How to Prepare for an Interview

Getting into the next phase of the application process is exciting, but interviews can feel stressful, especially your first one. The good news is that interviewing is a skill that improves with practice, and preparation can help you feel more confident and make a positive first impression too.

Interview preparation matters because it helps you understand the opportunity, communicate your strengths, answer questions clearly, and show genuine interest. It also helps you feel more confident and less nervous on interview day.

Let us start by exploring: what is an interview?

Basically, it is a conversation where an employer, university admissions officer, or organization learns more about you.

It is also your opportunity to learn about them and decide whether the opportunity is a good fit for you.

Here are some steps you should do before an interview.

First, research before the interview.

Before it, learn about the organization or company.

Learn about its mission and values.

Understand the role or opportunity.

Know the skills they are looking for.

Look at recent projects or achievements, if available.

This will give you a visualization of the work and environment of the place you are applying to.

Additionally, it shows genuine interest and helps you answer questions more effectively.

For the questions, here are the most common interview questions.

Tell me about yourself.

Why do you want this opportunity?

What are your strengths?

What is a challenge you have faced?

Why should we choose you?

Do you have any questions for us?

You should prepare for the answers without memorizing them word for word.

Remember that being genuine matters more than perfect answers.

Use the STAR method.

Situation means briefly explaining the context.

Task means describing your responsibility or challenge.

Action means explaining what you did.

Result means sharing what happened or what you learned.

So if you are asked to speak about a hardship you faced in work before, you can speak about a challenge like meeting a certain deadline that included a lot of work.

Then, explain what your task was, what you did to meet the deadline, and at the end, include the result of what happened.

Perhaps the result was learning resilience, teamwork, or better time management.

Another aspect is that, as humans, we understand each other beyond words.

We also look at body language.

You guessed it! Body language and communication.

You should always try to maintain appropriate eye contact.

Smile naturally.

Sit or stand confidently.

Speak clearly.

Listen carefully.

Avoid interrupting.

Show enthusiasm without exaggerating.

But how can you build confidence?

You should start by practicing with a friend or a family member.

Doing mock interviews can also help.

Reviewing your achievements can remind you of your strengths.

Remember that you do not have to be perfect.

Confidence comes from preparation, not pretending to know everything.

But is it only you being asked?

Nope, you can ask the interviewer too.

Some examples of questions you can ask the interviewer would be: what does success look like in this role?

What qualities are you looking for?

What opportunities are available for learning and growth?

What are the next steps in the selection process?

For our usual reflection, ask yourself these questions.

What are my strongest qualities?

Which interview question do I find most difficult?

What example could I use with the STAR method?

What can I learn more about before my next interview?

How can I practice before interview day?

By now, we have learned that interviews are conversations, not interrogations.

You should prepare, research, and practice beforehand.

The STAR method helps you give clear, organized answers.

Last but not least, every interview is an opportunity to learn and improve, regardless of the outcome.

Good luck with your next interview!

1. 1Research the organization, company, university, or opportunity before the interview.
2. 2Learn about its mission, values, role, and skills required.
3. 3Prepare answers for common interview questions.
4. 4Practice your answers without memorizing them word for word.
5. 5Use the STAR method for questions about challenges or experiences.
6. 6Practice with a friend, family member, or mock interview.
7. 7Review your achievements before the interview.
8. 8Prepare a few questions to ask the interviewer.
9. 9Use respectful body language and listen carefully.
10. 10Remember that interviews are conversations, not interrogations.

• Arriving late.
• Not researching the organization.
• Speaking negatively about previous schools, employers, or organizations.
• Giving very short or very long answers.
• Interrupting the interviewer.
• Forgetting to ask questions.
• Appearing unprepared.
• Memorizing answers so much that they sound unnatural.
• Pretending to know everything instead of being honest.

• An interview is a conversation where an employer, admissions officer, or organization learns more about you.
• An interview is also your chance to learn whether the opportunity is a good fit for you.
• Researching the organization before the interview shows genuine interest.
• Common interview questions include strengths, challenges, motivation, and why you should be chosen.
• You should prepare answers without memorizing them word for word.
• The STAR method means Situation, Task, Action, and Result.
• Body language matters because communication is not only about words.
• Confidence comes from preparation, not pretending to know everything.
• You can ask the interviewer thoughtful questions too.
• Every interview is an opportunity to learn and improve, regardless of the outcome.