Any role: the interview basics

Build your story bank

• Write down six to eight things you did that went well, one that went badly, and one disagreement you handled.
• For each: the situation in one line, what you did (say 'I', not 'we'), and what changed because of it. Numbers help only if they're true and you can explain them.
• Most behavioral questions ('tell me about a time…') can be answered from these stories. Practise telling each one in under two minutes.
• Every line on the resume you send is fair game. If you can't talk about a line for two minutes, cut it.

Research the employer

• Read the posting twice: once for what the job is, once for the words they repeat. Those are the topics.
• Read the company's own careers pages, recent news and, if public, its latest annual report or earnings call.
• Check its ResumePilot record: how long its postings stay open, whether it reposts, and what applicants report about rounds and replies.
• Find out who you're meeting and what they do. A recruiter, a hiring manager and a peer each want different things.

In the room (or on the call)

• Answer the question asked, then stop. Offer more detail rather than guessing what they want.
• When you don't know, say so and say how you'd find out. That's an answer interviewers respect.
• Take notes. Ask for a moment to think. Both look like seriousness, not weakness.
• For video calls: test the link, camera and sound beforehand, and have the posting and your resume open.

Questions to ask them

• What does success look like in this role after six months?
• What's the hardest part of the job that isn't in the posting?
• How did the last person in the role move on, or is it new?
• What are the next steps, and when should I expect to hear back?

Pay and offers

• Know your number before the first call: the pay you'd accept, and the pay you'd be glad to get.
• Many US states and cities require pay ranges in postings. Use the posted range as your anchor.
• Ask for an offer in writing, and take a day to read it. Asking for time is normal.
• Negotiate on the whole package: base pay, bonus, start date, remote days, title, and training budget.

Watch for warning signs

• Being asked to pay for training, equipment or a background check.
• Interviews only over text chat, or an offer with no interview at all.
• Take-home work that looks like their real business problem, with no limit on hours. Agree a time limit first.
• Several rounds, then silence. It happens; it isn't about you. Report it on 'Did they reply?' so others know.