How to Stand Out and Get Hired, with Cory Steward

Standing out in today’s job market takes more than strong credentials. On this week’s episode of Find Your Dream Job, guest expert Cory Steward explains why interviews matter so much when hundreds of qualified candidates apply for the same role. He shares what employers are really looking for, including confidence, curiosity, and a good fit with the team, and why being prepared and personable can leave a lasting impression. Cory also explains why being a little bolder in interviews can help you stand out.

Cory offers specific steps to help you show up more confidently in interviews. He explains how to research employers so you feel prepared, ask questions that help you assess whether a role is a good fit, and follow up without overthinking it. He also covers how to manage self-doubt, take thoughtful risks, and know when it’s time to move on. If you want to feel more confident and prepared in interviews, this episode will help you stand out and get hired.

About Our Guest:

• Cory Steward owns and runs the top coaching firm, Get Career Confidence.

Resources in This Episode:

• Connect with Cory on LinkedIn.

Transcript

Find Your Dream Job, Episode 534:

How to Stand Out and Get Hired, with Cory Steward

Airdate: January 14, 2026

Mac Prichard:

This is Find Your Dream Job, the podcast that helps you get hired, have the career you want, and make a difference in life.

I’m your host, Mac Prichard. I’m also the founder of Mac’s List. It’s a job board in the Pacific Northwest that helps you find a fulfilling career.

Every Wednesday, I talk to a different expert about the tools you need to get the work you want.

It’s never been easier to send your resume to employers. And your competitors are doing the same thing. Many jobs now attract hundreds of applications.

Cory Steward is here to talk about how to stand out and get hired. He owns and runs the top coaching firm, Get Career Confidence.

Cory specializes in interviews and salary negotiation. He joins us from Dallas, Texas.

Well, Cory, let’s jump right into it. Let’s talk about today’s job market. Why does a job seeker need to stand out in today’s market? Shouldn’t your credentials be enough when you apply for a job?

Cory Steward:

Absolutely not. There was a time when that was very important, but what you have to do now is you have to show that you’re the candidate that’s a great culture fit, that you’re likable, and you can do the job. And if you can’t prove that within the first interview, you’re going to have a hard time really trying to land that next opportunity.

Mac Prichard:

So many applications, in fact, almost every application happens online unless you’re going through a referral or other forms of word of mouth. In this context, is it even more important to stand out when you’re competing?

Cory Steward:

Yes. So you have to look at it like every company is going to bring in about five people to interview.

All of them have the same credentials, same education, same background, very similar experience, but there’s something about you that they want to know more about that they called you in. And so this is your opportunity to really shine.

Everybody’s qualified to do the job, but who’s going to be the likable candidate that they can really see, you know, hey, let’s hang out together. Let’s go to lunch together, right? You enjoy each other’s time. And if you can do that to whoever’s interviewing, then they can envision a future working alongside you.

We’ve all had managers that we knew more, right? That we knew more than, right? But for some reason, they got the job. They got the promotion because they understood how to be likable in an interview.

My whole thing here at Get Career Confidence is be bold, stand out, and get hired. And it’s very important for candidates to have that mindset of yes, you’re qualified and can do the job, but how well can you sell yourself in that one-on-one interview?

Mac Prichard:

So Cory, what stops people from selling themselves, showing they’re likeable, and being more than just their credentials?

Cory Steward:

People tend to just go with the status quo of interviews. “Hey, I’m going to show up on time. I’m going to wear a suit.” And they think just going along with the basics is acceptable. They don’t want to take control of the interview, right? They want to respect that person’s position. They mean well. So it really prevents them from seizing that as a moment and opportunity to really take control and prove their worth, right?

You don’t want to be average. You have to show yourself above average, and you have that different mindset that, you know what? I’m going to be a little bit risky. I’m going to ask certain questions. I’m going to research and prepare well ahead of time and not let them just control the interview. I’m going to change the direction and be in control myself so I can make sure I walk away with the information that I need to make an educated decision.

They just allow it to be very one-sided. But it should be a two-way conversation between both the interviewer and the interviewee.

Mac Prichard:

What do you say to an audience member who worries that they might jeopardize their prospects if they do more than what the interviewer tells them to do, and if, in fact they try to take control or take charge of the interview?

Cory Steward:

Well, you have to know that you’re darned if you do, you’re darned if you don’t. So what? We talk about how tough it is to find an opportunity. What’s even tougher is to have regret. To finally get the interview that you’ve been praying for.

You’ve applied to over a hundred applications, and you finally get an interview, and you’ve got to be bold. They’re either going to gravitate towards you or away from you. But you want to be at peace that you put it all on the table. Right?

And we often appreciate people who are willing to be a little bit risky, a little bit different, to stand out more. Because a good company wants somebody to have a different way of thinking, to think outside the box, right? A diverse mindset.

