Learn About Interview Preparation Basics

Understanding the Purpose of Job Interviews

A job interview is a conversation between a job seeker and a representative from an organization. During this meeting, the employer learns about your background, skills, and personality, while you gain information about the role and company. According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, the average person changes jobs approximately 12 times throughout their career, which means most people will experience multiple interviews over their working life.

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Interviews serve several purposes for employers. They want to verify that the information on your resume is accurate and complete. They also assess whether you have the technical skills needed for the position. Beyond technical abilities, employers evaluate soft skills like communication, problem-solving, and teamwork. Research from the Society for Human Resource Management found that 60% of employers consider cultural fit—how well you align with company values—to be very important in hiring decisions.

For you as a job seeker, the interview is equally important. It's your opportunity to present yourself beyond what appears on paper. You can explain gaps in employment, discuss how previous experiences relate to the new role, and demonstrate your enthusiasm for the position. An interview also allows you to ask questions about the job, team dynamics, and company culture to determine if the role is right for you.

Understanding this two-way nature of interviews reduces anxiety. You're not just being evaluated—you're also evaluating whether this opportunity matches your career goals. This perspective shift can help you approach interviews with more confidence and authenticity.

Practical Takeaway: Before any interview, write down three reasons why you're interested in the specific role and company. This clarity helps you stay focused during the conversation and allows you to speak genuinely about your motivations.

Researching the Company and Position

Thorough research is one of the most valuable preparation steps you can take. Employers can often tell whether candidates have done their homework, and this research demonstrates genuine interest in the organization. Start by visiting the company's official website, where you'll find information about their mission, values, products or services, and organizational structure. Most company websites include an "About Us" section with company history and leadership information.

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Beyond the official website, explore multiple sources. LinkedIn company pages show employee counts, industry classifications, and recent news. Glassdoor and Indeed feature employee reviews that provide insight into workplace culture and salary ranges. News articles and press releases reveal recent company developments, expansions, or changes in leadership. For smaller companies, searching for the company name plus "news" on Google can yield valuable recent information. The company's social media accounts on Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram often showcase company culture and values in action.

Understanding the specific role requires different research. Read the job description multiple times and note keywords related to required skills and responsibilities. If the job posting mentions specific software, certifications, or industry knowledge, make a list of these requirements. This helps you prepare specific examples from your experience that match what they're seeking. Look for the department or team page on the company website to understand reporting structures and team size.

Research also includes understanding the industry context. If you're interviewing with a healthcare company, you should know current healthcare trends. If it's a tech company, familiarity with recent technology developments is valuable. You don't need to become an expert, but basic industry knowledge helps you ask informed questions and understand how your role contributes to the company's success.

Practical Takeaway: Create a one-page document with three sections: company overview, specific role requirements, and industry context. During your interview, you can reference this research naturally by asking informed follow-up questions and connecting your experience to company needs.

Preparing Your Professional Background Narrative

Your professional narrative is the story you tell about your career journey, skills, and goals. This isn't the same as reading your resume aloud—it's a cohesive explanation of who you are professionally and why you're interested in this specific opportunity. Many interviews begin with "Tell me about yourself," which is your invitation to share this narrative in a structured way.

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An effective professional narrative typically follows this structure: start with your current or most recent role and key responsibilities, briefly mention relevant previous experience, highlight skills or accomplishments that relate to the position you're interviewing for, and end with your interest in the opportunity. Keep this narrative to 2-3 minutes when spoken aloud. Write it out first so you can practice and refine it.

When including accomplishments, use specific numbers and results whenever possible. Instead of saying "I improved customer satisfaction," say "I increased customer satisfaction scores from 78% to 89% by implementing a new feedback system." Research from CareerBuilder indicates that 60% of hiring managers want to hear specific examples rather than general statements about abilities. These concrete details make your experience memorable and credible.

Address any potential concerns proactively if relevant. If you have gaps in employment, career changes, or moved between industries, briefly acknowledge this in your narrative and frame it positively. For example: "After five years in retail management, I transitioned to project management, which allowed me to apply my leadership skills in a different environment while pursuing my interest in technology." This approach shows self-awareness and prevents the interviewer from making negative assumptions.

Practice your narrative multiple times—to yourself, to friends or family, and ideally with someone who will give you honest feedback. Record yourself speaking it aloud to assess pacing, clarity, and tone. You should sound natural and conversational, not rehearsed or robotic.

Practical Takeaway: Write a 2-3 minute professional narrative, practice it daily for a week before your interview, and record yourself to listen for areas to improve. Aim for a balance between sounding prepared and sounding conversational.

Developing Answers to Common Interview Questions

Certain questions appear in nearly every interview, regardless of industry or position level. Preparing thoughtful responses to these questions significantly reduces anxiety and improves your ability to present yourself effectively. Common questions include "Tell me about yourself," "What are your strengths?" "What are your weaknesses?" "Why do you want to work here?" and "Tell me about a time you faced a challenge." According to Indeed's survey of hiring managers, these questions appear in approximately 95% of interviews.

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For the "strengths" question, identify 3-4 genuine strengths and prepare specific examples showing how you've used each one. Match your strengths to the job requirements when possible. If the job requires project management, you might discuss your ability to organize complex tasks with a concrete example of a project you managed successfully, including the outcome.

The "weaknesses" question requires honesty balanced with growth mindset. Choose a real area you've worked to improve, not a disguised strength like "I'm too perfectionist." For example: "I struggled with public speaking early in my career, so I joined a local Toastmasters group and have been practicing regularly. I'm much more confident presenting to groups now." This answer shows self-awareness, action-taking, and improvement.

Behavioral questions—those asking about specific past situations—require the STAR method: Situation, Task, Action, Result. Situation and Task briefly set the context. Action describes what you specifically did. Result explains the outcome, preferably with measurable results. Example: "Situation: Our team missed a project deadline. Task: As junior coordinator, I needed to find solutions. Action: I created a daily checklist and morning check-in meeting. Result: We completed the next three projects on time." This structure demonstrates your problem-solving approach and delivers clear information.

For "Why do you want to work here?" reference your research and connect it to your career goals. Show understanding of the company and how your skills match their needs. Avoid purely financial motivations. Instead, discuss interest in their products, culture, or mission.

Practical Takeaway: Write out answers to 10 common interview questions, practice saying them aloud several times, then have someone ask you these questions in random order to simulate the unpredictable nature of actual interviews.

Mastering Body Language and Communication Skills

Research from UCLA professor Albert Mehrabian indicates that in face-to-face communication, 55% of what people perceive comes from body language, 38% from tone of voice, and only 7% from actual words spoken. While these percentages vary by context, they highlight how significantly your non-verbal communication impacts interview success. Your body language, facial expressions, and tone communicate confidence, professionalism, and genuine interest before you speak a word.

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Professional body language in interviews includes maintaining good posture—sit