How to Start Every Job Interview Answer the Right Way

Interviewers don't wait until you finish your story to decide if they like you. They decide while you're still taking your first breath. In those first 15 seconds, they're asking, "Do I trust this person? Do they get what matters here?" Most candidates waste that window listing tasks or backstory. The best ones win it by showing they understand the real business problem and hinting at the result they delivered. That's what I'm teaching in this week's lesson. You'll learn how to open with context that earns respect, why the STAR method fails, and the exact 15-second framework that makes your answers sound confident, strategic, and memorable. Listen now! If you'd like to build a great career and lead a rewarding life, check out some of these other places where I share my teachings: 1. Check out the milewalk Academy, my coaching and training site, for freemiums and premiums. 2. I have hundreds of educational and inspirational videos on my YouTube Channel. 3. Grab any of my four books related to career development, interviewing, hiring, and goal setting. All can be found on my Amazon Author Page. 4. Follow me on Instagram, LinkedIn, Twitter (X), TikTok, Threads, and Facebook. 5. Stay in touch with me in your email inbox by joining my newsletter here! --Andy

Most people think success comes from constant hustle. It doesn't. It comes from patience mixed with smart action. Most people chase quick wins. I learned the real secret is patience mixed with purpose. When you think long-term, you make better short-term decisions. You stop chasing every shiny idea and start stacking small wins that lead to something big. Back in 2015, I made a decision that tested every ounce of my patience. Even though I was most qualified to teach leadership, I didn't start there. My long-term vision was to become a one-stop shop for your career. But to earn that, I needed to start by solving your most acute pain first…getting the job. That meant helping people fix their search, knowing they'd leave me once they succeeded. It was a sacrifice, but a necessary one if I wanted to serve for the long haul. This week's lesson shares (in under 4 minutes) how I created a long-term vision for my career success. And how you can build yours using the same approach. If you'd like to build a great career and lead a rewarding life, check out some of these other places where I share my teachings: 1. Check out the milewalk Academy, my coaching and training site, for freemiums and premiums. 2. I have hundreds of educational and inspirational videos on my YouTube Channel. 3. Grab any of my four books related to career development, interviewing, hiring, and goal setting. All can be found on my Amazon Author Page. 4. Follow me on Instagram, LinkedIn, Twitter (X), TikTok, Threads, and Facebook. 5. Stay in touch with me in your email inbox by joining my newsletter here! --Andy

Perfectionism is the great career stall. Most people don't slow down because they're lazy. They slow down because they want everything just right before they move. Job seekers spend months polishing résumés, cover letters, and LinkedIn profiles before they ever start actually searching. Professionals over-edit reports and presentations until the opportunity passes. They all have the same problem…waiting until it's perfect before they ship. But progress doesn't come from polishing. It comes from acting. This week's lesson is all about breaking free from perfectionism so you can finally make real progress. I share how I overcame a decade of "consultant conditioning" that taught me perfection was everything and how learning to act fast and iterate changed my entire career. If you've ever felt stuck trying to make something flawless, this one's for you. If you'd like to build a great career and lead a rewarding life, check out some of these other places where I share my teachings: 1. Check out the milewalk Academy, my coaching and training site, for freemiums and premiums. 2. I have hundreds of educational and inspirational videos on my YouTube Channel. 3. Grab any of my four books related to career development, interviewing, hiring, and goal setting. All can be found on my Amazon Author Page. 4. Follow me on Instagram, LinkedIn, Twitter (X), TikTok, Threads, and Facebook. 5. Stay in touch with me in your email inbox by joining my newsletter here! --Andy

