Been a while since your last interview? Don't panic!

Back in early December, I received a call from a VP of Engineering—a candidate I had originally placed in a graduate role back in 2007. We have stayed in touch over the years, and I have helped him build out several of his development teams as he climbed the corporate ladder. But this time, the conversation was different. Due to a company restructure, after 18 years of loyal service, he was suddenly looking for a new employer.

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His biggest concern? He had not actually sat through an external interview in nearly two decades. Every promotion he had ever received was an internal formality, a rubber-stamped approval from colleagues who already knew his work inside out. Now, he was facing the prospect of selling himself to complete strangers for the first time in his professional life.

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If that sounds familiar, let me offer you some reassurance: interviewing in 2026 is not the alien landscape you might fear.

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Yes, the tools have evolved. You might encounter a video call instead of a handshake in a lobby, and there is a higher chance your interviewers will be typing notes on a laptop. But the core principle that mattered in 2007 matters just as much today: people buy people.

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Hiring managers are still looking for the same thing they always were—a human being they can trust to solve their problems. My client spent weeks worrying about AI assessments and new-fangled techniques. But when he finally walked into those rooms (virtual and physical), he won his role the old-fashioned way: by connecting with people, sharing his story, and demonstrating his value.

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The medium changes, but the message does not. If you can connect authentically, you will be just fine.