interview-preparation

# Interview Preparation

Turn experience into compelling interview performance.

## Interview Types

| Type | Focus | Preparation |
|------|-------|-------------|
| Behavioral | Past experiences, soft skills | Story bank, STAR method |
| Technical | Skills assessment, problem-solving | Practice problems, fundamentals |
| Portfolio/Case | Work samples, process | Presentation prep, talking points |
| Culture Fit | Values alignment, team dynamics | Company research, questions |
| Executive | Leadership, vision | Strategic narratives |

---

## Story Banking

### The STAR Method

```
Situation: Set the context (brief)
Task: Your specific responsibility
Action: What YOU did (detailed)
Result: Quantified outcome + learning
```

### The CAR Variant

```
Challenge: Problem faced
Action: Steps taken
Result: Outcome achieved
```

### Story Bank Template

Build 8-12 stories covering:

| Category | Example Prompts |
|----------|-----------------|
| Leadership | Led team, made tough call, influenced without authority |
| Conflict | Disagreement with colleague, difficult stakeholder |
| Failure | Mistake made, project that failed, lesson learned |
| Achievement | Proudest accomplishment, exceeded expectations |
| Initiative | Self-started project, identified opportunity |
| Collaboration | Cross-functional work, built relationships |
| Problem-solving | Ambiguous situation, creative solution |
| Growth | Learned new skill, received feedback, adapted |

### Story Format

```markdown
## [Story Title]

**Tags**: #leadership #conflict #technical

**STAR**:
- **Situation**: [2-3 sentences of context]
- **Task**: [Your specific role/responsibility]
- **Action**: [Detailed steps YOU took—use "I" not "we"]
- **Result**: [Quantified outcome + what you learned]

**Variations**: Can adapt for questions about [X], [Y], [Z]

**Duration**: ~2 minutes when told aloud
```

---

## Common Question Patterns

### Opening Questions

| Question | What They Want | Strategy |
|----------|----------------|----------|
| "Tell me about yourself" | Relevant narrative | Present → Past → Future (2 min) |
| "Walk me through your resume" | Career logic | Transitions + growth + why here |
| "Why this role/company?" | Genuine interest | Specific research + fit |

### Behavioral Questions

| Pattern | Example | Story Category |
|---------|---------|----------------|
| "Tell me about a time when..." | ...you led a team | Leadership |
| "Describe a situation where..." | ...you faced conflict | Conflict |
| "Give an example of..." | ...a difficult decision | Problem-solving |
| "What would you do if..." | ...deadline was impossible | Hypothetical (use real example) |

### Challenging Questions

| Question | Strategy |
|----------|----------|
| "What's your greatest weakness?" | Real weakness + mitigation steps |
| "Why did you leave X?" | Positive framing, growth focus |
| "Why the gap in employment?" | Honest + productive use of time |
| "Where do you see yourself in 5 years?" | Ambitious but realistic, aligned with role |

### Questions to Ask Them

**Role Understanding**:
- "What does success look like in the first 90 days?"
- "What are the biggest challenges facing the team?"
- "How is performance measured?"

**Team/Culture**:
- "Can you describe the team I'd be working with?"
- "What's the collaboration style here?"
- "How does the team handle disagreements?"

**Growth**:
- "What growth opportunities exist?"
- "How do people typically advance?"
- "What learning resources are available?"

**Closer**:
- "Is there anything about my background that gives you pause?"
- "What are the next steps in the process?"

---

## Technical Interview Prep

### Coding Interviews

```
1. Clarify the problem (ask questions)
2. Work through examples
3. Explain your approach before coding
4. Write clean code, talk through it
5. Test with edge cases
6. Analyze complexity (time/space)
```

### System Design

```
1. Clarify requirements (functional + non-functional)
2. Estimate scale (users, data, QPS)
3. High-level design (components, data flow)
4. Deep dive on key components
5. Address bottlenecks, trade-offs
6. Discuss monitoring, failure modes
```

### Technical Discussion

- Know your resume deeply—anything listed is fair game
- Prepare to explain past projects in detail
- Have opinions on tools/technologies (with reasoning)
- Admit what you don't know, show how you'd learn

---

## Portfolio Review Prep

### Presentation Structure

```
1. Brief intro (30 sec)
2. Project 1: Deep dive (5-7 min)
   - Context + challenge
   - Your role + process
   - Key decisions + rationale
   - Results + learnings
3. Project 2: Medium depth (3-5 min)
4. Project 3: Overview (2-3 min)
5. Q&A (remaining time)
```

### Talking Points Per Project

- Why you chose this project to show
- What made it challenging
- Decisions you made and why
- What you'd do differently
- How it relates to their needs

### Common Portfolio Questions

- "Walk me through your process"
- "What was the biggest challenge?"
- "How did you handle feedback/pushback?"
- "What would you do differently?"
- "How did you measure success?"

---

## Company Research

### Before the Interview

| Research | Where to Find |
|----------|---------------|
| Company mission/values | About page, annual report |
| Recent news | Google News, press releases |
| Products/services | Website, product pages |
| Competitors | Industry analysis |
| Interviewer background | LinkedIn |
| Glassdoor reviews | Interview questions, culture |
| Company challenges | News, earnings calls |

### Synthesis Questions

- How does this role contribute to their mission?
- What challenges might they be facing?
- Why might they be hiring for this role now?
- What unique value can I bring?

---

## Salary Negotiation

### Research Phase

- Levels.fyi, Glassdoor, Payscale for ranges
- Consider: location, company stage, your experience
- Know your minimum, target, and stretch numbers

### Negotiation Principles

1. **Don't give a number first** (if possible)
2. **Anchor high** (within reason)
3. **Negotiate the whole package** (base, equity, bonus, benefits, start date)
4. **Get it in writing**
5. **Be gracious** regardless of outcome

### Scripts

**When asked for expectations early**:
> "I'm focused on finding the right fit. I'm confident we can find something that works if we're aligned on the role. What's the range budgeted for this position?"

**Responding to an offer**:
> "Thank you, I'm excited about this opportunity. I'd like to take some time to review the full package. When do you need a response?"

**Counter-offering**:
> "I'm very excited about joining [Company]. Based on my research and the value I'll bring, I was hoping for [X]. Is there flexibility there?"

**If they can't move on salary**:
> "I understand the constraints. Are there other elements we could discuss—signing bonus, equity, PTO, start date, or title?"

---

## Day-of Checklist

### Before

- [ ] Review company research notes
- [ ] Review your story bank
- [ ] Prepare questions to ask
- [ ] Test tech setup (if virtual)
- [ ] Prepare materials (resume, portfolio, notes)
- [ ] Plan arrival (15 min early)
- [ ] Dress appropriately

### During

- [ ] Listen fully before answering
- [ ] Ask for clarification if needed
- [ ] Use specific examples
- [ ] Show enthusiasm
- [ ] Take notes
- [ ] Ask your prepared questions

### After

- [ ] Send thank-you within 24 hours
- [ ] Note what went well/poorly
- [ ] Follow up on timeline given

---

## References

- `references/story-bank-template.md` - Full story bank format
- `references/question-bank.md` - 100+ common questions
- `references/follow-up-templates.md` - Thank you and follow-up emails