How Improv Will Make You Unstoppable In Interviews | with Jess Rogers

How Improv Will Make You Unstoppable In Interviews | with Jess Rogers

What if the secret to a better interview wasn't knowing all the right answers — but knowing how to handle any answer? In this episode, Kevin Cameron sits down with Jess Rogers of Tama Learning, a professional improviser and communication coach whose approach to interview prep will completely change how you think about conversation. Jess introduces the "yes and" mindset from the world of improv and shows how accepting and engaging — rather than blocking or deflecting — can transform your presence in any high-stakes conversation. Whether you're dreading the curveball question or just freezing under pressure, this episode gives you a practical, repeatable framework to walk into any interview feeling ready for whatever gets thrown at you. Key Takeaways The "yes and" mindset means accepting someone's reality and engaging with it — even if you disagree.  You don't need the perfect answer, just an answer that moves the conversation forward.  Trust your brain to make connections — word association exercises are a powerful way to stay sharp.  Practice out loud, with a friend, with AI, or even walking the dog with headphones in.  Affirmations can help you stay calm when an unexpected question lands.  An interview is a two-way street — you are assessing them as much as they are assessing you.  Role play is not about getting it right — it's about getting comfortable with the unexpected. Episode Highlights Why improv isn't winging it — and why that matters for interview prep.  The "yes and" principle explained in plain terms with real examples.  How to buy yourself time when a curveball question lands without looking thrown.  The difference between a block and a yes and — and why it matters at work too.  Word association as a daily brain warm-up.  Why senior candidates and leaders are often the best yes anders in a room.  Jess's personal story of how a single moment with her mum shaped her entire career. Timestamps 00:00 — Meet Jess Rogers and Tama Learning  01:45 — Why role play makes people nervous  02:27 — Improv: what it actually is and why it works  04:32 — The "yes and" principle explained  06:49 — Yes and as an internal mindset, not words  08:31 — How to handle curveball questions  09:44 — Accepting without agreeing  11:35 — Getting secure enough to yes and  12:06 — How to trust your brain under pressure  12:52 — Word association and how to practise it  14:26 — A to C thinking: making fast connections  16:04 — The callback technique  18:15 — Pausing as a power move  19:46 — Practical ways to practise at home  21:39 — Applying yes and across all of life  23:13 — Yes and when you actually disagree — live example  25:09 — Accepting reality vs denying it  26:03 — Practice, pride and talking to your dog  29:14 — Staying sharp: affirmations and mindset  30:23 — The interview as a two-way conversation  31:14 — Improv classes and where to find them  31:49 — How to know you're getting better  33:40 — Kevin Cameron's final thoughts on presence and leadership  34:04 — Jess's why Connect With Jess Email: jess@tamalearning.com LinkedIn: Jess Rogers If you're in London: Blanche Theatre — where Jess teaches improv If you found this advice valuable, please hit subscribe, leave us a review. Visit Talent Connect: Website: www.talent-connect.net [http://www.talent-connect.net] LinkedIn: Talent-Connect Kevin's LinkedIn: Kevin Cameron PCC Production Credit: Edited and produced by @the32collective_ / https://www.the32collective.co/ [https://www.the32collective.co/]

Why Hiring Managers Go Quiet (And What To Do About It)

