Interview prep basics
You don't need to read a whole book about interviewing. You need a few practical things you can actually do the day before the interview to feel ready.
The night before
Five things to do the night before an interview:
1. Look up the company. Spend ten minutes on their website. What do they do? Who are their customers? What's the company been in the news for recently? You don't need to memorize everything. You just need enough context to ask intelligent questions and to know what kind of company you'd be joining.
2. Re-read the job posting. Print it out or pull it up on your phone. The interview will likely follow the structure of the posting — the requirements they listed are the things they'll ask about. If they listed five required qualifications, prepare a short example for each one.
3. Plan your route. Look up exactly how to get to the interview location. If it's in person, drive past the building the day before if you can. Add 30 minutes to your travel time as a buffer. Being late to an interview is the most fixable mistake there is — but only if you plan ahead.
4. Lay out your clothes. Don't decide what to wear in the morning when you're already running late and stressed. Pick clothes the night before and lay them out. Iron them if needed. Polish your shoes if applicable.
5. Print extra copies of your resume. Bring at least three. The interviewer may have lost theirs. They may bring in another colleague who hasn't seen yours. Having a clean copy in your hand looks professional.
Common interview questions
Almost every interview will include some version of these. Have a ready answer for each one.
"Tell me about yourself." The most common opening question. Don't give them your life story. Give them a 90-second professional summary: where you currently are, what you've done, why you're interested in this job. Practice it out loud until it feels natural.
"Why are you interested in this position?" Mention something specific about the job (not just "I need a job"). Mention something specific about the company. Connect both to your background.
"Tell me about a time you handled a difficult situation." Have one prepared story. Use the STAR format: Situation, Task, Action, Result. "We had a customer complain about [Situation]. My job was to [Task]. I did [Action]. The customer left satisfied and [Result]."
"What's your biggest weakness?" Don't say "I work too hard" — interviewers see right through that. Pick a real, manageable weakness and pair it with what you're doing to improve. "Public speaking has been a weakness for me, so I joined Toastmasters last year and I've been getting more comfortable."
"Why are you leaving your current job?" Keep it short and positive. Even if you hated your last boss, don't say so. "I'm looking for new challenges" or "I'm looking for a role with more growth potential" is enough. Never speak badly about previous employers in an interview.
"Where do you see yourself in five years?" Show that you've thought about your future, but don't lock yourself into something so specific that they think you're not right for this job. "I'd like to be in a senior role within this kind of work, ideally with a team to lead" is a safe answer for most situations.
"Do you have any questions for us?" Always have questions ready. Saying "no" makes you look uninterested. Good questions: "What does success look like in this role in the first six months?" "What's the team like that I'd be working with?" "What's the next step after today's interview?"
An interview is not just them asking if they want to hire you. It's also you asking if you want to work there.
What to wear
Match the formality of the workplace, then go one notch up.
- Office or corporate job: business professional. Suit and tie for men, suit or professional dress/blouse for women. Even if you know the office is casual, the interview is more formal.
- Frontline or warehouse job: business casual. Khaki pants or slacks, a collared shirt or blouse. Avoid jeans, t-shirts, and sneakers.
- Trades or hands-on jobs: clean, neat work clothes. Some employers will appreciate work boots. Polo shirts or button-downs are safe.
- Remote or video interview: dress as you would for in-person, at least from the waist up. Make sure your background is clean and your lighting is decent.
What to bring
- At least three copies of your resume
- A list of references (with contact info, ready to hand over if asked)
- A pen and a small notebook
- Any required ID, certifications, or licenses (CDL, ServSafe, etc.)
- Your phone — but on silent, and put away during the interview
- A bottle of water if it's a long interview
The first 30 seconds
Walk in confidently. Make eye contact. Give a firm handshake (in cultures where that's expected — be aware some workplaces have shifted away from handshakes). Smile. Say "Thank you for meeting with me today." Sit down when invited.
The first 30 seconds set the tone for the entire interview. You don't need to be a different person — you just need to be the version of yourself that's confident, prepared, and showed up to do this thing.
During the interview
- Listen carefully. Interviewers ask very specific questions. Answer the question they actually asked, not the question you wish they'd asked.
- Take a beat before answering. Pausing for a second to think is fine and makes you look thoughtful.
- Use specific examples. "I once" is much stronger than "I would."
- Be honest about gaps in your knowledge. "I don't have direct experience with that, but I'd be quick to learn" is far better than making something up.
- Take notes. Write down key things they say. It shows engagement and gives you material for follow-up.
After the interview
Send a thank-you email within 24 hours. Keep it short:
Dear [Interviewer Name],
Thank you for taking the time to meet with me today about the [Position] role. I really enjoyed learning more about [specific thing they mentioned], and I'm even more excited about the opportunity to join your team.
If there's any additional information I can provide, please let me know. I look forward to hearing from you.
Sincerely,
[Your Name]
Most candidates don't send a thank-you note. Sending one sets you apart.
If you don't hear back
Wait one week, then send a brief follow-up email. "I wanted to check in on the status of the [Position] role we discussed last week. I'm still very interested and happy to provide any additional information." Polite, brief, professional.
If you still don't hear back after another week, move on. Apply to other jobs. The job market moves fast, and dwelling on one application that went silent doesn't help you. You'll get more callbacks the more applications you put out.
An interview is a conversation, not a test. The interviewer wants you to do well — they need to fill the position. Be yourself, be prepared, be honest. The right job will be the one where you don't have to pretend to be someone else to get hired.