I recently quit my job and have been going through the interview process with many different companies. Over the past 2 months, I have had over 50+ online interviews, more than 10 in-person interviews, and put together several audits, assessments, and assignments with no luck so far.
I am at a point where companies are ghosting me and not giving me any reason why they are not going forward with my interview. So to help myself and others, I am going to share some of my interview questions and answers.
Hopefully, instead of the generic “Thank you for the time and effort you have dedicated to our interview process. We enjoyed getting to know you and appreciate your interest in joining NoGood. While this is never easy news to share, we have decided to move forward with other candidates for this role at this time.” – – – email I can get some honest feedback on why I was not accept for the position.
NoGood Strategist Trial Assessment
Question 1 — SEO prioritization
Organic performance is trending positively, with +8% MoM organic sessions and +1% improvement in organic CVR, along with 22 pages ranking in the top 10. This indicates strong momentum, and the next 60 days should focus on scaling what’s working while addressing technical gaps.
1. Improve Mobile Page Speed & Technical Performance (Highest Priority)
Mobile speed directly impacts rankings, user experience, and conversion rate and improving load speed can drive site-wide SEO gains.
Action
- Audit mobile page speed using tools like Google PageSpeed Insights and Google Search Console
- Optimize image sizes (Reduce image size can lead to quick load speed)
- Reduce JavaScript and CSS blocking resources (Remove old & un-needed script)
- Improve Core Web Vitals (LCP, CLS, INP)
- Implement caching and CDN improvements
Done Well Looks Like
- Improved Core Web Vitals scores
- Faster mobile load times
- Improved rankings across key pages
- Increased organic conversion rate
Improving site speed will also help with Google Ads domain score and ad strength.
2. Fix Technical SEO Gaps (Schema, Title Tags, Meta Descriptions)
Technical gaps like missing schema, meta descriptions, and title tags represent quick wins that can improve click-through rate and search visibility.
Action
- Add schema markup to product and pricing pages
- Update missing meta descriptions (48 pages flagged)
- Audit and optimize title tags with keyword targeting
- Ensure pages are properly indexed
Done Well Looks Like
- All flagged pages updated
- Improved organic CTR
- Enhanced rich search results
- Improved indexing and visibility
Making sure we are using custom title tags for each page with keyword is important for SEO rankings. Making sure our schema is correct will help us rank better in AEO.
3. Expand Content & Build Topical Authority
With only 22 pages ranking in the top 10, there’s a strong opportunity to expand content and capture more keywords.
Action
- Conduct keyword research
- Build new service pages and blog content
- Focus on high-intent keywords
- Align content with Google’s E-E-A-T standards
- Use internal linking to support authority
Done Well Looks Like
- More pages ranking in top 10
- Increased organic traffic
- Increased non-branded traffic
- Net new leads from organic search
Doing keyword research to find new and trending keywords is always important to help expand the business and find new customers. Building more pages and being able to build out strong content will help improve our EEAT.
Why These Three Priorities
This approach balances:
- Technical foundation (site speed)
- Quick wins (technical fixes)
- Long-term growth (content expansion)
Together, these initiatives should accelerate organic growth while building sustainable SEO performance.
Question 2 — AEO gap analysis
Vantage Labs’ near-zero presence in AI search results is likely due to a lack of authority signals, structured content, and citations that AI engines rely on. Platforms like ChatGPT, Perplexity, and Google AI Overviews tend to prioritize sources that demonstrate:
- Clear topical authority
- Structured, answer-focused content
- Strong off-site citations
- Consistent brand mentions
- High-quality backlinks
If competitors are being cited more frequently, they are likely outperforming Vantage Labs in one or more of these areas.
3-Part AEO Action Plan
1. Content Strategy: Build AI-Friendly, Answer-First Content
AI search engines prioritize concise, structured answers and authoritative educational content.
Actions
I would create and restructure content into:
- “What is” pages (e.g., What is [core product/service]?)
- Comparison pages (Vantage Labs vs Competitor)
- Use case pages (Industry-specific solutions)
- FAQ hubs
- Glossary pages
- Thought leadership articles
Example Content Types:
- ” What is the best AI tool for pricing signals?
- “Best AI Solutions for price tracking”
- “How to Choose an AI review aggregate “
- “Vantage Labs vs Competitor Comparison” VS Wiser VS Claude VS Zillant
Content should include:
- Clear headers
- Short answer summaries
- Bullet points
- FAQ schema
- Internal linking
Done Well Looks Like
- Increased citations in AI search responses
- More featured snippets
- Increased non-branded organic traffic
2. Off-Page Authority & Citation Strategy
AI search engines heavily rely on third-party mentions and citations. We would need to work on external links from bloggers and other authoritative websites.