You poured your heart into the application, finally landed the interview, and then — silence. In this solo episode, Kevin Cameron tackles one of the most common job search frustrations: how to stay top of mind with hiring managers and recruiters without spamming them, sounding desperate, or burning bridges. Kevin Cameron walks through a full system for follow-up from LinkedIn visibility tactics to email sequencing to networking touch points and explains why the silence almost never means what you think it means. Key Takeaways Silence from a hiring manager is rarely personal. Companies are juggling longer approval processes and more applicants than ever.  Post on LinkedIn two to three times a week and comment genuinely on posts from people at your target companies.  Send a value-add follow-up seven to ten days after an interview, another at day 14 to 28, and a final check-in at about a month out.  Lead with help, not with need — people respond to value faster than to a request.  Track every conversation and application in a spreadsheet or CRM so you always know where things stand.  If you've followed up three times with no response, it's time to pause. Episode Highlights Why the open-to-work banner does not affect your salary negotiation.  The three-touch follow-up sequence explained in detail.  How to use AI as a resource for research, not as a replacement for your own voice.  Why recording short video updates can make you more memorable than another email.  The "ransom note" follow-up mistake that turns hiring managers away.  Why protecting your mental health is a non-negotiable part of a long job search. Timestamps 00:04 — Introduction 01:28 — Why hiring managers ghost, and why it's normal 02:44 — Tactic one: LinkedIn as your visibility engine 04:47 — The truth about the open-to-work banner 06:32 — Smart email follow-up sequences explained 09:57 — Tools to organise your outreach 12:00 — Trackers, calendar reminders, and personal CRMs 13:32 — Content and personal branding to stay memorable 14:23 — Networking touch points and community groups 16:32 — Best practices: timing, tone, and avoiding pressure 18:56 — Protecting your mental health during a long search 20:09 — Why the market is slower than it looks 21:26 — This week's action step If you found this advice valuable, please hit subscribe, leave us a review. Visit Talent Connect: Website: www.talent-connect.net [http://www.talent-connect.net] LinkedIn: Talent-Connect Kevin's LinkedIn: Kevin Cameron PCC Production Credit: Edited and produced by @the32collective_ / https://www.the32collective.co/ [https://www.the32collective.co/]

The Reverse Application: How to Get Hired Without a Job Posting

In this solo episode, Kevin Cameron breaks down a concept that's not new, but rarely named: the reverse application. If you're tired of applying into a black hole and hearing nothing back, this episode flips the entire process upside down - starting with who you want to talk to, not what job is posted. Kevin Cameron explains how the informational interview works, why C-suite leaders are often more open to a conversation than you'd expect, and how to build a network you can return to throughout your career, not just when you're desperate for a job. Key Takeaways The reverse application starts with the skills you enjoy using, then finds where those skills are needed - not the other way around. Informational interviews are about understanding culture and fit, not pitching yourself for a role. Reach out using common ground: shared schools, employers, or events you both attend. Senior leaders are often more receptive to a conversation than junior staff. Track every conversation in a spreadsheet or CRM — it becomes one of your most valuable career assets. Follow up no more than once every three to four days if there's been no response, weekly once a conversation is ongoing. Episode Highlights Why this strategy has always existed under a different name: networking. The difference between an informational interview and a sales pitch. How to identify which companies might have an opening before a job is ever posted. Why people don't respond right away — and why that has nothing to do with you. How to keep the door open after a great conversation that didn't lead anywhere yet. Timestamps 00:00 — Introduction: what is the reverse application 01:56 — What an informational interview really is 04:00 — Preparing questions and doing your research 05:55 — Finding common ground to start a conversation 07:58 — Why C-suite leaders are often the most open to chatting 10:03 — Working backwards: skills, organisations, and your network 12:28 — Taking job search out of luck and into language 14:18 — Preparing your "elevator" direction 16:26 — Following up without overdoing it 19:59 — Why people don't respond right away 21:26 — Tracking your network like a career-long asset 23:40 — Final thoughts If you found this advice valuable, please hit subscribe, leave us a review. Visit Talent Connect: Website: www.talent-connect.net [http://www.talent-connect.net] LinkedIn: Talent-Connect Kevin's LinkedIn: Kevin Cameron PCC Production Credit: Edited and produced by @the32collective_ / https://www.the32collective.co/ [https://www.the32collective.co/]

