, how many interviews do you think you've been

john-lovig_1_02-24-2025_123923: Rough calculation is in the tens of thousands at this point.

dan-yu_1_02-24-2025_123925: Tens of thousands. [00:01:00] On both sides of the aisle,

john-lovig_1_02-24-2025_123923: mostly on the interviewer side, but still. Ha ha. Ha ha ha. Ha

dan-yu_1_02-24-2025_123925: Because that'd be a lot of jobs that you'd be going for. But, uh, that's just incredible. And, um, you know, Aaron, you know, you've, uh, you have had not very many interviews in your lifetime. Right?

aaron_1_02-24-2025_103923: to John. I'm in the tens. I'm not in the tens of thousands. I mean a lot of them are low stakes, but I would say under a hundred for sure somewhere between 75 and 100 as my guess and my thing that I've learned if you don't have a recruiter who's a psychology person in your network or teaching you this stuff, it feels like a cheat code because somebody who you viewed as the opponent or the dark side that gatekeeps all the strategies from you is just sharing all of this stuff to help you and it feels like a cheat code when you have somebody like John teaching you these interview [00:02:00] skills.

dan-yu_1_02-24-2025_123925: That's awesome. Well, you know, I think a lot of what we do at Future Proof U is to dispel a lot of myths and misconceptions and, uh, and really demystify, as John loves to say, he loves that word, demystify, um, uh, a lot of the things that, uh, people just don't get taught, right? I don't think anybody gets really taught on how to do job interviews.

dan-yu_1_02-24-2025_123925: We can look up an article or we can, you know, look up a video, but ultimately Uh, you gotta do it, right? And, uh, I think, uh, a lot of people get nervous, right? That's a, that's a big thing, being nervous before an interview. Um, you know, John, you and I have conducted a lot of interviews for the past couple weeks, and you can just tell, right?

dan-yu_1_02-24-2025_123925: That, uh, that, you know, people get nervous and when they have no reason to be, you know? And, uh, um, one of the things that I like to teach In preparing for an interview is to have a strong profile, right? And John, you and I, and Aaron too, you know, we've all talked about this a lot, and, but having [00:03:00] a strong profile, you can answer the questions before they're even asked, right?

dan-yu_1_02-24-2025_123925: So that you can spend more time in the interview, really focused on talking about what's important for that, for that role, for that job. And so, and, and John, you mentioned a couple of things, um, we were speaking earlier around some of the other things you can include in your profile or your resume.

john-lovig_1_02-24-2025_123923: about framing the conversation in advance, right? So, if you're going through a career pivot, or you're going to be, um, you have a reason for someone to question something in your profile, preempt that, put it in your profile. Um, it, it's a good thing. It might, one might lead to more likely getting the interview, but also it will remove that burden of, of talking about it and clarifying potentially. Um, especially if it's some something that just seems a little bit off, but maybe isn't. I mean, you had a prime example before this call, Dan, where someone had what looked [00:04:00] stints, but actually ended up being acquisitions. And some companies literally look for average years, And profiles, and if you don't preempt that somehow, you're going to struggle.

dan-yu_1_02-24-2025_123925: Right. To even just get the interview. Right? And so that's, um, yeah, that person had, uh, I think 18 months, 20 months, 22 months at three different firms on the profile, but it was actually just one firm and they actually got promoted throughout that, uh, throughout the three, uh, you know, three stints. And so that's, you know, that's more than a couple of years.

dan-yu_1_02-24-2025_123925: I mean, it's more than four years, right? Ultimately. So, um, But yeah, so that's, I think, a super important concept that I think everybody can improve upon. Uh, you know, and it doesn't take that much effort, right? Answer the question before it's asked. You even, um, you can even talk about bereavement or time away from work.

dan-yu_1_02-24-2025_123925: You are transitioning to, uh, to go to classes, right? And, [00:05:00] and, uh, um, maybe you went on a sabbatical. Whatever it is, just own it. Right? Own that aspect of, you know, what your journey is. And I think it'll, it'll just dispel any misconceptions on the part of the interviewer, right? Makes it easier. And, um, Aaron, one of the things that, uh, one of the things that, uh, I know that you've, uh, really harped on as far as, uh, your nervousness maybe during interview, right?

dan-yu_1_02-24-2025_123925: During the interview is, um, is preparing yourself mentally. Right. And, uh, in what's one of the tricks and, or tips that you have for the audience. Absolutely.

