And Why a Recruiter-Led, Human Approach Still Wins
Let’s be honest about what’s happening in the job market right now. Almost every candidate is using AI tools, CVs look too clean, LinkedIn profiles are suddenly “optimized.”, interview answers sound more structured…
On the surface, that sounds like progress. But inside hiring rooms, a different conversation is happening.
Hiring managers and TA leaders are increasingly saying the same thing:
“Everyone sounds the same now.”
“This CV looks great, but I don’t know what this person actually did.”
“The answers are polished, but I don’t believe them.”
“There is no longer authenticity….”
That frustration is real—and growing. And undeniably annoying.
The New Pattern Hiring Teams Are Seeing
Over the past two years, something has changed in interviews.
Candidates are:
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Giving textbook answers
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Using frameworks perfectly—but without depth
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Repeating phrases that sound impressive but vague
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Struggling when interviewers ask follow-up questions
- Reading prepped notes from screens
Many interviews now follow a predictable arc:
First 5 minutes: candidate sounds impressive.
Next 20 minutes: details don’t hold and some doesn’t make sense as they are not able to give concrete examples and breakdown.
Final impression: uncertainty.
And uncertainty kills offers.
The Problem Is Not AI
AI is not the enemy.
Used properly, it helps with:
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Structuring thoughts
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Editing language
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Preparing talking points
Those are useful tools. But many candidates stop there and they mistake polish for preparation. That’s where things break down because hiring decisions are not made on polish.
They are made on:
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credibility
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judgment
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clarity of thinking
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evidence of real impact
No tool can manufacture those.
What Hiring Managers Actually Want (But Candidates Rarely Hear)
After years in both agency and in-house Talent Acquisition, one thing becomes very clear. Hiring managers are not looking for perfect answers.
They are looking for:
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Clear thinking
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Ownership
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Commercial awareness
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Real-life examples
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Decision-making ability
And most importantly:
They are trying to answer one question:
“Can I trust this person to solve problems I care about?”
A perfectly structured answer does not build trust.
A real, thoughtful one does.
Where Level Up Is Different
Level Up was never designed as a traditional coaching program.
It was built from the perspective of someone who has screened thousands of CVs over the last 18 years, interviewed candidates across regions and industries and most importantly, we have worked in-house at global companies like LinkedIn, Booking.com, and BASF/MBCC and spent over a decade in top recruitment agencies. We have helped businesses reduce hiring costs, improve quality of hire, and make difficult hiring decisions
This matters.
Because advice given by people who teach interviews is very different from advice given by people who have run hiring processes end-to-end.
Track Record Matters More Than Certifications
The career coaching space often emphasizes certifications. But hiring managers don’t hire certifications. They hire outcomes.
Over the years, Level Up has helped many candidates
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Secure meaningful hiring conversations
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Advance through competitive interview processes
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Reposition themselves successfully
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Land roles across global companies and high-growth environments like Circles, Deloitte, Mastercard, Visa, Sephora, LVMH, Revolut, etc
Not because of scripts. But because of our strategy and real recruiting experience that we passed on through our coaching.
What We Actually Work On With Candidates
Most programs focus on surface improvements. We focus on deeper fundamentals till the offer stage.
1. Positioning Before Presentation
Many candidates jump straight into rewriting their CV. But a CV is only a tool.
We start with:
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What roles make sense in the current market
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Where a candidate is realistically competitive
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How to differentiate in a crowded field
- We figure out alternative and broaden your choices and tell you why it make sense.
Because positioning determines whether you even get read.
2. Honest Feedback (Not Polite Feedback)
Many professionals rarely receive direct feedback especially when it comes to career. Don’t compare us to your managers.
Friends are polite. | Colleagues are cautious. | Interviewers don’t explain decisions.
At Level Up, feedback is direct and what you need to hear.
Not harsh—but honest. And honesty is what creates progress.
3. Interview Strategy Instead of Memorized Answers
Memorized answers fail under pressure. Instead, candidates learn:
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How to structure thinking in real time
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How to explain decisions clearly
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How to handle probing questions
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How to speak with authority without sounding rehearsed
The goal is not to sound perfect. The goal is to sound credible and knowing how to handle the conversation with your interviewer till it make sense in that short time frame.
4. Understanding How Hiring Decisions Are Actually Made
Very few candidates understand:
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How shortlists are built
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How hiring managers evaluate risk
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Why strong candidates are rejected
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What actually happens in calibration discussions
- When their decision sometime doesn’t make any sense to you (but to them and the business)
This insight alone changes how candidates prepare.
My Professional Opinion (After 18+ Years in Hiring)
Here is the honest truth. AI will not replace serious candidates but it will expose average ones faster. Because when everyone has access to the same tools that sometimes hallucinates!
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clarity becomes the differentiator
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thinking becomes visible
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depth becomes obvious
And depth cannot be faked for long. I’ve seen candidates with average CVs get offers because they were clear, thoughtful, and credible – and HONEST.
And I’ve seen candidates with impressive CVs get rejected because they couldn’t explain their own work.
Preparation matters—but real understanding matters more.
Why This Matters More Now Than Ever
Hiring is not getting easier. Budgets are tighter. Market is not only tougher but different. Teams are leaner and expectations are increasingly higher.
Hiring managers are taking fewer risks – this means candidates need more than just formatting and keywords.
They need:
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clear positioning
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sharp thinking
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strong communication
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real substance
The Philosophy Behind Level Up
Career guidance should come from people who have sat on both sides of the table.
People who have:
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hired
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rejected
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negotiated
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built teams
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defended hiring decisions to CFOs and CEOs
Not just people who teach theory.
People who understand consequences.
But here’s the real thing about Level Up – We are Not Another Cookie-Cutter Coaching Program
One thing we hear often from candidates is this:
“I’ve already spoken to career coaches. The advice felt generic. They don’t understand me. They even suggested something that is irrelevant.”
Many certified career coaches, government-funded programs, and university career centers follow structured frameworks designed to work at scale. Their goal is to support large groups of people, which often means standardized templates, generalized advice, and one-size-fits-most guidance.
But careers don’t work that way.
A mid-career product leader, a finance director, and a first-time manager should not be coached the same way. Someone changing industries should not be advised the same way as someone advancing within one. And someone navigating a layoff, relocation, or career break needs a very different strategy altogether. That’s why Level Up operate differently – we customize every engagement based on:
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seniority and level
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function and role type
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sector and market realities
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geography and hiring dynamics
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personal circumstances and constraints
That level of customization is what we have become known for.
Because in hiring, context matters.
And generic advice rarely wins competitive roles.
The Bottom Line
AI will remain part of career preparation. And that’s fine.
But offers are still decided by humans.
Humans who look for:
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credibility
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clarity
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judgment
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and trust
Those things are built through reflection, feedback, and strategy—not prompts.
That’s the difference Level Up brings.
