When preparing for a job interview, it’s not just about having the right qualifications. To land the job, you need to demonstrate that you’re the right fit by communicating your skills and experiences effectively. In this blog, we’ll break down key steps you can take to prepare, including researching the company, practising common interview questions and using the STAR framework with real-life examples to impress your interviewers.
Let’s dive into a concrete strategy for getting ready and standing out in your next interview.
Research the Organisation: Know Who You’re Talking To
Research is one of the most overlooked aspects of interview preparation. The more you know about the company, the better you'll be able to tailor your responses and show genuine interest in the role. It’s also a chance to demonstrate that you understand their values, products and industry. Thorough research also sets you apart from the get-go as a candidate who has taken the time to fully understand the company, its values, mission, vision and the specific aspects of the role.
Step 1: Visit the Company Website
Read about the company’s mission, values and recent news. For instance, when preparing for an interview with a tech startup, one candidate learned about their recent expansion into AI technology. During the interview, she highlighted her passion for AI development, which showed her alignment with the company’s goals.
Step 2: Review Press Releases and News Articles.
For example, if you’re interviewing at a healthcare company that just launched a new health app, download the app, use it, review it and you can then confidently mention this in your interview:
_"I saw your company recently launched an app that helps patients monitor their health more easily. I’m excited about the opportunity to contribute to such meaningful innovations, especially given my background in health tech."
Step 3: Check LinkedIn for Key Insights.
Review the profiles of current employees, especially those in the department you’re applying to. This can give you insight into the team’s makeup and the company culture. For example, one candidate found that several employees had recently transitioned from other industries, so in her interview, she highlighted her adaptability to fit into the company’s dynamic team structure.
Doing this kind of research allows you to go beyond generic answers and show your knowledge of the company’s inner workings. Moreover, the research gives you a solid foundation to build your knowledge about the company and prepare well to answer questions effectively during the interview.
Prepare and Practice Common Interview Questions
While each interview is different, there are always a few common questions that tend to come up. Preparing your answers ahead of time ensures you won’t be caught off guard.
Question 1: “Tell me about yourself.”
Example Response: "I have over five years of experience as a marketing manager, where I’ve specialised in data-driven marketing strategies. In my most recent role, I led a campaign that increased website traffic by 30% in three months. I’m excited about the opportunity to bring my expertise in performance marketing to your team at [Company Name], especially with your focus on growth in digital spaces."
In this response, the candidate highlights specific accomplishments while linking their experience to the company’s needs.
Question 2: “Why do you want to work here?”
Example Response: "Your company’s mission to reduce environmental impact through sustainable practices really resonates with me. In my previous role at [Former Company], I implemented a recycling initiative that has reduced office waste by 40%. I’m eager to bring this same passion for sustainability to your team.”
Question 3: “What are your strengths and weaknesses?”
Example Response: "One of my strengths is my ability to communicate complex information clearly. As a data analyst, I’ve been able to simplify reports for non-technical stakeholders, which led to faster decision-making. However, I’ve been working on improving my delegation skills. In my last project, I practised delegating tasks more effectively and the team delivered the results ahead of schedule.”
Question 4: “Tell me about a time when you faced a challenge at work.”
(We’ll go into the STAR framework for this one below!)
By practising these types of questions, you ensure that you can articulate your experience in a clear and structured way. Don’t memorise, but rather prepare key points to hit during each answer.
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Mastering the STAR Framework
Behavioural questions, like “Tell me about a time when…” or “Give me an example of…”, are designed to assess how you’ve handled situations in the past. The STAR framework is an excellent tool for structuring your responses to these questions and ensuring that you cover all the key points.
Let’s break down the STAR framework with a real-life example.
The STAR Framework:
S – Situation: Describe the context.
T – Task: Explain your specific responsibility in the situation.
A – Action: Outline the steps you took to address the challenge.
R – Result: Highlight the outcome, ideally with measurable, quantifiable results.
Example Question: “Tell me about a time when you solved a problem under pressure.”
Sample STAR Response:
Situation: "In my previous role as a project manager, we were working on a client project with a very tight deadline. Three days before the due date, we discovered that a major piece of the deliverable was missing due to a miscommunication between teams."
Task: "As the project lead, it was my responsibility to ensure that the project was completed on time and met the client’s expectations, despite the sudden setback."
Action: "I immediately called an emergency meeting with the team to identify the gaps and reassigned tasks to cover the missing deliverable. I also communicated directly with the client to manage expectations, providing them with a realistic updated timeline and promising frequent progress updates."
