The Ultimate Interview Guide (for any job)
Steps to dominating any interview
Interviewing is hard.
I’ve done A LOT of them over the years.
As someone who has been working since I was 15 and held 12 different jobs (from job changes AND promotions) since graduating college alone, I’ve done more interviews than I can count.
While the nuances of interviewing between industries can change slightly, there are some fundamental principles to interviewing that apply across any opportunity.
Here is my ultimate list of steps to prepare for and crush any interview.
Quick caveat:
No matter how well you prepare and interview, sometimes a job is simply not the right fit. This could be due to experience, ability, or overall chemistry. No amount of preparation can overcome this.
The goal is not to be awarded an offer 100% of the time. The goal is nail the interview for the RIGHT job, so that you can beat your competition.
1. Prep for situational questions using the STAR method
STAR is a formula for answering questions.
It goes like this:
S - situation
T - task
A - action
R - result
What you want to do is think through scenarios you’ve been in where you’ve done very well that could apply to a host of different questions.
The way I used to do this was anticipating questions (still a good thing to do) and writing out an answer for every one.
Over time, I began doing the opposite.
Writing out a host of answers that can be generally applied.
This was easier for me to remember and covered more ground in an interview.
Over time, as you get more comfortable with this method, you’ll begin to intuitively answer any question with this framework, even if you didn’t prepare the answer beforehand.
It’s an excellent tool.
2. Research the company you’re interviewing with
Taking 10-20 minutes to Google the company and jot down some notes can have massive impact.
Read through the company website
Look at any relevant articles in the news
Write down a few questions for the interview that shows you’ve done some research
Example: “I saw that the company launched a new product recently. Has this had any big impact on day-to-day operations?”
Example: “I saw the company has been very profitable this year (if they’re publicly trading). What do you attribute this to?”
Stuff like that can be quite impressive.
It’s one thing to just know what a company does. It’s another thing when you show you’ve studied them and ask engaging questions.
3. Prepare at least 5 questions for the interview
The last point blends into this one a bit. But you want to have more than just questions like the ones stated above for the interviewer.
Ask lots of questions, especially when they prompt you to do so toward the end of the interview, “Do you have any questions for us?”
They can be questions related to:
Day-to-day workflow
What you’ll be doing
Challenges you may face
How to succeed in you’re role
What they like most about the company and their role
What is the most challenging about their role
Overall, have 5-10 questions prepared.
Why so many?
Well, if you interview well, you will likely have some questions answered throughout the interview. You don’t want to run out.
You may also ask questions casually before the end.
So you want to at least have a few ready for when they specifically prompt you. Hiring managers and recruiters typically don’t like to hear, “No I don’t think so.”
4. Have a 3-5 minute intro statement prepared
In other words, your response to the prompt, “Tell us about yourself.”
Missing the mark on this question can derail the entire interview.
People sometimes ramble on for as long as 20 minutes in response to this question.
Ideally, you want to keep it 3-5 minutes long. Short and sweet with room for them to ask questions.
If you bore and exhaust them at the beginning, you’re ruining the interview before it begins.
Here’s how to prepare:
Professional history up to this point
How you found the role you’re interviewing for
Why you’re a good fit
Keep it brief. Keep it simple. Keep it relevant.
I recommend writing out your answer and rehearsing it a few times, checking to make sure it is 5 minutes max.
Over time, this question will become 2nd nature.
5. Slow down, smile, and bring positive energy
When we’re nervous, we have a tendency to ramble or trip over our words.
I have to consciously remind myself to slow down.
I even put a sticky note on my monitor or in my notes to remind me.
Sometimes, we also don’t realize that we could be wearing a scowl on our face or have very flat energy.
I find I have to intentionally push myself to be calm yet upbeat.
This is especially true when interviewing virtually since energy over video tends to appear more flat to begin with. They also can’t read your body language very well.
So bring the energy (but don’t be weird about it).
Throw on a casual smile to show interest and excitement.
Breath and slow down so as not to ramble or trip up.
6. Try to connect with the interviewer as a person
Be personable.
Chemistry really matters in an interview and can cover a multitude of mistakes.
Ask them questions about themselves.
Look them up on LinkedIn beforehand to get to know them a bit more.
Try to look past the fact that they’re interviewing them and see them as a normal person (because they are!)
Every big shot in the hiring seat is just a regular person out in the real world.
So don’t be intimidated.
Conclusion
Interviewing is a skill.
You may be the most qualified for a job, but if you can’t convey that during the interview, you won’t get hired.
The more you interview, the better you’ll get at it. It’s the hardest when you’re in the early stages of your career.
Preparation is crucial, and doing so the right way will help you to dominate any interview.
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