Are You a "Professional Interviewer"? (Why The "Numbers Game" is Keeping You Unemployed)

The Quick Answer:

Core Question: Why am I getting interviews but not job offers?

Direct Answer: You are likely stuck in the "Applicant Trap"—focusing on volume of activity rather than quality of connection. "Professional Interviewers" are good at answering questions but bad at solving problems. To land the job (especially at a senior level), you must stop acting like a candidate asking for a chance and start acting like a consultant proposing a solution.

Key Takeaways:

• Volume is Vanity: Applying to 50 jobs a week (like the man in the viral article) is a distraction, not a strategy.

• The "Consultant Shift": Don't just answer interview questions. Pivot the conversation to the company's pain points and how you will fix them in the first 90 days.

• Stop the "Easy Apply": If you are clicking "Easy Apply" on LinkedIn, you are competing with 500 other people. The real jobs are found through the side door (networking), not the front door (applications).

II read a story recently about a man named Jonathan Burrows. In a recent interview, he told the press:

"I don't watch TV. I don't watch movies. I just apply for jobs."

He treats applications like a hobby. He is a machine, churning out resume after resume.

And he is still looking for work.

This is the most dangerous trap in the modern job market. I call it becoming a Professional Interviewer.

You know the type. Maybe you are the type. You have your elevator pitch memorized. You have the perfect Zoom background. You get the first interview. You might even get the second.

But you never get the offer.

You have become excellent at auditioning, but terrible at closing.

If you want to move from "Professional Interviewer" to "Hired," you have to stop playing the numbers game, especially if you are an experienced leader. Here is why the "spray and pray" approach fails, and what to do instead.

1. Desperation Has a Scent

When you apply for 50 jobs a week, you cannot possibly care about all of them. Recruiters and hiring managers can smell this.

When you treat a job application like a lottery ticket, your lack of specific research shows. You give generic answers to specific problems.

The Fix: The Sniper Approach. Identify 5 companies you actually want to work for. Do deep research. Find the hiring manager. Send a specific, value-added message. One targeted shot is worth 100 rounds of spray-and-pray ammo.

2. The "Candidate" vs. The "Consultant"

The "Professional Interviewer" sits back and answers questions. They try to be the "good student" who gets the right grade.

• Interviewer: "Tell me about your biggest weakness."

• Candidate: Gives a rehearsed, safe answer.

The person who lands the job flips the dynamic. They stop acting like a subordinate and start acting like a peer. They treat the interview not as an interrogation, but as a consulting session.

• The Winner: "I can answer that, but first, I noticed in your Q3 report that your sales cycle has slowed down by 20%. Is that a data issue or a people issue? Because that’s exactly the problem I solved at my last role."

Don't audition. Audit. Diagnose their pain and sell the cure.

3. The "Over-Qualified" Myth

Often, older or more experienced candidates claim they aren't getting hired because of ageism.

Real talk: Ageism exists. But often, the problem isn't your age; it's that you are using junior tactics for senior roles.

If you are 45+ and applying through the "Easy Apply" button on LinkedIn, you are playing a losing game. You are competing with algorithms and 25-year-olds who will work for half your price.

Senior roles are filled through relationships, referrals, and reputation. If you are spending 4 hours a day applying to random job boards, you are wasting your "seniority advantage." Spend that time reconnecting with your network instead.

Common Questions About Interview Strategy

Why do I keep getting interviews but no job offers? If you are getting interviews, your resume is working. If you aren't getting offers, your closing is failing. You are likely acting too passive in the interview (answering questions) rather than proactive (diagnosing problems). You need to shift from being a "candidate" to being a "consultant."

Is applying to more jobs a better strategy to get hired? No. Volume is vanity. Applying to 50 jobs with generic resumes usually yields worse results than applying to 5 jobs with deep research and networking. The "Spray and Pray" method signals desperation, while targeted applications signal value.

How can an executive coach help me stop being a "Professional Interviewer"? Most people practice interviewing in a mirror or with a spouse who is too nice to tell them the truth. A coach provides the one thing you are missing: brutal, objective feedback. We don't just polish your answers; we fundamentally shift your posture from "subordinate asking for a job" to "peer offering a solution." We identify the blind spots—like the scent of desperation or wandering answers—that are killing your chances before you even leave the room.

How do I overcome ageism in the hiring process? Stop competing on "potential" (a young person's game) and start competing on "pattern recognition" (an experienced person's game). Don't hide your experience; leverage it to show you have solved the company's specific problems before. Avoid "Easy Apply" buttons where you are just a number; use your network to get a warm introduction.

What is the "Sniper Approach" to job hunting? The Sniper Approach is focusing 80% of your energy on 5-10 target companies. Instead of applying online, you map the organization, identify the hiring manager, research their current challenges, and reach out directly with a value proposition, not just a resume.

The Verdict Stop trying to "win" at applying. There is no prize for the most applications sent. Be a sniper. Be a consultant. Be the solution, not just another resume in the pile.