Most managers don't actually manage people. They manage tasks. They tell. They correct. They rarely coach. That's the difference between a boss people tolerate and a leader people trust. When you learn how to coach and mentor someone, everything changes. You build loyalty and develop people who think for themselves. This week's lesson shares a simple four-step framework to help you manage people more effectively through better communication and growth. If you lead a team, you'll recognize yourself in this one. If you've ever felt frustrated trying to motivate someone who just isn't getting it, this will show you why. It's not about pushing harder. It's about coaching smarter. At first, you'll wonder why you haven't been doing these steps all along. Then, you can take action, or even manage upward, to start maximizing your team's enjoyment and performance! If you'd like to build a great career and lead a rewarding life, check out some of these other places where I share my teachings: 1. Check out the milewalk Academy, my coaching and training site, for freemiums and premiums. 2. I have hundreds of educational and inspirational videos on my YouTube Channel. 3. Grab any of my four books related to career development, interviewing, hiring, and goal setting. All can be found on my Amazon Author Page. 4. Follow me on Instagram, LinkedIn, Twitter (X), TikTok, Threads, and Facebook. 5. Stay in touch with me in your email inbox by joining my newsletter here! --Andy

Last week, we spent five full days together building and fine-tuning your résumé. You now have a marketing document that's designed to get you noticed. But here's the #1 mistake most job seekers make right now… they slow down. They assume the holidays are dead time. They think no one's hiring until January. They coast into the new year. That couldn't be further from the truth. November through February is THE BEST time of year to land a new role. Companies evaluate their budgets. They make sure to spend the current year's budget so they don't lose it. They prepare next year's budgets and identify the resources. Then, they hurry to start recruiting because people aren't teleported on January 2. They panic because employees who didn't get the promotions or raises leave. And then they have more seats to fill. All these employee mobility spikes mean opportunities for you. But only if you're in the game!  If you step off the gas now, you're handing those jobs to someone else. That's what I cover in today's podcast… If you'd like to build a great career and lead a rewarding life, check out some of these other places where I share my teachings: 1. Check out the milewalk Academy, my coaching and training site, for freemiums and premiums. 2. I have hundreds of educational and inspirational videos on my YouTube Channel. 3. Grab any of my four books related to career development, interviewing, hiring, and goal setting. All can be found on my Amazon Author Page. 4. Follow me on Instagram, LinkedIn, Twitter (X), TikTok, Threads, and Facebook. 5. Stay in touch with me in your email inbox by joining my newsletter here! --Andy

