Before the interview
- Map the job ad. Underline the three or four skills it repeats and note one experience that proves each. Every answer builds on this.
- Research the company and the people. Recent news, products, customers, and the interviewer’s role. Keep one or two specific facts for “why us?”.
- Prepare four or five stories. A success, a failure, a conflict, a high-pressure moment, a team project. Structure them with STAR and end each on a result, with a number if you can.
- Prepare the hard ones. Weakness, gaps, why you are leaving, salary. Short and honest beats long and polished. See 20 common interview questions.
- Prepare your own questions. Five ready, two or three asked. See questions to ask the interviewer.
- Say it out loud. Answers that sound fine in your head fall apart when spoken. Time yourself and record at least one run.
During the interview
- Make the first minute count. Have your “tell me about yourself” ready: 60 to 90 seconds, present, past, future.
- Answer in one to two minutes. Long enough to give an example, short enough to leave room for follow-up questions.
- Lead with the answer. Say the point first, then the story that proves it.
- Use numbers. “Cut response time from two days to four hours” is remembered; “improved response time” is not.
- Say “I” for your part. Interviewers need to know what you did, not just what the team did.
- Pause before hard questions. A two-second pause reads as thoughtful. Asking to clarify a vague question is fine.
- Be honest about gaps. “I haven’t used that tool yet, but I learned a similar one in two weeks” beats bluffing.
Phone and video interviews
Test the link, camera and microphone the day before, sit facing the light, silence notifications, and look at the camera when you speak. More in phone and video interview practice.
After the interview
- Write down what you were asked while it is fresh, and what you would answer differently.
- Send a short thank-you email within 24 hours. The thank you email generator drafts one.
- Follow up once if the date they gave you passes. The follow-up email generator helps with the tone.
Common mistakes
- Reciting the résumé instead of telling stories.
- Criticizing a current or former employer.
- Answers with no example or no result.
- No questions at the end.
- Preparing in your head only, never out loud.
Practice it out loud
Reading an answer in your head is not the same as saying it. Say it aloud, record yourself, and listen for filler words and rambling. Readyo is an iPhone app that asks interview questions out loud with an AI interviewer, then scores your answers (relevance, structure, evidence and precision, clarity, composure) and shows a better version built only from what you said. It is practice only; the app is free to download and interviews are paid.
Frequently asked questions
How long should I prepare for a job interview?
Plan two to four hours of work spread over a few days, ideally across the week before: about an hour on the job ad and company, one to two hours on stories and answers, and at least one practice run out loud.
How long should my interview answers be?
One to two minutes for most questions, and 60 to 90 seconds for “tell me about yourself”. Long enough to give an example, short enough to leave room for follow-ups.
What should I bring to a job interview?
A few copies of your résumé, the job ad with your notes, your questions, something to write with, and ID if the building requires it.
