Interview
Interview preparation that works
Six prepared stories, a clear salary number, and three sharp questions of your own will carry you through most interview loops.
7 min read · Updated September 2026
Key takeaways
- Prepare six stories, not fifty answers.
- Structure each story as situation, action, result - with a number.
- Know your salary range before the first call.
- Follow up once within 24 hours, then once a week later.
Six stories cover almost every question
Behavioural interviews recycle a small set of themes. Prepare one strong story for each and you can reshape them live rather than inventing under pressure.
- A result you are proud of, with numbers.
- A failure and what you changed afterwards.
- A conflict with a colleague or stakeholder.
- A time you led without formal authority.
- A decision made with incomplete information.
- Something you learned quickly under pressure.
Say the result out loud
Candidates routinely describe the situation and the work, then stop before the outcome. Interviewers are scoring impact. End every story with what changed: a percentage, a timeline, revenue, retention, a decision that stuck.
Handle the salary question early and calmly
Research the range for the role, level, and city before your first conversation, and decide on a number you would accept and a number you are aiming for. When asked, give a range with a reason attached to scope rather than personal need.
Ask three questions that only you would ask
Good questions signal seniority. Ask what would make the first ninety days a success, how the team decides priorities when they conflict, and what the interviewer wishes they had known before joining.
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