Last month I celebrated my 59th. It had me reflecting on the biggest influences that rerouted my path, especially the books that shaped my mindset, my career, my health, and even my view of the universe. These aren't just books I enjoyed. They are turning points that literally changed how I live. Some helped me become a better teacher, others taught me discipline and financial independence, and a few opened up my sense of purpose. Here's the list in the same order I cover them, with a personal note on why each mattered to me. Mindset, Self-Discovery Don't Sweat the Small Stuff, Richard Carlson I stumbled into this book in 1997 after literally knocking over a stack of them in Barnes & Noble. It sparked my lifelong love of self-help. Its short chapters and practical reminders taught me to let go of stress and focus on what actually matters, which helped me lead my teams (and my life) with a clearer head. You'll See It When You Believe It, Wayne Dyer This is the book I've re-read more than any other, sometimes daily for weeks at a time. Dyer's lessons on manifestation and the "seven attachments" helped me release ego, control, and the need to be right, which created more peace and focus in every area of my life. Stumbling on Happiness, Daniel Gilbert Gilbert proves we're never as happy or as sad as we think we'll be, because we can't fully predict our future selves. This freed me from chasing perfection and helped me embrace the journey, knowing joy comes more from growth than from reaching the finish line. Storytelling, Career Transformation Made to Stick, Chip and Dan Heath A dearly-departed friend gifted me this book in December 2007, and it completely changed how I thought about communication. Its framework for making ideas memorable became the foundation of my Interview Intervention methodology, and eventually the blueprint for the storytelling systems I still teach today. Interview Intervention, Yours Truly I wrote this book in just five weeks at the end of 2011, and it completely transformed my career. For the first time, I captured years of coaching into a system anyone could use, and that was the first official step that turned me from recruiter to teacher to author. Choice, Goals, Perspective  This Is Water, David Foster Wallace This slim book, adapted from a 2005 commencement speech, is one of the most powerful I've read. Wallace's simple but profound message, that you can choose what to think about, has reshaped how I approach daily life, teaching me to stay present and compassionate in the middle of life's noise. It also served at the stimulation for the next book on this list. Out of Reach But in Sight, Me Again Born from a keynote I gave to scholarship students, I turned the speech into a book. Capturing timeless lessons on setting and pursuing goals, it later evolved into my Goal Setting Masterclass and proved how small steps can inspire big transformations. Wealth, Health The Millionaire Next Door, Thomas Stanley and William Danko At 30, this book confirmed that wealth is built through discipline, not high income. It cemented my lifelong approach of living below my means, investing early, and building habits that would later help me achieve financial independence and peace of mind. Good Energy, Casey Means Of the 70+ health books I've read, this one had the most immediate impact on my life. Understanding metabolic health and cutting refined sugars, refined grains, and seed oils gave me more energy, clarity, and resilience than I thought possible. I've felt sharper and healthier ever since. My Life's Work, Beyond  The Zebra Code, The New Me This is my most ambitious book, and easily the toughest project I've ever taken on. It demanded every ounce of experience, discipline, and creativity I had, but it also gave me the chance to share the full methodology I believe can help any professional thrive. Journey of Souls, Michael Newton This book opened my mind to ideas about past and future lives, whether you take them literally or not. It gave me a new lens for thinking about purpose, why I might be wired the way I am, and how being open to bigger questions can deepen the way you live today. These aren't just books on a shelf. They're turning points in my story. Please add any of these to your own shelf that speak to you. Maybe they can be turning points in your story too! If you'd like to build a great career and lead a rewarding life, check out some of these other places where I share my teachings: 1. Check out the milewalk Academy, my coaching and training site, for freemiums and premiums. 2. I have hundreds of educational and inspirational videos on my YouTube Channel. 3. Grab any of my four books related to career development, interviewing, hiring, and goal setting. All can be found on my Amazon Author Page. 4. Follow me on Instagram, LinkedIn, Twitter (X), TikTok, Threads, and Facebook. 5. Stay in touch with me in your email inbox by joining my newsletter here! --Andy

It was 3:08 in the morning. May of last year. I was in my office already a lofty 8 minutes into my day. Headphones on, speaking (uh, reading) into a microphone… and yelling at ducks. Yes, ducks. As I tried to record a passage for The Zebra Code audiobook, those feathered freeloaders on my backyard lake quacked like it was their job. I must've sounded like a lunatic, hollering "Come on! I need 75 quiet minutes!" But here's the truth… I wasn't just recording an audiobook. I was chasing a big goal that was important to me. Writing a book is one thing. Giving voice to it, putting myself on record, was something else entirely. Big goals aren't really about the thing you achieve. They're about who you become in the pursuit. (In this case, hopefully, not a total lunatic. 🤣) They stretch your patience, your creativity, your confidence, and yes… even your relationships with ducks. This week's video is all about this truth. What really happens to you when you work toward a massive goal (and why the transformation almost never looks the way you expect)? If you've ever set an ambitious goal, whether career-related, personal, or financial, you'll see yourself in this. And if you haven't yet? It might just give you the push to start. If you'd like to build a great career and lead a rewarding life, check out some of these other places where I share my teachings: 1. Check out the milewalk Academy, my coaching and training site, for freemiums and premiums. 2. I have hundreds of educational and inspirational videos on my YouTube Channel. 3. Grab any of my four books related to career development, interviewing, hiring, and goal setting. All can be found on my Amazon Author Page. 4. Follow me on Instagram, LinkedIn, Twitter (X), TikTok, Threads, and Facebook. 5. Stay in touch with me in your email inbox by joining my newsletter here! --Andy

