Turn Interviews Into Conversations, Not Tests
She walked into the interview room like she was heading to the principal's office.
Stiff. Scripted. Ready to recite her resume like a student defending a thesis.
45 minutes later, she walked out knowing she'd blown it.
"I answered every question perfectly," she told me. "But it felt like an interrogation."
That's because she treated it like a test instead of what it really was—a conversation about solving their problems.
Here's the shift that changes everything: Stop waiting for questions. Start leading with curiosity.
๐ง๐ต๐ฒ ๐ ๐ถ๐๐๐ฎ๐ธ๐ฒ ๐๐ฃ๐๐ฒ๐ฟ ๐ ๐ฎ๐ธ๐ฒ๐
Most CPG professionals walk into interviews armed with STAR stories. They wait for the behavioral questions. Answer them perfectly. Then wonder why they don't advance.
You know why?
Because 50 other candidates gave the same polished answers about "a time they overcame a challenge."
Meanwhile, the person who gets the offer? They turned the interview into a strategy session about the company's actual problems.
๐๐๐ธ ๐ค๐๐ฒ๐๐๐ถ๐ผ๐ป๐ ๐ง๐ต๐ฎ๐ ๐๐ต๐ฎ๐ป๐ด๐ฒ ๐๐ต๐ฒ ๐๐ฎ๐บ๐ฒ
"Save your questions for the end."
Terrible advice.
My client who landed a VP role at a natural foods brand? She asked this 10 minutes into her interview:
"I noticed you're expanding into Whole Foods nationally. What's your biggest challenge with their category review process right now?"
The hiring manager's eyes lit up. Suddenly, they weren't interviewing her. They were problem-solving together.
Try these power questions:
"What's keeping you up at night about this category?"
"If I could solve one problem in my first 90 days, what would make the biggest impact?"
"What's worked before that you're trying to scale?"
Watch the energy shift. You're no longer a candidate. You're a consultant.
๐ง๐๐ฟ๐ป ๐ง๐ต๐ฒ๐ถ๐ฟ ๐๐ต๐ฎ๐น๐น๐ฒ๐ป๐ด๐ฒ๐ ๐๐ป๐๐ผ ๐ฌ๐ผ๐๐ฟ ๐ฆ๐ผ๐น๐๐๐ถ๐ผ๐ป๐
Here's where most candidates drop the ball. They ask great questions, then go right back to waiting for the next question.
Don't do that.
When they share a challenge, connect your experience immediately:
Them: "We're struggling with velocity at Target."
You: "I faced that exact issue at Kellogg's. We increased velocity 23% by [specific solution]. Would a similar approach work for your brand?"
Now you're not just answering questions. You're solving their problems in real time.
One client turned a discussion about distributor relationships into a whiteboard session mapping out a new go-to-market strategy. The "interview" ran 90 minutes over. She got the offer that week.
๐ช๐ต๐ ๐๐ฒ๐ฎ๐ฑ๐ถ๐ป๐ด ๐ช๐ผ๐ฟ๐ธ๐ (๐๐๐ฝ๐ฒ๐ฐ๐ถ๐ฎ๐น๐น๐ ๐ถ๐ป ๐๐ฃ๐)
CPG hiring managers aren't looking for someone who can answer questions. They need someone who can:
• Navigate retailer complexity
• Hit aggressive timelines
• Manage cross-functional chaos
• Drive growth with shrinking budgets
When you lead the conversation, you demonstrate exactly those skills.
You're showing, not telling.
๐ฌ๐ผ๐๐ฟ ๐๐ป๐๐ฒ๐ฟ๐๐ถ๐ฒ๐ ๐ฃ๐น๐ฎ๐๐ฏ๐ผ๐ผ๐ธ
Ready to flip your next interview? Here's your prep:
1. Research Like a Consultant
• Read their last 3 earnings calls
• Check their LinkedIn for recent challenges
• Study their retail presence and gaps
2. Prepare Problem-Solving Questions
Not "What's the culture like?" But "How are you handling the Walmart modular reset?"
3. Pack Your Proof Points
For every challenge they mention, have a specific example of how you've solved it. With numbers.
4. Think Partnership, Not Performance
You're not auditioning. You're exploring whether you can solve their problems together.
๐ง๐ต๐ฒ ๐๐ผ๐๐๐ผ๐บ ๐๐ถ๐ป๐ฒ
That client who treated interviews like tests? We shifted her approach. Her next interview turned into a two-hour strategy session about premium positioning in club stores.
They created a role for her.
Because she stopped performing and started solving.
Your assignment: Before your next interview, write down three specific problems that company likely faces. Then map out exactly how you'd solve them.
Walk in ready to lead, not just answer.
What interview "rule" do you think needs to be broken? Let's discuss.
What’s your favorite interview question to ask? Share it in the comments of my LinkedIn post —let’s inspire each other!
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