Align your interview prep with your career goals – A simple guide
1) Start with your dream
Write your 1–2 year goal and the kind of work you want. List 3 target companies that fit that goal.
2) Learn the company
Check mission, values, products, and recent news.
Note 2–3 values they repeat (e.g., teamwork, customer focus, learning).
3) Find the overlap
“My goal is ___.”
“This company cares about ___.”
“The overlap is ___.” (This becomes your “Why us?” answer.)
4) Build your stories (use STAR)
Pick 3 moments that show:
Teamwork
Resilience
Learning & adapting
For each, write 4 lines: Situation, Task, Action, Result.
Add 1 line: “How this fits their value: ___.”
5) Prep core answers
“Tell me about yourself” → 60–90 seconds linked to the role and values.
“Why this company?” → Use your overlap notes.
“Biggest challenge?” → Show growth and what you learned.
6) Ask smart questions
“How does your team live [value] day to day?”
“What does success look like in 90 days?”
“Where can I learn and grow here?”
7) Practice fast
Record yourself once. Fix filler words and long sentences.
Do one mock with a friend or AI. Keep answers crisp.
8) Don’t do this
Don’t give generic answers you could say to any company.
Don’t list tasks—tell outcomes.
Don’t bad-mouth past teams.
9) Optional: use AI the right way
“Challenge my answer to ‘Why us?’—what’s missing?”
“Turn this story into clear STAR bullets.”
Bottom line: You’re not just trying to get a job—you’re joining a mission.