When you walk into an interview, you know the tough ones are coming. 👉 How do you handle problems? 👉 How do you serve customers? 👉 How do you disagree? 👉 How do you influence? 👉 How do you lead? 👉 What are you passionate about? These aren't just "questions." They're tests. Each one is designed to uncover whether you can think critically, collaborate, lead, and actually thrive in their environment. The trouble? Most candidates stumble. They ramble, give generic answers, or miss the chance to actually sell their value. This week's lesson is on exactly how to answer these six hardest questions. You'll learn: ✅ A step-by-step formula to keep your answers sharp and structured. ✅ Word-for-word examples you can model. LITERALLY! ✅ Why interviewers ask these questions and how to tailor your reply. If you master these six, the rest of the interview will feel easy. If you'd like to build a great career and lead a rewarding life, check out some of these other places where I share my teachings: 1. Check out the milewalk Academy, my coaching and training site, for freemiums and premiums. 2. I have hundreds of educational and inspirational videos on my YouTube Channel. 3. Grab any of my four books related to career development, interviewing, hiring, and goal setting. All can be found on my Amazon Author Page. 4. Follow me on Instagram, LinkedIn, Twitter (X), TikTok, Threads, and Facebook. 5. Stay in touch with me in your email inbox by joining my newsletter here! --Andy

You've got the skills. You've done the prep. But the moment you walk into the room (or log into Zoom), it's like you're playing a different game. Everything seemed fine when you were doing the work and sailing through the projects. But to articulate that to someone who doesn't know you…ugh. In these cases, your words matter. Your tone matters. And don't even get me started on your posture, your facial expressions, and even how you listen. If you've ever walked away from an interview thinking, I wish they'd seen the real me, this week's lesson is for you. I'm breaking down the exact verbal and nonverbal moves that top candidates use to win over interviewers both in-person and on-screen. Here's what you'll learn: How to project confidence and warmth the second the conversation starts. The posture, gestures, and micro-expressions that build trust. How to use your voice to emphasize your value (without sounding rehearsed). Why "active listening" is your secret weapon in any interview format. Whether you're across the table or on the other side of the screen, these tactics will help you look, sound, and feel like the top candidate every time. If you'd like to build a great career and lead a rewarding life, check out some of these other places where I share my teachings: 1. Check out the milewalk Academy, my coaching and training site, for freemiums and premiums. 2. I have hundreds of educational and inspirational videos on my YouTube Channel. 3. Grab any of my four books related to career development, interviewing, hiring, and goal setting. All can be found on my Amazon Author Page. 4. Follow me on Instagram, LinkedIn, Twitter (X), TikTok, Threads, and Facebook. 5. Stay in touch with me in your email inbox by joining my newsletter here! --Andy

We've all been there. You say something. You think it makes sense. But the reaction you get? Confused. Unmoved. Maybe even tuned out. Ugh. Communication isn't about what you say. It's about what the other person hears and, more importantly, how they feel and act because of it. If you're not getting the results you want from your conversations, whether in meetings, emails, presentations, or even casual exchanges, there's a reason. This week, I'm sharing 2 simple ways to instantly improve your communication skills. These aren't gimmicks or tricks. They're straightforward changes you can make right away to: ✅ Be clearer. ✅ Get buy-in faster. ✅ Avoid misinterpretations. ✅ Sound more thoughtful, credible, and composed. Communication is THE SKILL that connects your value to the world. If you want to influence, lead, or be remembered, this is where you start. If you'd like to build a great career and lead a rewarding life, check out some of these other places where I share my teachings: 1. Check out the milewalk Academy, my coaching and training site, for freemiums and premiums. 2. I have hundreds of educational and inspirational videos on my YouTube Channel. 3. Grab any of my four books related to career development, interviewing, hiring, and goal setting. All can be found on my Amazon Author Page. 4. Follow me on Instagram, LinkedIn, Twitter (X), TikTok, Threads, and Facebook. 5. Stay in touch with me in your email inbox by joining my newsletter here! --Andy