Interview Tip: Be More Interested Than Interesting

Be More Interested Than Interesting
Because curiosity beats performative charm - EVERY time.
Here’s the truth no one tells you - job interviews are not auditions for “Most Impressive Human.” And yet, so many candidates show up trying to deliver a TED Talk instead of having a conversation.

Spoiler: no one wants a one-person show. They want someone they actually want to work with. Enter your new mantra: Be more interested than interesting.

This doesn’t mean you downplay your brilliance. It means you show up curious—because connection happens when you stop performing and start paying attention.

What makes “interested” beat “interesting” every time:

• It shows you’re emotionally intelligent, not just resume-deep.
  Curiosity says, “I’m thoughtful and engaged,” while over-polishing says, “I rehearsed this in the mirror for two days.”
• It proves you care about the actual role—not just getting a job.
  Anyone can rattle off strengths. It’s rarer (and more valuable) to ask smart questions about how the role fits into the company’s real-world challenges.
• It puts you in partnership mode.
  When you act like someone who’s already part of the team - curious, collaborative, solution-oriented—that’s what people remember. That’s what gets you hired.

• It takes you out of sales mode.
  You don’t need to talk at them for 45 minutes. Ask thoughtful questions, listen well, and let your actual brain (not your resume) do the impressing.
• It shifts the dynamic.
  When you act like someone exploring a mutual fit, it changes the tone. You’re not auditioning. You’re collaborating. It’s a conversation, not an oral exam.
• It proves you’re already thinking like a teammate.
  Curiosity signals presence, humility, and leadership. It tells them, “I care about what we’re building, not just what I get to put on LinkedIn.
  
  

Try asking instead of pitching:

• “How does this team measure success across different projects?”
• ​“What’s something you’d love to see this role improve or take off your plate?”
• “Where do new hires tend to get stuck in the first few months—and how can I get ahead of that?”
• “How does the team typically handle feedback and iteration—especially when priorities shift?”
• “What’s something that’s working really well right now that you’d want me to protect or build on?”
• “Can you share a recent challenge the team tackled—and how they worked through it together?”

Bonus: the answers to these questions will help you tailor your responses in real time and show that you're listening...not just waiting for your turn to talk. You’ll still get to share your wins. But you’ll do it in a way that actually lands—because it’s connected to what matters to them.

Being interested instead of interesting gives you the anchor you need to make this interview a dialogue, not a monologue. And that is the key to a strong interview performance. 

Trying to be impressive is exhausting. Being curious is strategic. This is your chance to show up interested - because that’s what actually makes you interesting.

-Amy Magyar, Your Strategic Interview Coach