Getting to the Last Round but Not the Offer? Here’s the Real Problem.
If you’re consistently making it far but never sealing the deal, the issue isn’t your skills.
There’s a difference between having the experience and knowing how to communicate it in a way that makes someone believe you’re the clear choice.
If you’re hitting final rounds and stalling out, that could be gap.
I've had a number of people reach out with this exact problem in the last few weeks. So, I thought we should talk about it.
Not Crossing the Finish Line
Getting close without crossing the finish line is one of the most frustrating spots to be in.
You leave interviews feeling like you clicked.
You’ve got the right background. You’ve shown you can do the work.
But then…“Sorry, we went with another candidate.”
That rejection stings more than being cut earlier because it feels like you’re doing everything right… yet you’re still not moving forward.
And if it happens more than once, you start wondering: What am I missing? What am I lacking?
And so begins the spiral of self doubt.
😰 Maybe I'm a bad interviewer.
😮💨 Maybe I'm not qualified after all.
🫥 Maybe I'm lacking on some way.
Then, the next time an interview comes your way your confidence tanks.
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💡 What The Last Round is Really About
Think of the final interview like the championship game. Everyone on the field can play really well — that’s why they’re there. At this stage, it’s not about proving you can score or run the plays. It’s about trust: who’s going to deliver when the clock is winding down?
Hiring managers already know you’ve got the skills. Now they’re looking at risk: do you make sound decisions under pressure, can you manage the unknowns without panicking, and will your presence raise the level of the whole team?
They’re watching for composure, leadership, and whether your values line up with the culture.
The final round isn’t “Can you do the job?” It’s “Do we hand you the ball in the last two minutes and know you’ll finish strong?”
📋 The Play to Run:
If I were sitting down to interview prep with you, here’s how I'd tell you to beat the competition in finals:
Use depth, not breadth in your stories. Bring out not just what you did, but how you thought, what trade-offs you considered, what you’d do differently now.
Be clear on your values and vision. Be clear on what kind of leader you are or want to be. Tie that into the culture of the team or company so they see you as someone who belongs and advances them.
Surface weak spots with humility. Not as excuses, but as evidence of growth. “Here’s where I stumbled; here’s exactly how I learned; here’s how that shapes how I act today.” That often makes the difference.
Demonstrate adaptability & composure. In final rounds, you’ll often be tested with curveball questions. How you handle them under pressure tells more than your “perfect” answer.
Show enthusiasm & authentic interest. Not just in the role itself, but in the people you’ve met, the mission, what you can contribute. Ask thoughtful questions that reflect you’ve been listening and thinking.
🏅 Get In the Game This Week
To set yourself up for a win, practice translating those five things into actual stories and answers you can deliver under pressure. Reading the advice is like studying the playbook — helpful, but useless if you freeze when the ball is in your hands.
So here's what to do next:
Pick 3–4 key stories from your career that show decision-making, values, growth, adaptability, and passion.
Run them through a structure (STAR or my favorite STARR: Situation → Decision → Action → Result → Reflection). This forces depth, trade-offs, and humility into your answers.
Pair each story with a thoughtful question you’ll ask back, so you demonstrate not just what you’ve done, but how you think and engage.
If you’re this close to the offer, you don’t need to overhaul your skills, you need to sharpen your story.
Keep running these plays and you’ll see traction.
⚡ Ready to Turn Your Story Into Leverage?
Companies launch comp cycles and open roles in January — the people who land those opportunities are the ones who prepared their career arsenal in advance. So, before this year is done, we’re going to prepare yours and get a plan to use it as leverage. If you wait until after the holidays, you’ll be too late.
If you want to set yourself up for success in the new year, this is for you:
Career Story Accelerator: Build Your Leverage Arsenal for Resumes, Interviews & Negotiations
Reply to this email or shoot me a DM on LinkedIn and I’ll send you the info.
🧠 Uncover how you’re wired to communicate, work, and make decisions: Grab Your Maxwell DISC Assessment + Report and start building a career that fits who you are.
🔐 For Paid Subscribers:
✅ Get my STARR Story Builder: A plug-and-play template to map your key stories and practice them in a way that feels natural but lands with impact. Starting Lineup members get access for free!
🔑 Unlocked at the bottom of this post - scroll down to access.
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