Result: "Thanks to the team’s quick work and my ability to pivot under pressure, we delivered the project just one day late, with the client appreciating our transparency. They even signed a contract for a follow-up project, adding $50,000 in revenue for the company."
This STAR response gives a clear picture of how the candidate handled the challenge and showcases their ability to remain calm, organised and results-oriented in high-pressure situations.
Blending Storytelling with the STAR Framework
Now that you’ve structured your responses using the STAR framework, it’s time to make your answers more engaging by blending in storytelling elements. This will help you connect emotionally with the interviewer and make your responses memorable.
Tip 1: Add Personal Details.
When sharing your STAR story, don’t just focus on the facts—add in personal touches that humanise the story. For example, in the "solving a problem under pressure" example above, you could include:
"I remember feeling a moment of panic when I realised how little time we had left. But instead of dwelling on it, I quickly shifted into problem-solving mode and pulled the team together."_
Tip 2: Highlight Learning or Growth. Show how the experience helped you grow. You might say:
"This experience taught me the importance of early communication and how critical it is to have a backup plan in place for every project.”
Tip 3: Relate It Back to the Role You’re Applying For.
Tie the story back to the specific role. For instance, if you’re interviewing for a leadership position, emphasise how this experience developed your leadership skills:
"This project helped me hone my ability to lead a team under pressure, which I believe would be invaluable in managing the fast-paced projects at your company.”
This combination of STAR structure and storytelling helps make your answers more compelling and keeps the interviewer engaged.
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Crafting Your Own STAR Stories
It’s crucial to prepare a few STAR stories ahead of time that showcase different skills relevant to the job. Here’s how to get started.
Step 1: Identify Key Competencies.
Review the job description and pick out 3-5 key skills or competencies the employer is looking for, such as teamwork, leadership, problem-solving, or time management.
Step 2: Match Experiences to These Competencies.
Think of specific examples from your past experiences that demonstrate these skills. For instance, if you're applying for a customer service role, a story about how you successfully diffused a difficult client situation would be highly relevant.
Step 3: Apply the STAR Framework.Use the STAR method to structure each story. Here’s another example:
Question: “Tell me about a time when you had to lead a team.”
Sample STAR Response:
Situation: "In my last job, I was tasked with leading a cross-functional team to launch a new product. We had six weeks to go from concept to prototype."
Task: "My role was to ensure that the engineering, design and marketing teams collaborated effectively to meet the deadline."
Action: "I set up daily stand-up meetings to keep everyone aligned, created a shared project dashboard to track progress and encouraged open communication between teams to address issues as they arose."
Result: "The project was a success—we launched the product on time and within the first month, sales exceeded expectations by 15%."
This approach will ensure that you have strong, structured examples ready for different types of interview questions.
Mock Interview Practice
Once you’ve prepared your STAR stories and practised common questions, it’s time for mock interviews. This allows you to get comfortable with the interview format and receive feedback on your responses.
Step 1: Enlist a Friend or Colleague.
Find someone who can play the role of the interviewer and ask you behavioural and technical questions.
Step 2: Simulate the Real Interview Experience.
Dress as you would for the actual interview and practice in a setting similar to what you expect on the interview day (e.g., video call for virtual interviews). This can help reduce nerves on the big day.
Step 3: Record the Session.
Review your mock interview to identify areas where you can improve, such as body language, clarity of answers, or pacing.
By conducting mock interviews, you’ll be more prepared to handle unexpected questions and feel confident in your delivery.
Final Tips for a Successful Interview
As you prepare for your interview, keep these final tips in mind:
Be concise and focused. Keep your answers clear and to the point—around 1-2 minutes per response.
Quantify your achievements. Wherever possible, back up your accomplishments with data, such as “I increased customer satisfaction scores by 25%.”
Have multiple STAR stories ready. Prepare different stories that showcase a variety of skills and competencies.
Stay confident and be yourself. Authenticity is key. Show your personality and don’t be afraid to share challenges as long as you explain how you overcame them.
Conclusion
Preparing for an interview takes time, but by thoroughly researching the company, practising common questions, and using the STAR framework to tell compelling stories, you can confidently showcase your skills and experience. Take these concrete steps, and you’ll be well on your way to landing the job you’ve been aiming for. Moreover, boost your interview confidence by signing up to a communication coaching program. At Next Dimension Story, you can book a 1 hour or 2-hour communication coaching session with our Chief Storytelling Coach, George Eapen, who has over 20+ years of communications experience. Get maximum training in a comfortable environment via online coaching sessions and see your confidence and communication effectiveness rise as you get ready to ace the interview and boost your chances of landing your dream job!
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