Bring Guests Into Interview Prep at the Right Time
I’ve been involved in many interview prep sessions where teams bring in guests to help, and I’ve seen that go both really well and really poorly. So I want to offer some guidance on when to involve guests and how to use them effectively.
Use Prospect Experts Early
The first type of guest is someone who knows the prospect well—people who understand the decision-makers, the organization, and the project’s priorities. These folks are incredibly valuable, but only if they’re brought in early while your team is still shaping strategy and messaging.
This is when you want to ask questions, learn personalities, understand concerns, and get insight into what the selection committee will care about. If you bring these experts in too late—after the message is already built—you risk hearing: “Oh no, don’t talk about that,” or “You’re missing the thing they really care about.” That forces major rewrites at the worst possible time.
Be Careful With Internal Critics
The second type of guest is someone who knows your team—their strengths, their weak points, their insecurities. These people often get invited in at the final run-through, and that is almost always a mistake.
At the end of prep, confidence should be climbing. But these guests often trigger self-consciousness, second-guessing, and overcorrection. If you want their perspective, bring them in mid-process—after the first full run, but well before the final polish.
Coach Your Feedback Givers
No matter when guests join, coach them in advance on how to give feedback. You want them focused on:
- what’s working
- what could be even stronger
- communicating confidence in the team
You do not want them focusing on stumbles, nerves, or superficial critiques that undermine momentum. The goal is to strengthen the team—not shake them.
Use Guests to Elevate, Not Derail
Guests can be incredibly helpful in interview prep if you use them intentionally. Bring in prospect experts early for strategy, bring in internal observers mid-process for refinement, and make sure everyone understands how to deliver supportive, constructive feedback. That’s how you elevate your message without derailing your team’s confidence.
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