Stop Sounding Like a Robot in Job Interviews
The mindset shift that helped my roommate land his dream job after 50+ interviews.
By
Josh Felgoise
Jul 8, 2025
My roommate Reid went through one of the most brutal job hunts I’ve ever seen. Over fifty interviews. More than ten companies. Months of rejection emails. His confidence was wrecked.
But the breakthrough that finally got him hired didn’t come from adding more bullet points to his resume or memorizing more buzzwords. It came from changing how he was delivering his answers.
The Robotic Interview Trap
After dozens of interviews, Reid fell into what I call the robotic interview trap.
"I was being very robotic in my interview process," he admitted. "I had done it so many times that I had memorized what I wanted to say and it came out robotic, memorized. And the other side, they're like, this kid just memorized this. He doesn't care about this. There's no passion."
That’s the mistake most people make. You rehearse so much that you start sounding mechanical. You hit every talking point perfectly, but nothing feels human.
If you’ve been prepping for interviews and still not landing offers, you need to read How to Nail Job Interviews Without Sounding Rehearsed. It breaks down exactly how to make your answers sound real.
The Nurse Analogy That Changed Everything
Reid’s turning point came from a simple analogy his interview coach shared:
"She said that if you were a patient and you got a nurse either with shaky hands or steady hands, which would you want? Obviously you'd want the one with steady hands to inject you with a needle versus the one who's shaky hands."
The idea was simple, employers can sense steadiness. Confidence. Calm. They don’t want someone tense and over-rehearsed. They want someone who feels in control.
It’s not about being perfect. It’s about being present.
The Energy Shift
Once Reid started applying that analogy, his whole presence changed. Instead of reciting answers, he focused on how he sounded and felt while saying them.
He went from rigid to conversational. From defensive to confident. From “here’s what I memorized” to “here’s who I am.”
That energy shift changed everything.
"The best interviews I've had have just felt like conversations with maybe not a friend, but like someone you just met. Like a normal conversation," he said.
That line says it all… connection beats perfection.
For more on building confidence that actually translates in interviews, check out The Confidence Routine That Rebuilds You.
Why You Sound Robotic (And How to Fix It)
Most people sound robotic for three simple reasons:
They over-practice their scripts instead of practicing real conversations.
They focus on what to say instead of how to say it.
They try to impress instead of connect.
The fix? Start thinking of your interview like a first date. You’re not there to give perfect answers. You’re there to show who you are, ask real questions, and see if it’s a fit.
Reid learned that once he loosened up, his personality came through — and interviewers finally saw him as someone they wanted to work with.
If this hits home, you’ll like How to Handle Bad Dates Without Being an Asshole. The social principles are the same: composure, respect, and authenticity.
The Practical Shift
Reid started practicing with intent instead of repetition. Instead of running through the same script, he:
Focused on tone, pacing, and breathing.
Practiced pausing instead of rushing.
Rehearsed with real people instead of alone.
Recorded himself to notice robotic moments.
He stopped memorizing and started embodying his stories — speaking from experience instead of memory.
That shift from performance to conversation landed him his dream job.
The Takeaway
If you’ve been stuck in the endless interview loop, ask yourself this: are you trying to sound perfect, or are you trying to sound like yourself?
Perfection feels fake. Presence feels confident.
"At the end of the day, in an interview, they're just trying to learn about you," as Luke once said on the podcast. "They're trying to get a story out of you or just something about who you are as an individual and what you would bring to the company."
So next time you’re prepping for an interview, ditch the script. Know your stories, trust your experience, and let your personality show through.
That’s the difference between sounding like a robot and sounding like someone worth hiring.
Listen to the Full Conversation
Hear Reid’s full story on the Guyset Podcast, available on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you get your podcasts.
