5 Tips for Creating the Right Interview Vibes

She knew something was off when she walked into the interview. The hiring manager seemed to have a thousand other things on his mind. She tried to break the ice by mentioning a mutual connection, but couldn’t elicit much of a response. Maybe the manager’s demeanor was a strategy; maybe he were having a bad day. But whatever it was, it threw her off her game.

Today, with applicants flooding the market, AI filters rejecting résumés left and right, and firms ghosting applicants, being called in for an interview fills candidates with a sense of “relief and dread,” says Korn Ferry Advance career coach Stacey Perkins. Studies show that just 2% to 10% of job applicants make it to any kind of interview. “It feels like a major accomplishment,” says Perkins. “But it might also be the only interview they get for another six months, so they feel pressure to knock it out of the park.”

Perkins says landing an interview has become so challenging that candidates have become hyper-attuned to the factors—poor chemistry, going off script, bad vibes—that can derail their chances. With that in mind, we asked our experts for their advice on creating the right atmosphere to get the most out of an interview. Here’s what they said.

Get in your zone.

Nobody likes surprises—everyone likes to be prepared. But you can sometimes be so prepared, Perkins says, that you set yourself up for failure. “You don’t want to be looking at your notes right up until the minute you turn on your Zoom camera or step into the manager’s office,” she says. Not unlike an athlete or a performer, you should step away about 30 minutes before going on camera to get in the right mindset, Perkins suggests, whether by meditating, going for a walk, or blasting your favorite hype music.

Take note of your surroundings.

It happens in meetings with colleagues or on team Zoom calls all the time: Someone notices a new picture on the desk or a book in the background, makes a comment, and sparks a connection. The same approach works in job interviews, says Korn Ferry Advisory principal Frances Weir. Most people look to do this at the beginning of the interview to build rapport. But holding it in reserve—in case it’s needed to deftly pivot away from a spiraling topic or revive your connection with the interviewer after a lull— can also be a good strategy. “Finding something genuine to connect over or that engages your curiosity is a great way to create a relaxed atmosphere,” says Weir.

Stay focused on the plot.

Creating a narrative to talk about your career and skills is table stakes, of course. Sharing stories about successes and challenges creates connection and builds trust. Even if an interview starts going off course, remember to stay focused on your story’s plot, so to speak, says Michele Capra, vice president in the Recruitment Process Outsourcing practice at Korn Ferry. “Being able to stick to the main themes of your story will help you stand out, despite the energy in the room at the time,” says Capra.

Match their energy.

Speaking of energy, Capra advises trying to match that of the interviewer while remaining your authentic self. “Interpreting nonverbal cues is just as meaningful as how you answer interview questions,” she says. If the interviewer is all business, trying to break the ice with a joke probably isn’t the right move. If they are more casual, stay professional, but make room for the conversation to veer off course so that you can showcase more of your personality. Beyond that, Capra also advises matching the tone and pacing of the interviewer’s cadence to build subtle rapport.

Be wary of the oversell.

When an interview isn’t going well, candidates sometimes start to oversell to overcompensate for a lack of rapport, Perkins says. This can lead to even more damage, she says, because skilled interviewers tend to read overselling more negatively than positively. “Be conscious of not falling into the overselling trap if things aren’t clicking,” she emphasizes.

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