An exec at one of the biggest US banks offers a counterintuitive strategy for acing your job interview

REUTERS/ Brendan McDermid

Acing the interview at a big bank just got a little easier.

• Come into job interviews with the mindset that you've already gotten the job.

• And act accordingly. Compose a list of sharp questions and thoughtful insights on what you'd like to accomplish at the company.

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• This strategy is a great way to impress interviewers, according to Capital One HR exec Meghan Welch.

Want to nail the interview for your dream job?

Pretend like you already have it.

When used correctly, this tactic will actually improve your chances of getting hired - at least when you're interviewing at Capital One.

You've just got to make sure you're not coming across as boastful or overconfident, says Meghan Welch, an HR exec with the bank.

Welch said this strategy seems to help candidates demonstrate their "forward lean and passion" during interviews.

"I've definitely had interviews before when we've gotten into brainstorming solutions, possibilities, and the future," she told Business Insider. "Those people operate in the discussion almost as if they already have the role."

Of course, Welch said if you interview at the tenth biggest bank in the US, you don't want to come across as arrogant, either.

She said the best candidates succeed by thoughtfully and enthusiastically articulating their big ideas for the company.

"It comes off as, 'I am super excited about the problem you are talking about right now and I have a whole bunch of ways I would love to solve it,'" she said. "I get a lot of energy from that kind of discussion."

Of course, you won't succeed by asking inane questions like, "When do I start?" Instead, you can boost your chances by writing down questions, suggestions, and big ideas ahead of time. And keep your tone self-assured, not outright cocky.

"To me that all goes back to if you're willing to be creative and you're willing to be who you are and bring who you are to that interview," Welch said. "Don't hold back. Don't always be thinking about positioning your statements. Just be you. Bring your passion and your sense of self and your full voice, and I guarantee you that conversation is going to be way more interesting."