The One Word Costing You the Job | with Lili Foggle

Getting to the interview is hard enough right now but what happens when you get there and still don't get the job? In this episode, Kevin Cameron sits down with Lili Foggle of Impressive Interviewing, a communication coach with 10 years of experience, to talk about what actually separates the number one candidate from everyone else. Lili breaks down why skills alone won't get you the offer in the final round, how to use AI smartly without sabotaging yourself, and the one language mistake quietly costing candidates — especially women — jobs they're more than qualified for. Key Takeaways In the final round, everyone can do the job — the decision shifts to trust, likability, and fit. Research the company's real values by looking at what leadership is actually saying, not just the website.  Never ask AI to write your interview answers.  Use it for research and gap analysis. Stop using "we" for your achievements — own your contribution with "I."  Your closing questions should be so specific they couldn't be asked anywhere else.  Chaos in the hiring process usually means chaos in the culture. Episode Highlights Why only 3% of applicants land an interview and what that means for your prep.  The shift that happens in the final round and why likability outweighs skills.  Lili's five-list method for breaking down any job description.  The study of 25,000 interview answers that proved "I" language predicts hiring decisions.  The ping pong rule for small talk that makes you instantly more memorable. Timestamps 00:00 — Introduction  01:03 — Lili's background and Impressive Interviewing  03:18 — The 3% interview rate and the AI recruiting doom loop  06:02 — True or false: skills are what get you hired  07:10 — What actually decides the final round  08:10 — Fit for the team vs fit for the role  10:34 — The cheat code: deep research  13:50 — Questions that show interest vs questions that show doubt  16:32 — How to use AI in interview prep — and how not to  19:44 — The five-list method for job description analysis  23:22 — How to handle panel interviews  27:41 — How to close the final round  29:44 — The question that couldn't be asked anywhere else  32:41 — Why "we" is erasing you from your own success stories  38:35 — Lili's why Connect With Lili Prepare for your next interview: https://impressiveinterviewing.com [https://impressiveinterviewing.com] Become an interview coach: https://parwcc.com/interview-institute/ [https://parwcc.com/interview-institute/] TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@yourinterviewcoach [https://www.tiktok.com/@yourinterviewcoach] LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/lilifoggle/ [https://www.linkedin.com/in/lilifoggle/] If you found this advice valuable, please hit subscribe, leave us a review. Visit Talent Connect: Website: www.talent-connect.net [http://www.talent-connect.net] LinkedIn: Talent-Connect Kevin's LinkedIn: Kevin Cameron PCC Production Credit: Edited and produced by @the32collective_ / https://www.the32collective.co/ [https://www.the32collective.co/]

Why Your Workplace Is Failing Neurodivergent Employees | with Shea Belsky

What does it actually take to create a fair hiring process for neurodivergent candidates and why does it matter for everyone, not just a few? In this episode, Kevin Cameron sits down with Shea Belsky, an autistic software engineer and neurodiversity advocate, to talk about the parts of hiring and onboarding that most companies are quietly getting wrong. Shea brings a direct, no-fluff perspective on when and how to disclose a diagnosis, why accommodations are an investment not an expense, and what onboarding looks like when it actually works. If you manage people, hire people, or are neurodivergent yourself — this conversation will shift how you think. Key Takeaways When disclosing a neurodivergent diagnosis, always frame it around a specific need — not just the label.  The return on investment is a more capable, more confident employee.  One in seven people worldwide are neurodivergent — far more than most workplaces acknowledge.  Dropping someone into a new role with no ramp-up hurts everybody, but hits neurodivergent employees hardest.  Workplace tools like AI note-taking and quiet rooms benefit the whole team — not just one person.  Framing your needs to a hiring manager is not a warning. It is a map to your best work. Episode Highlights Why disclosing a diagnosis without context can backfire — and how to frame it effectively.  The honest case for why accommodations pay for themselves.  How one in seven people around you may be neurodivergent without either of you knowing it.  The onboarding mistake that sets people up to fail from day one.  Shea's vision for a tool that helps every employee cut through the masking and communicate what they actually need. Timestamps 00:00 — Introduction  02:28 — What neurodivergent candidates face in interviews  04:39 — When and how to disclose: framing it as a need  06:00 — What to tell a hiring manager vs a recruiter  07:21 — Why hiring managers fear getting it wrong  09:28 — Accommodations as investment, not expense  13:27 — Most common accommodations in interviews and on the job  15:11 — AI tools and cultural shifts that benefit everyone  17:29 — How many people around you are neurodivergent  23:43 — The onboarding mistakes companies keep making  29:08 — What Shea wishes existed for every employee  33:35 — Framing your needs as your superpower 35:12 — Shea's why Connect With Shea LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/sheabelsky [http://linkedin.com/in/sheabelsky]Website: https://www.sheabelsky.com/ [https://www.sheabelsky.com/] If you found this advice valuable, please hit subscribe, leave us a review. Visit Talent Connect: Website: www.talent-connect.net [http://www.talent-connect.net] LinkedIn: Talent-Connect Kevin's LinkedIn: Kevin Cameron PCC Production Credit: Edited and produced by @the32collective_ / https://www.the32collective.co/ [https://www.the32collective.co/]