And if you can show that you can do that in an interview by being willing to be different from everybody else who has had interviews today, you’re definitely gonna be somebody that I would appreciate having around for different ideas and thoughts that can contribute to the overall goal and mission of the company.

Mac Prichard:

You mentioned risk a moment ago, Cory, and that you need to take risks when you’re a candidate, especially in the interview room. What about risks for employers? How are employers thinking about risk, and how are they trying to manage and reduce risk when they’re making hiring decisions, especially when they’re talking to candidates?

Cory Steward:

Mac, it can be very expensive to go all the way through the hiring process, and then somebody quits or leaves, right? And so then you have to start that all over again. That position is still not filled this whole time. And that’s a workload being thrown for somebody else to cover and missing opportunities to grow the company.

So their risk is just hiring somebody who’s just not a good fit. So it’s very important that you research the company’s ideas, their mission statement, what their beliefs are, and their mantra.

I know Amazon is pretty popular for that, right? And their interview process. So you want to show them that, hey, I’m in alignment with the mission statement and I believe in you all. And that’s why I feel that I’d be a good fit.

And just sell yourself on that opportunity. Because a company, if you’re not the right fit or you’re not the right hire, it can do more damage by hiring the wrong person than not even filling the position itself.

Mac Prichard:

So to show that you’re the right choice, be likable, do your homework before you walk in, and be bold. What about confidence? Cory, how does showing confidence in the interview room help you not only stand out but signal to the manager that you’re the safe choice?

Cory Steward:

If you don’t believe in yourself, you can never expect anybody else to. That goes in the workplace and outside the workplace. Confidence is gonna come from your proper research ahead of time. Five facts about the company, with one being very unique.

Understanding again that the mission statement is very important. How many locations were their headquarters at? That’s gonna give you that natural confidence because you feel prepared for the interview. I always tell people you can’t fake energy and enthusiasm because energy and enthusiasm can be felt.

And if you’re confident, because you know you did your research, you’ve prepared for those questions as best as you could, those interview behavioral questions, maybe you got with the coach because you took it that seriously, that you want to seize the moment and have no regrets.

So confidence is extremely important because if you don’t believe in yourself, they simply can’t take you seriously about the role. And they’re gonna hire the person who appears to be confident because if you seem confident in the interview, you’re be confident showing up to the job every day that I’m hiring you to do for 40 plus hours.

Mac Prichard:

What advice do you have for someone who might worry that being confident could come across as arrogant? How do you recommend managing that?

Cory Steward:

There is a fine line between being cocky and arrogant and just being confident. I would say with your poise and your respect, and how you carry yourself throughout the interview, that’s really what makes an impact.

Confidence can show up in certain moments, when they ask you questions, and your ability to respond, and your enthusiasm and your excitement, that’s just as much as confidence. Confidence is not always being cocky. It’s not your fault you’re more prepared than the other candidates, but that’s for them to know and for you to show them. Right.

So that’s really what I would say. And you’d rather be confident than try to dial back your confidence just so you could fit. Cause then you’re not being authentic, and they’re going to feel that unauthenticity coming through in the interview. So it’s always important to go full forward with your chest, right. And be confident.

Mac Prichard:

The opposite of confidence, of course, is self-doubt. How does self-doubt come across to employers if you are experiencing that, especially in the interview room?

Cory Steward:

Again, if you don’t believe in yourself, you can’t expect others. So the self-doubt, when you respond slowly, or it seems like you’re making up a response to a question, that shows a lack of confidence within yourself. And so that has a little bit of doubt. No one’s always perfect in interviews, but if you seem hesitant or uneasy, how can I take a chance to hire you for this role?

It’s not that you have to be perfect, but a lot of companies want to hire problem solvers. And if you don’t know, show me the tenacity and the willingness to jump in and find out. And it’s okay to not know every single answer, but that authenticity of you being, “Hey, you know what? I really never experienced a situation like that. So I don’t want to make something up, but I can tell you that I would find the right solution and I would jump in, all in to try to figure out what’s right.”

Mac Prichard:

Okay. So don’t rely on your credentials alone. Do your homework before you walk into the room. Be confident, be bold, and show that you can solve problems. I know there are other ways that you recommend people stand out, or rather, can stand out in an interview.

Stay with us. We’re going to take a break. When we come back, Cory Stewart will continue to share his advice on how to stand out and get hired.

We’re back in the Mac’s List studio. I’m talking with Cory Stewart.

He owns and runs the top coaching firm, Get Career Confidence. Cory specializes in interviews and salary negotiation, and he joins us from Dallas, Texas.

Now, Cory, before the break, we were talking about how to stand out and get hired. And you shared some great tips about the importance of not relying on your credentials alone, showing confidence, being bold in the interview, showing that you’re a problem solver, and managing self-doubt.

