Mike Simpson is the co-founder of The Interview Guys, the career-advice site he launched in February 2013 to help job seekers actually land the roles they want. Over the last 13 years, the site has reached more than 100 million job seekers worldwide, and Mike's particular focus is interview preparation: how candidates can actually answer the questions hiring managers really care about.
He holds a Business degree from Bishop's University (HR major, Economics minor) and is an active member of the Professional Association of Résumé Writers & Career Coaches (PARWCC) and the National Career Development Association (NCDA). His advice has been featured in Forbes, Entrepreneur, and CNBC, and is referenced by career-services teams at the University of Michigan, Penn State, Northeastern, the University of Toronto, McGill, Wellesley College, and Kansas State, among others.
Articles credited to Mike on The Interview Guys are reviewed and edited by him personally to make sure the frameworks, examples, and recommendations match what actually works in real interviews.
Most candidates treat this as a simple character check. It’s not. When a hiring manager asks “How do you handle criticism?” they’re running a multi-point evaluation in real time — watching your tone, listening for defensiveness, and measuring whether your example shows growth or just compliance. In 2026, with AI screening tools flagging behavioral signals…
What to Expect Before You Walk In the Door Belk is the largest privately-owned department store chain in the country, with nearly 300 locations across 16 Southern states. Founded in 1888, the company has built its identity around a very specific promise: quality fashion, Southern hospitality, and genuine community connection. That context matters for your…
If you have ever sat across from an interviewer and heard the words “So, what can you bring to the company?” you know the feeling. It sounds simple. It might even feel like a gift of a question. But most candidates fumble it — not because they lack qualifications, but because they answer the wrong…
We talk to hiring managers every day who say the same thing about cybersecurity candidates: “They know the theory, but they’ve never touched our tools.” That’s the real screening problem in cybersecurity hiring right now. It’s not a shortage of people who want the job. It’s a shortage of people who can sit down on…
Hobby Lobby interviews tend to feel surprisingly casual. The store manager usually runs them, the questions are direct, and most people walk out feeling like it went well. What catches people off guard is the math test, the questions about long-term availability, and the fact that managers are quietly assessing whether you’ll stick around. This…
You have a full resume. You have a rich professional history. You have skills, accomplishments, and personality traits that took years to develop. And the interviewer just asked you to summarize all of it in one word. It feels like a trap. It isn’t. But answering it wrong will absolutely cost you points. Answering it…
Most job seekers spend hours preparing answers to tough interview questions. Very few spend any time preparing for what happens before the first question is asked. That’s a problem, because the way you physically enter a room, shake a hand, and open your mouth in the first 60 seconds does more to shape the outcome…
Roofing interviews are not your typical sit-down-and-chat affairs. The person across from you has worked in the sun and rain and probably built a few roofs before they ever ran a crew. They’re not going to be impressed by vague answers or generic talk about being a “hard worker.” They want to know if you…
Getting hired as a lifeguard takes more than a valid certification and a strong freestyle stroke. Aquatics directors and facility managers are looking for candidates who can demonstrate sharp situational awareness, rock-solid judgment under pressure, and the communication skills to enforce rules without creating conflict. The job is serious. The U.S. Centers for Disease Control…
Breaking into IT without experience feels like a catch-22. Every entry-level job posting wants one to two years of experience. But how do you get experience if no one will hire you without it? Certifications solve that problem. The right credential signals to hiring managers that you have real, verified knowledge — even if your…
