Job interviews are a strange performance. Candidates are expected to be polished, professional, and perfect, all while being their "authentic self." This pressure often leads them to create a persona they think the interviewer wants to see, which can feel fake and exhausting. As recruitment professionals, you're on the front lines of this interaction, and you have a unique opportunity to guide candidates toward a more genuine and effective approach. Helping them ace the interview without feeling like an imposter not only improves their experience but also gives you a clearer picture of who they really are.

This guide provides practical tips you can share with your candidates to help them navigate the interview process with confidence and authenticity. It’s about shifting the focus from "saying the right thing" to effectively communicating their true value.

Understanding the "Fake" Feeling

Before we dive into solutions, it’s important to understand why so many candidates feel inauthentic during interviews. It often boils down to a few key factors:

  • Pressure to Impress: The high-stakes nature of an interview makes people feel they need to be flawless. This can lead to memorizing scripts, exaggerating achievements, or trying to embody a corporate ideal that doesn't fit their personality.
  • Fear of Judgment: Candidates are being evaluated on every word and action. This intense scrutiny can cause them to clam up or put on a mask to protect themselves from potential rejection.
  • "Corporate Speak": Many candidates believe they need to use a lot of jargon and buzzwords to sound smart and professional. This often backfires, making them sound robotic and unnatural instead of competent.
  • Misinterpreting "Professionalism": For some, professionalism means being stoic, overly formal, and devoid of personality. They suppress their natural enthusiasm and character, thinking it’s what’s required.

Your role as a recruiter is to help them see that true professionalism is about being respectful, prepared, and articulate—not about being a different person.

The Foundation: Preparation Meets Authenticity

The antidote to feeling fake isn't to "just be yourself" without any preparation. That’s a recipe for a rambling, unfocused interview. The key is to prepare in a way that empowers authenticity, rather than stifles it. Here are strategies you can share with your candidates.

1. Redefine the Goal of the Interview

First, encourage candidates to reframe the interview's purpose. It’s not a one-sided interrogation where they must prove their worth. It's a two-way conversation to determine if there’s a mutual fit. This simple mindset shift can be incredibly empowering.

  • It’s a discovery session. They are there to learn about the role, the team, and the company culture, just as much as the company is there to learn about them.
  • It’s a collaboration. The interviewer and the candidate are working together to see if their skills and the company’s needs align.

When a candidate sees it this way, they move from a defensive posture to a collaborative one. They are more likely to ask thoughtful questions, listen actively, and engage in a genuine dialogue.

2. Ditch the Scripts, Build a Story Bank

Memorizing answers to common interview questions is a primary cause of feeling fake. The delivery sounds rehearsed, and if they get a question they didn’t prepare for, they can freeze.

A much better approach is to create a "story bank." This involves identifying key accomplishments, projects, and experiences from their career that demonstrate their skills. Advise them to structure these stories using the STAR method (Situation, Task, Action, Result).

  • Situation: Briefly describe the context. What was the challenge or project?
  • Task: What was their specific responsibility?
  • Action: What specific steps did they take? This is where they should detail their contribution.
  • Result: What was the outcome? Quantify it whenever possible (e.g., increased sales by 15%, reduced processing time by 2 days).

By building a bank of 5-7 solid stories, they will have versatile examples they can adapt to a wide range of behavioral questions ("Tell me about a time when..."). Instead of reciting a script, they are recalling a real experience, which allows their natural storytelling ability and personality to shine through.

3. Connect Your Skills to Their Problems

Authenticity in an interview means showing how your genuine skills and experiences are the solution to the company's problems. This requires research.

Encourage candidates to go beyond a quick scan of the company’s homepage. They should:

  • Dissect the Job Description: Identify the key responsibilities and required qualifications. What problem is the company trying to solve by hiring for this role?
  • Research Company News: Are they launching a new product? Expanding into a new market? Recently mentioned in the news? This context helps them tailor their answers.
  • Understand the Culture: Look at the company’s social media, read employee reviews, and check out the "About Us" page. This helps them understand the company’s values and communication style.

When a candidate can say, "I saw that you're expanding your services into the European market. In my previous role at Company X, I was part of the team that managed a similar launch, and I learned a lot about navigating international regulations," they are demonstrating genuine interest and direct value. It’s not fake; it’s focused.

Bringing Your Whole Self to the Conversation

Once the preparation is done, the next step is showing up as a human being, not a "candidate bot."

4. Practice, Don't Memorize

There's a big difference between practicing and memorizing. Encourage your candidates to practice telling their STAR stories out loud. They can do this with a friend, a family member, or even by recording themselves.

The goal isn't to get the wording perfect every time. It's to get comfortable talking about their experiences. This helps them find a natural flow, identify parts where they might be rambling, and ensure their key points are clear. The more comfortable they are with their own stories, the more confidently and genuinely they will be able to share them.

5. Let Your Personality Show

Professionalism doesn't mean being boring. Encourage candidates to let their personality come through. If they are naturally enthusiastic, they should let that energy show. If they have a good sense of humor, a well-placed, appropriate quip can build rapport.

Small talk is a great opportunity for this. When the interviewer asks, "How was your weekend?" a genuine, brief answer like, "It was great, thanks! I went for a hike to enjoy the nice weather. How about you?" is much better than a generic "Fine, thank you." It opens the door for a human connection.

Of course, this needs to be balanced with professionalism. The key is to be yourself, but the best version of yourself.

6. Honesty is the Best Policy (Even with Weaknesses)

The "What's your greatest weakness?" question is a classic trap for inauthenticity. Candidates often give a cliché answer like "I'm a perfectionist" or "I work too hard." You know these are canned responses, and they don't provide any real insight.

Advise candidates to be honest but strategic. They should choose a real, minor weakness they have actively worked on improving. The formula is:

  1. Acknowledge a real weakness: "In the past, I sometimes struggled with delegating tasks because I wanted to ensure everything was done perfectly."
  2. Show self-awareness and action: "I realized this wasn't scalable and was holding back my team. I took a management course and started intentionally assigning smaller tasks to junior team members to build trust."
  3. Explain the positive outcome: "It's helped my team grow their skills, and it has freed me up to focus on higher-level strategy. It's still something I'm conscious of, but I've made significant progress."

This approach demonstrates self-awareness, a commitment to growth, and honesty—all highly valued traits.

Your Role as a Recruiter

As a recruitment professional, you can actively foster a more authentic interview process. Remind candidates that you are on their side. Let them know that the company is looking for a real person, not a perfect resume. By giving them these tools, you are not just helping them land a job; you are helping them build the confidence to show up as themselves, which is the most powerful tool of all.