Another tip that you recommend for standing out and getting hired is to follow up. Talk to us about following up Cory, what do you mean here, and why is it important?

Cory Steward:

From the first time that a recruiter calls you on the phone, you need to ask them how soon they plan on making a hiring decision. And you make a mental note of that. With every person you interview with, you ask them the same question to see if you get a consistent response.

So that sets the tone, drops the anchor, it makes it, you know what? Everybody said, “Hey, it’s Thanksgiving. They wanna have somebody hired by Christmas.” So that’s okay for you to follow up within two to three weeks. “Hey, just wanting to follow up, I know you said you’d wanted to hire somebody before Christmas or the first of the year,” and it gives you a lead in, right?

You didn’t make this up. This is something that they’ve told you throughout the interview process. That’s the best way to follow up: ask them on the front end so you don’t have to guess on the back end.

Mac Prichard:

And in your experience, are recruiters or employers surprised that a candidate might ask this question?

Cory Steward:

It’s one of those things that helps you stand out. If you’re prepared to ask the right questions, I wouldn’t say surprised, but you’ll impress them because everybody can give you this fluff. The worst thing I hate for my candidates, my clients who I work with is, “You did excellent. You’ll hear back from us.”

What does that mean? “You’ll hear from someone soon.” These are vague statements that they feel they should end the interview, but no, you’re going to say, all right, I look forward to following up with you in a few weeks. I know you guys had a target deadline of before Christmas, so I’ll reach out sometime before then.

And it lets them know that, hey, you’ve already dropped the anchor. This is when I plan on following up with you. So it’s not a surprise. Also, when it comes to following up, do a phone call, not an email.

“Well, Cory, why would I do a phone call?” You’re going to leave a voicemail if they don’t answer, but it’s harder to tell someone no and give them fluff over the phone as opposed to a standard email. And again, the rest of the candidates are going to do that, but you’re going to be set apart; you’re going to call and follow up.

Mac Prichard:

Phone calls are a way of standing out now, aren’t they, Cory? Employers aren’t used to getting those calls anymore, are they?

Cory Steward:

The best form of communication is face-to-face. Second is, of course phone, right? So that’s not minimized and just go to email without trying the first option. And then that gives you another reason to follow up. Imagine if you send one email and don’t get a response.

Now you have to say, my gosh, I have to send another email. Now you can do two points of communication, which doesn’t make you appear thirsty or anxious or like you’re bugging them.

Mac Prichard:

Well, let’s talk about that because sometimes I talk to candidates who worry, “Oh, if I follow up, might be seen as a pest, or if I don’t hear back after one follow-up, I’ll just let it go.” How many times do you recommend your clients follow up with recruiters if they make one attempt and don’t hear back?

Cory Steward:

It can kind of vary, I would say at least twice. Once by phone, you know, once by email, and it’s okay to do another follow-up voicemail as well, another point of communication, just so you can be at peace. You don’t want to bug them. Sometimes you’ve got to read between the lines, because a good company is going to do the respectable thing and say, “Hey, we’ve moved on with other candidates.”

Or “You know what, HR director needs to approve of this. I think you’re solid for the hire, but I just really need to finalize compensation, and they won’t be back ‘til another two weeks.” So they’re communicating with you all throughout the process.

You don’t have to do any guesswork, but an employee who really wants to hire a candidate is not going to ghost them or be vague or very loose with their communication. It doesn’t take all day to recognize sunshine, Mac, is what I always say.

Mac Prichard:

I like that a lot. And what does that tell you, Cory? You make the three attempts, and you don’t hear back. What signal does that give you about the employer?

Cory Steward:

I don’t know about you, Mac, but just in life as a man approaching people, if you have to reach out more than a few or a couple of times, there’s probably no interest. Things can happen, but they’re very rare.

But the great news is, you’ve left a voicemail that will always be, and everybody’s gonna check their voicemail, especially in the corporate world, and everybody’s gonna check their email. Sometimes they can go through spam, but that’s why you send a third one, or you follow it with a phone call. So there are three points.

So, you know, once, OK, twice a coincidence, but three points of contact and still no response shows me that they’re not interested. And I need to prep and condition my mind for the fact that this company is not the one for me, and I need to move on.

You should never stop applying for opportunities just because you felt the interview went well. Continue your job search process until you have a contract signed in hand. And so this really helps with that follow-up process. Because you’re not hoping and praying, this is the one, this is it. But you’re continuing your job search efforts, and it’s just like another day in the office.

Mac Prichard:

Don’t put all your eggs in one basket. In the first segment, Cory, you talked about doing your homework before you walked into the interview room and say more about preparation.

In addition to researching the company before an interview, what other preparation do you recommend, and how does that help you stand out?

