You know that voice.
The one that’s about half an octave higher than your normal speaking voice. The one that uses words like "synergy," "bandwidth," and "leveraging." The one that sounds like you’re reading a technical manual for a toaster instead of talking about your actual life.
We call that Recruiter Speak.
It’s what happens when you’re so focused on how to sound confident in an interview that you accidentally delete your entire personality. You think you’re being professional. But to the person across the table (or the screen), you just sound like a robot.
And nobody wants to hire a robot. They want to hire you.
The Performance Trap
Most of us treat interviews like a performance. We think there’s a secret script we’re supposed to follow. We memorize "perfect" answers to "standard" questions, and then we wonder why we feel so stiff and anxious.
Here is the truth: Interviews are conversations, not performances.
When you’re talking to a friend at a coffee shop and you tell them about a crazy day at work, you don’t use corporate jargon. You don’t say, "I successfully optimized our collaborative workflow to ensure milestone completion."
You say, "Guess what happened? The system crashed two hours before the deadline, and I had to rally the team to get it back up in thirty minutes. We actually made it."
That’s Guess What Energy™ (GWE™). It’s the vibe of sharing a story with someone you trust. It’s natural. It’s engaging. And it’s the secret to standing out in a sea of "highly motivated self-starters."
The Translation Guide: Stop Reciting, Start Telling
To help you ditch the script, we’ve put together this translation guide. Use it to flip the switch from boring corporate cliches to real-world impact.
1. From "Team Player" to "The Glue"
Recruiter Speak: "I’m a dedicated team player who enjoys collaborating with others to achieve organizational goals." (Translation: I exist in a group and don't bite people.)
Guess What Energy: "I’m usually the person who keeps the project from stalling. If there’s a communication breakdown or a weird bottleneck, I’m the one who jumps in to get everyone back on the same page."
Why it works: You’re not just saying you work with people. You’re showing your role in that group. You’re the problem-solver. You’re essential.
2. From "Hard Worker" to "The Closer"
Recruiter Speak: "I have a strong work ethic and I am always willing to go the extra mile for my employer." (Translation: I stay late and look busy.)
Guess What Energy: "I’m the person you bring in when you need a result, period. Last month, we had a client who was ready to walk, and I spent three days digging into their data until I found the exact solution they needed. They signed for another year."
Why it works: "Hard worker" is a vague promise. "The Closer" is a proven result. You’re giving them a reason to trust you with their biggest problems.
3. From "Thrives in a Fast-Paced Environment" to "The Calm in the Chaos"
Recruiter Speak: "I am highly adaptable and excel in high-pressure, fast-paced corporate environments." (Translation: I won't have a meltdown if things change.)
Guess What Energy: "I actually love it when things get a little chaotic. When a project pivot happens at the last second, I don't panic, I just start triaging what needs to happen first. I’m at my best when things are moving fast."
Why it works: It shows personality. It tells the recruiter that you aren't just tolerating the pace; you’re fueled by it.
The Guess What Energy Interview Method
The goal here isn't to be "unprofessional." It’s to be memorable.
When you use the guess what energy interview method, you’re shifting the power dynamic. You aren’t a candidate begging for a job; you’re a professional sharing your expertise.
Think about it. If a recruiter hears 15 people say they are "highly motivated," those words lose all meaning. But if they hear one person tell a story about how they saved a six-figure contract because they stayed curious, that’s the person they’re going to remember at the end of the day.
Specific. Engaging. Real.
That’s how you win.
Feed Your Energy with the Brag Bank™
You might be thinking, "But Ebonee, I don't have any cool stories!"
Yes, you do. You just haven't looked for them yet.
This is where your Brag Bank™ comes in. A Brag Bank is a living document where you store your "Guess what?" moments. It’s not a list of job duties; it’s a list of wins, saves, and "aha" moments.
When you have a full Brag Bank, you don't have to scramble for interview tips for corporate jobs at the last minute. You just open your bank, pick the right story, and show up with that signature energy.
You can learn exactly how to build your Brag Bank here: What is a Brag Bank?. It’s the fuel for your Guess What Energy.
Stop Preparing, Start Pepping
If you’ve spent weeks memorizing answers to every possible question, you’ve done enough prep. Now, you need the pep.
The most important thing you can bring to an interview isn't a perfect resume: it’s your energy. If you show up sounding like a robot, they’ll treat you like a line item on a spreadsheet. If you show up with GWE, they’ll treat you like a teammate.
You already have the experience. You already have the skills. Now, you just need to give yourself permission to show up as the human they actually want to hire.
Less prep. More pep. ⚡
Ready to own your story?
If you want the full framework for how to tell your story in an interview without sounding like a corporate drone, grab the book.
Get "Less Prep, More Pep" on Amazon
It’s the step-by-step guide to finding your voice, building your Brag Bank, and walking into every room with the confidence of someone who already knows they’ve got this.
Want the whole toolkit? Check out The Pep Kit™ for 20+ worksheets designed to help you build your story bank and master your delivery.
You’ve got the experience. Let’s make sure they see it.