aaron_1_02-24-2025_103923: I'm not as deep in the psych world as John. I'm not the industrial organizational psychology expert. I'm just the teacher who teaches it. One of the ones that I've done, people do power poses and breathing exercises. I will confess at my current stop, I did that pre interview, they put me in the bullpen to get ready and instead of reviewing [00:06:00] questions or going through my notes again because I already had that done, I was doing kind of like the Superman pose and just trying to Feeling confident and be able to project that instead of nervousness and my posture being defensive and closed off, which even on a zoom interview, you can pick up on for sure. Another one that for the remote interviewers, which is in my world as a teacher, there weren't a zoom interviews until the pandemic for physical in person teaching every once while there's a phone, but I have learned. The trick to put something by your webcam that makes you naturally want to smile or be in a good mood. Such as a picture of your spouse, your kids, your pet. Uh, at home on my shelf I have a sort of a plaque that reminds me of a fond memory. And then I have things that my children and my wife have given me as little gifts. Just on a shelf right above where that glowing light is on [00:07:00] your camera. And then you don't have to feel fake as you're trying to manufacture a smile.

aaron_1_02-24-2025_103923: You just look at the Mother's Day card that your kids got you and you will naturally smile. And that comes through in the interview on, on the other side of the webcam for sure.

john-lovig_1_02-24-2025_123923: I mean, these are all too, they're all examples of neurolinguistic programming. Right? It's, it's to get yourself into a state based on some previous experience within that state. Another one too, is on the phone interview is to smile, right? If you're smiling, you can hear it in the person's voice, but also it actually changes your brain chemistry to release Chemicals that make you happier.

john-lovig_1_02-24-2025_123923: So, in effect, you actually change your state by doing so. Um, and so it puts you in a really good spot to interview because you sound more engaged, you sound like a more warm and welcoming person, and you sound more confident.

dan-yu_1_02-24-2025_123925: That's a, that's just, uh, I think a fun way to even [00:08:00] approach interviews, right? So it's, you know, if you're smiling beforehand or, or doing your Superman poses, and then you have your, your pictures up, I think it's, it's all, as you say, it's all part of that programming, right? That, uh, that you can do your, on your own.

dan-yu_1_02-24-2025_123925: And I don't think the audience. Needs to spend a lot of time or money or effort really doing it, but it's just, it's there for you and you can do it. Um, and then, uh, what's another thing that you can do in preparation? Um, you know, before interviews, uh, Aaron, to hear from

aaron_1_02-24-2025_103923: Yeah. Unless it's the first time you've interviewed for that type of a role, you have a good idea of what questions they're going to ask. Such as, tell me about a time you overcame an obstacle, or tell me about a time you led a team effectively. If you know the general idea of a lot of those questions, why would you not show up with examples written out? And even in person, I, I brought a binder to one of my biggest job interviews in person, [00:09:00] and I laid out notes That can be helpful because then I don't have to recall all of these stories and examples, which we use the term car. You can take the class to find out how that works, but bring your cars or your stories and you have a menu to pick from.

aaron_1_02-24-2025_103923: And once you write them down, that's going to help you remember them as the psychologist will testify. And you don't feel the pressure of having to recall them right on the spot when somebody asks you. Another great one, Zoom makes this easy, but just knowing people's names, you have to use their names.

aaron_1_02-24-2025_103923: Don't just say, um, yes, good question. You want to say, yes, Jim, great question. A trick that I used, I would come in, this is for in person interviews, and I would draw a diagram of the table. I once had one that had 11 people on the interview committee. And the, we'll call him the hiring manager said, well, I thought as a football coach, you could handle 11 at a time.

aaron_1_02-24-2025_103923: So the committee [00:10:00] has 11. I was glad that I brought my binder and I took a blank sheet and I drew this rectangular table and they're all going to, the first thing they're going to do is intros. I literally made a diagram of seats. And then wrote the name and one thing to remember about each person. For example, you know, Suzy HR. Bob CFO. Whatever it is. And then I made a point to be the most personable candidate because every question from Suzy, I said, Thanks Suzy, I'm glad you asked about that. Let me tell you my car. Thanks Bob. I know with your experience as the CFO, this really matters. And. It just, it's NLP reversed on the interviewer because they feel like you know them.

aaron_1_02-24-2025_103923: They're like, this guy knows my name. This lady knows who I am and what role. Everybody else that they're cranking through the interviews is going to be intimidated by who was that again? What's their role? I don't know. Thanks man. Thanks bro. You want to use their name.