Cory Steward:

Ooh, so what I like to do, questions are one of the most important parts of the interview. There’s no way me and you can sit down for 30 minutes to an hour, and you not know if you wanna move me forward in the next step of the interview process. So you’re going to have a brag book that shows all your highlights throughout your career.

I always recommend people do a PowerPoint that shows, “Hey, this is my mission statement, this is who I am, this is why I’m a good fit. Here are screenshots, here are my sales receipts, here are some of my accomplishments.”

And now I’m giving life to my resume, right? I’m researching them online on LinkedIn. One question I like to have my candidates ask is, “How did this position become available?” The person either got promoted, someone got fired, or it’s a new position. These are all things that help you prepare to envision yourself with the company long term.

Check out their LinkedIn, Google that company, and Google that position. How many people have been in that role? Maybe it’s the manager, and there’s a high turnover, and this is the fourth person they had to hire within two years. These are the things that make you stand out, and how you prepare yourself to know if this is the right job for you, as well as ask them the right questions.

Put them on guard and make an impression that you’re really thinking this all the way through, instead of just the basic preparations for interviews.

Mac Prichard:

And I know from your work that you make a distinction between what you call warm and hard questions. Let’s talk about those questions. What’s a warm and a hard question exactly, and why is it important to ask them in the interview?

Cory Steward:

You know, I would say I prefer, you know, the beginning of the question process. You can ask questions like, “Hey, you know, how does this position become available?” You know, “Is there any opportunity to move up?” Those are just kind of warm positions. When I say get to the meat, “What were some of the past issues you’ve had with the previous person in this role?” Right. You want to know what that manager’s pet peeves are.

Everybody has their jam, right? Maybe they expect you to start your day at 8 a.m. Some people want you to give them a call back or respond to emails within 10 to 15 minutes. You want to know what was the past issue with the previous person, so you can assure them that they’re not gonna have any issues with you on it, right?

Another powerful thing that I really always challenge my candidates to ask, my clients to ask is, “Can I have the job?” Be direct.

It shakes them up a little bit, but you’re going to know if you want to hire this person to move them forward to the next step after a 45-minute conversation. In interviews and in life, when we meet people, we judge them in the first two to four seconds. We have an opinion on that person.

You had an opinion on me, and I had an opinion on you, Mac, right? But over time, over the next 30 to 45 minutes, and talking, I get to confirm if that opinion was true or not. And if you do a good job with preparation, asking the right questions, seem engaged, seem confident.

You have owned the opportunity to ask for the next step. “Hey, I like what I’m hearing about the company. I like you. You would be my reporting boss. I feel like I’ve learned so much throughout the interview process. I’m really looking forward to the next step. Can I have the position?” That’s my recommendation.

Mac Prichard:

And it’s a great one to close on. It’s been a wonderful conversation, Cory. Now tell us what’s next for you.

Cory Steward:

I’m currently starting on a book. And I have a couple of speaking engagements with some companies, and I’m always looking for some other opportunities. So if you need me to come to your school or church, feel free to reach out to my website or Instagram, and I’d be happy to assist.

Mac Prichard:

Well, I know that our audience can learn more about you by visiting your website, careercoachcory.com. And you also invite audience members to connect with you on LinkedIn.

When you do reach out to Cory on LinkedIn, please mention that you saw and heard him on Find Your Dream Job.

Now, Cory, given all the great advice you’ve shared today, what’s the one thing you want an audience member to remember about how to stand out and get hired?

Cory Steward:

I would say if you are in tune with your understanding of what your talent and your purpose is and you’re applying to the right jobs that you know you could thrive and do well in, that natural enthusiasm, that passion will convey itself. And if you prepared, you did all the right things, and they still don’t hire you, that’s okay. That rejection could be protection; that could be your blessing.

We cannot get hung up on past opportunities that we didn’t even get. We must keep our eyes on the prize and move forward in the future. And with that alone, you’ll always be great to stand out, be bold, and get hired. So just keep your feet to the pedal, and keep moving forward, and you’ll be fine.

Mac Prichard:

Next week, our guest will be Matthew Warner.

He’s the chief people and culture officer at Friends of the Children – Portland.

It’s a nonprofit that guides, supports, and mentors hundreds of young people across the Portland area.

You know that relationships matter when you do a job search.

But if you struggle with making the most of your connections throughout your career, you’re not alone.

Join us next Wednesday when Matthew Warner and I talk about how to grow and maintain your network.

Until next time, thanks for letting us help you find your dream job.

This show is produced by Mac’s List.

Susan Thornton-Hough schedules our guests and writes our newsletter. Lisa Kislingbury Anderson manages our social media and creates our transcripts.

Our sound engineer and editor is Anna McClain. And our music is by Freddy Trujillo.

This is Mac Prichard. See you next week.

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