Landing interviews at any stage of a career transition isn’t easy. When you get one, make the most of it. Remember that you can shape it to align with your goals. This goes beyond the typical 'you’re interviewing them too” cliché.
Test whether your pitch lands
Every interview provides an opportunity to measure the effectiveness of translating your USG skillset. You’ll see in real time whether the way you frame your background makes sense to someone outside government. Did they follow along? Did they cut you off? Did their questions pull you deeper into your strongest examples, or did they circle back to clarify basic points?
Follow-up questions from their side aren’t necessarily a red flag. You’ll be able to tell if they understand or are confused. Remember, nothing’s stopping you from asking. Being professional doesn’t mean you can’t take a conversational tone.
That reaction is invaluable. It tells you what resonates, what confuses, and what needs a sharper edge. You can’t learn that from editing your resume or swapping lines in a LinkedIn profile—it only comes from the push and pull of conversation with someone who has a hiring need to fill.
Improve the ability to determine what it’s like to actually work there
No website copy or Glassdoor review shows you how a company operates day to day. Most people are going to present their company in the best light. None of this provides a realistic insight into what it will be like working there. But listen closely to how an interviewer talks about their team, their customers, and their pressure points. Don’t back down from asking hard questions. After all, if the responses are vague or dismissive, then that’s reason enough to think twice..
Are they energized by the mission, or worn down? Do they talk about growth, or about putting out fires?
These cues give you a sense of the pace and culture in ways polished marketing material never will. By treating each exchange as research, you start to separate environments where you’ll thrive from those where you’ll struggle.
Determine whether you feel authentic
One of the quiet benefits of early interviews is testing your own comfort level. Do you feel like you’re stretching into a version of yourself that doesn’t fit, or are you speaking in a voice that feels steady and credible? Authenticity matters more than just how you come off to interviewers.
If you leave a conversation feeling like you bent yourself into a shape that doesn’t last beyond the hour, then you have some introspection to do. This could be a sign that you didn’t gel with the interviewing team or didn’t believe in your pitch. Or maybe you just didn’t eat a balanced breakfast.
When your story comes out naturally and sparks curiosity instead of confusion, you’re closer to the lane where you’ll stand out. You’ll feel more confident delivering it. Your interlocutors will, in turn, resonate with it more.
Each interview is a tool. Measure whether your pitch lands. See how teams actually work. Check if you feel authentic in the exchange.
Informational calls can only take you so far. Progress toward offers arises when you are in front of decision-makers who show you what they value and how they view your background.
Do not approach interviews as auditions where you hope for approval. These are working sessions for you to collect intelligence, refine your positioning and decide whether the environment fits you. That mindset keeps you in control and accelerates your transition.
Not sure how to prep for an upcoming interview?
Schedule a free 15-minute call to map out your strategy and refine your pitch. Control the outcomes. Increase your odds. Never settle.
What have you got to lose?