Actions
I would pursue:
- Industry publications
- Guest posts
- PR placements
- External link building
- Customer case studies
- Community mentions (forums, Q&A sites)
Key Tactics:
- Publish thought leadership articles
- Get listed in “Top AI Tools” roundups
- Secure mentions in industry directories
- Encourage customer reviews and testimonials
- Build backlinks from authoritative domains and blogs
Done Well Looks Like
- Increased referring domains
- More brand mentions
- Higher domain authority
- Increased AI citation frequency
3. Measurement & Tracking Framework
AEO performance requires new tracking methods beyond traditional SEO and GA4.
Actions
I would track:
- AI search citations
- Non-branded organic traffic
- Featured snippet ownership
- Brand search growth
- Backlink growth
- Page-level engagement
Tools & Methods:
- Manual AI query tracking
- Search Console monitoring
- Keyword tracking
- Backlink monitoring
- CRM lead attribution
Done Well Looks Like
- Vantage Labs appearing in AI-generated answers
- Increased organic lead volume
- Growth in non-branded search traffic
- Improved conversion rates from organic traffic
AI search visibility is largely driven by authority + structured content + citations, and this 3-part plan directly addresses all three.
Question 3 — Content strategy
30-Day Content Calendar
The goal of this content plan is to:
- Build topical authority
- Improve AI search citations
- Capture high-intent keywords
- Support full-funnel growth
This strategy is designed to improve visibility in platforms like ChatGPT, Perplexity, and Google AI Overviews.
30-Day Content Calendar
Content Breakdown
Week 1: “What is [Category]?” (Pillar Content)
Why This Matters
This is one of the most cited content formats in AI search.
Structure
- Definition
- Use cases
- Benefits
- Who it’s for
- FAQs
SEO Goal
Rank for high-volume educational keyword
AEO Goal
Become cited as a definition source
Week 2: Competitor Comparison
Example
“Vantage Labs vs [Competitor]: Which is Better?”
Why This Matters
Comparison content is frequently cited in AI-generated answers.
Structure
- Feature comparison table
- Pricing comparison
- Use case recommendations
- Pros & Cons
SEO Goal
Capture mid-funnel buyer traffic
AEO Goal
Increase brand mentions in AI responses
Week 3: “Best Tools” List Article
Example
“Best [Category] Tools for [Industry]”
Why This Matters
AI engines frequently cite “best of” lists.
Structure
- List of tools
- Use case breakdown
- Pros and cons
- Industry recommendations
SEO Goal
Capture high-intent search traffic
AEO Goal
Appear in AI recommendation lists
Week 4: Buyer Guide
Example
“How to Choose the Right [Category] Platform”
Why This Matters
Decision-stage content converts well and builds authority.
Structure
- Key buying criteria
- Budget considerations
- Feature checklist
- Implementation tips
SEO Goal
Capture bottom-of-funnel traffic
AEO Goal
Become cited in buying advicea
Each post should include an FAQ section (which can be comments), a clear H1, short answer summaries, internal linking and Schema markup. These element will improve both SEO rankings and AI citations.
Success Metrics
Track:
- AI citations
- Organic traffic growth
- Non-branded traffic
- Keyword rankings
- Lead generation
Why This Strategy Works
This 30-day plan:
- Builds authority quickly
- Targets high-intent keywords
- Improves AI visibility
- Supports full funnel growth
Question 4 — Client email response
Hi Vantage Labs,
Thank you for flagging these concerns, I completely understand the urgency, especially given the competitive pressure and the need to show stronger performance.
Here’s where things currently stand:
Over the past month, we’ve seen steady growth in organic visibility by +8%. We’re not yet capturing the full search opportunity, particularly in AI search. Additionally, competitor brand-bidding is likely impacting both our impression share and cost efficiency, which may be contributing to some of the performance pressure you’re seeing.
To address this, I recommend a three-part path forward:
1. Strengthen Organic & AI Search Presence
We’ll prioritize creating authoritative, answer-focused content designed to improve both traditional SEO rankings and AI search visibility. This will help us compete more effectively for high-intent searches and increase non-branded traffic.
2. Address Competitor Brand Bidding
We’ll evaluate launching or optimizing branded campaigns to protect brand demand and maintain visibility when competitors bid on your brand terms. This includes monitoring impression share, testing messaging that reinforces brand differentiation, and ensuring we’re capturing high-intent users already searching for your solution.
3. Focus on High-Impact Technical & Content Improvements
We’ll also prioritize technical improvements and targeted content expansion to increase the number of ranking pages and improve overall conversion performance. This includes optimizing existing pages while building new content aligned with high-value search opportunities.
Over the next 30–60 days, our focus will be on:
- Increasing non-branded organic visibility
- Improving AI search citations
- Protecting brand demand from competitors
- Driving incremental leads and conversions
I’ll follow up with a more detailed roadmap and timeline, but I’m confident that this approach will help us regain momentum and strengthen performance against competitors.
My first email with NoGood was on March 3rd, and I received a final email on April 16. So after a month of interviewing, nothing.
