Job interviews can be tense, stressful, and sometimes awkward… and that’s exactly why they make for some of the best movie scenes of all time. Now, to be clear, you won’t find me or any of our other executive recruiters advocating for any of these particular approaches to interviewing, but what I will do is break down each scene and come up with a takeaway lesson from each.
Below are 3 good interview strategies, and 3 strategies you should avoid if you want a chance of getting the job.
Try these 3 job interview strategies from the movies….
1. The Pursuit of Happyness
In this scene, Will Smith’s character, Chris Gardner, shows up to an interview in street clothes, sweaty, and covered in paint (all for reasons outside of his control). Instead of moving the interview or trying to explain away his appearance, he shakes each interviewer’s hand, tells the truth, and proves how much he wants the job.
Takeaway: Passion is powerful, and wanting the job more than the next guy can go a long way.
2. The Wolf of Wall Street
In this scene Jonah Hill’s character, Donnie Azoff, sees Leonardo DiCaprio’s character, Jordan Belfort’s expensive car in the parking lot. He approaches Belfort and asks how much he makes. When Belfort says he made “70 thousand last month” Azoff demands to see a pay stub, then immediately offers to quit his job on the spot and come work for him… and he does.
Takeaway: Only 15% of jobs are filled through job boards, so get creative, talk to people, and sell yourself into a job. Also, sometimes it is all about the money.
3. Kramer vs. Kramer
In this scene, Dustin Hoffman’s character, Ted Kramer, meets with a recruiter the Friday before Christmas. The recruiter advises him to wait until after the holidays, but Kramer pushes until he gets an interview that day. In that interview, he continues to push until he can meet the top decision-maker, then persuades them to hire him on the spot.
Takeaway: Be confident. Sometimes you have to lay it on the line and have conviction in yourself.
…But don’t try these interview strategies…
4. Step Brothers
In this hilarious scene Will Ferrell’s character, Brennan Huff, attends a series of interviews in which he wears a tuxedo, gets the interviewer’s name wrong, brings his brother along, asks how much the interviewer makes, and much much more.
Takeaway: Be careful what you eat before an interview. All kidding aside, if you are not sure about proper interview etiquette, do some research. Look on the company website to learn about what is expected of interview candidates.
5. Office Space
In this scene, Peter Gibbons, played by Ron Livingston, has a meeting with two men (both named Bob) who have been tasked with finding inefficiencies and downsizing the company. When describing his typical day, Peter says things like “I generally come in at least 15 minutes late… and after that, I just space out for about an hour”. Bob and Bob are so impressed by his candidness that they conclude he’s “a straight shooter with upper management written all over him”.
Takeaway: Be a straight shooter (to an extent). Remember, there are some things that you should keep to yourself during interviews.
6. The Internship
Like only Vince Vaughan can, he and Owen Wilson’s character ramble their way through the Google interview question, “You’re shrunken down to the size of nickels and thrown into a blender – what do you do?”
Takeaway: In the face of even the most ridiculous questions, don’t try to ramble your way through it – 90% of the time it will be nonsense. We’ve all been there. Take a deep breath, stop, think, and start over. You’ll get through it.
A Final Word On How To Approach Job Interviews
Job interviews can be unpredictable, nerve-wracking, and sometimes even comical, but as these movie scenes demonstrate, the right combination of confidence, passion, and strategy can make all the difference. Whether it’s showing unwavering determination like Chris Gardner in The Pursuit of Happyness, thinking outside the box like Donnie Azoff in The Wolf of Wall Street, or boldly pushing for what you want like Ted Kramer in Kramer vs. Kramer, there are valuable lessons to be learned from even the most unconventional approaches.
At the same time, these films also remind us of what not to do—like showing up in a tuxedo, oversharing about slacking off at work or rambling through an answer without thinking. In the end, preparation, self-awareness, and a little creativity can help turn even the most challenging interview into an opportunity for success. Need more help getting hired? Check out our Ultimate Job Interview Guide.
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