john-lovig_1_02-24-2025_123923: [00:11:00] Also, 11 person interview panel really has no idea how to conduct interviews because you are not getting good data from that, that panel. You're not

dan-yu_1_02-24-2025_123925: And, and, and, and it's, um, sometimes, you know, having that panel, right. Especially 11, right. I mean, that's just, it's almost like an intimidation game, right. It's a little bit of a power game. Right, yeah, and, and so,

john-lovig_1_02-24-2025_123923: Yeah

dan-yu_1_02-24-2025_123925: right, yeah, you gotta prepare, right, and there's the seven P's, right, proper prior planning prevents piss poor performance, right, prepare, prepare, prepare, so that once you get there, you're not nervous because you're ready for everything, right, and you're ready even with great questions for the interviewers, right, and what can you do to nudge the conversation along, but also to really close the deal.

dan-yu_1_02-24-2025_123925: Right. And so [00:12:00] closing the deal, I mean, as Aaron, you know, he prepares, you know, he's closing the deal the whole time and you should be closing the whole time by using those tips and tricks as well as at the end, you know, and, uh, You know, John, you've been through, as we said, you know, tens of thousands of interviews.

dan-yu_1_02-24-2025_123925: You know, what's kind of your, your, your favorite interview question?

john-lovig_1_02-24-2025_123923: My favorite interview question to ask people. It's I love to just ask questions that get them talking about Something that they've accomplished. So one of my favorite Granted, and we'll talk about this in the interview course, but I'm a rule in type of recruit, recruiter, not a rule out. So I ask questions to get people talking.

john-lovig_1_02-24-2025_123923: So my number one question is always tell me about a recent project that you're particularly proud of. And what was it that you did to make it so successful? And you hear a person light up, you get to understand how they think. Um, and they usually have a [00:13:00] good story to tell so that I know, okay, is this person doing what I need them to be doing? And it gives me a lot of space to follow up.

dan-yu_1_02-24-2025_123925: Got it. And then, um, as far as, uh, um, from the interviewee perspective, what would be one of the best questions that you've ever asked?

john-lovig_1_02-24-2025_123923: Yeah, I mean, we all love questions like, what does success look like? Or, you know, tell me about the KPIs that, um, you'll measure me against. But my favorite one that I started using, and it always kind of, you know, You always get a positive response from the person on the other end because it's a really well crafted question. Is, um, say we both decide this is a great fit and you hire me. What will I have accomplished in the first 6 to 12 months that made you choose me? Decide you made the right hire. And the reason it's good.

john-lovig_1_02-24-2025_123923: is you're still asking the same thing, right? What are the KPIs? What, what does success look like? But now you've made them envision you [00:14:00] actually in the seat and you've,

dan-yu_1_02-24-2025_123925: A year later.

dan-yu_1_02-24-2025_123925: And a year later, right?

john-lovig_1_02-24-2025_123923: it's using positive language in order to influence perception. It's not necessarily manipulative, but it gets them thinking and visualizing. And when you get people visualizing, first of all, again, part of the game is to be memorable. If you're not memorable. You might as well forget about it. But the other part is, you know, it's a way of asking a question. That's future thinking that is positive, that orients them towards a direction you want them to be in.

dan-yu_1_02-24-2025_123925: I love it. I love it. Well, you know, we've got, uh, we've got the course this week. It's your favorite course to teach.

john-lovig_1_02-24-2025_123923: because I love prepping people for interviews. It's always the moment that I bond with candidates. Um, so it is this Thursday. Noon at Eastern Standard Time. Links below for futureproofu. com, for the course, and other places to find us will [00:15:00] be in the show notes.

aaron_1_02-24-2025_103923: I'm going to reiterate what I said before about having John in your network is like a cheat code. And I've been through him teaching this content now multiple times going into this week. And I will tell you as a student in the course, your first thought will be, I wish I knew this stuff last year or last round of interviews or last career pivot.

aaron_1_02-24-2025_103923: That's what I was thinking is, oh man, I wish I knew all this stuff

I wish I knew it when I first started! Thank you for joining this episode of Future Proof U's podcast on Ace the Interview. If you're listening when this episode came out in February of 2025, we do have a live class where John will teach you these skills. If you missed that, just check out our website futureproof u. com. We'll have a link in the description where you can find video recordings of past courses and see which ones are coming up such as the month of March, which is going to focus on AI integration [00:16:00] across different industries.

Thanks for joining us on Future Proof U's podcast. Make sure you leave a five star review on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you listen to your podcasts.