Before a job interview, many people spend most of their time thinking about what to wear and how to come across. What usually makes the difference is something else: whether you can answer the questions with concrete examples from things you've actually done.
That comes down to how employers choose. A large 2022 review of research on hiring found that structured interviews, where every candidate gets the same prepared questions and is assessed the same way, were the single best predictor of how someone would later perform on the job. The questions are often of the "tell me about a time when…" kind, and you can prepare for them.
Pick your approach based on how close the interview is:
- Five stories if you have a few days.
- Practice out loud if you know what you want to say but not how to say it.
- Prepare your questions if you tend to go blank at the end.
- Record yourself if you want to take it further.
A first step today: write down a time you solved a problem at work or school: what happened, what you did, and how it turned out.
Before a job interview, many people spend most of their time thinking about their clothes, their handshake and how they'll come across. Those things matter, but what usually makes the difference is whether you can answer the questions with concrete examples from things you've actually done. This article explains why, shows you how to prepare answers like that and gives you four ways to practice.
Why everyone gets the same questions
Employers want to predict how you'll work, and they have plenty of ways to try: interviews, tests, work samples, references. In 2022, Sackett and colleagues reviewed the research on how well these different methods work. Along the way, they corrected a statistical adjustment that had made many of them look better than they really were. After the correction, structured interviews came out on top.
A structured interview is one where every candidate gets the same prepared questions in the same order, and the answers are scored using the same template. The opposite is the free-flowing conversation, where the interviewer improvises and goes on gut feeling. That's why many employers use questions decided in advance, which means you can often guess what they'll be.
- Free-flowing conversation The interviewer improvises. A gut feeling about the person counts for a lot.
- Structured interview The same questions for everyone, scored using the same template.
The structured interview was best at predicting how things went on the job afterward.
The review also shows that no method is especially reliable. Even the best ones predict only part of how someone will do on the job. So a rejection says less about you than it feels like it does.
Answer with an event, not a trait
Many interview questions are about what you've done: "Tell me about a time when you had too much on your plate," "when you disagreed with a coworker," "when something went wrong." The idea is that what you've done before says something about what you'll do in the future.
The common mistake is answering with a trait: "I'm very organized." That gives the interviewer nothing to assess. A better answer tells about an event, in four steps:
- The situation Where you were and what was at stake.
- The task What needed to be done, and why it was your responsibility.
- What you did Concretely, in the first person, step by step.
- The result How it turned out, and what you learned.
An answer like this takes about two minutes. It sounds simple, but when you're nervous, it's hard to come up with a good example on the spot. That's why your examples should be prepared ahead of time.
Four ways to prepare
Five stories. For you if you have a few days. Read the job posting and pick out what they seem to care about most. Then write down five events from your life that show it: a problem you solved, a conflict, a mistake, something you drove on your own, a time you had too much on your plate. The same event can often answer several questions. First step: write your first event today, using the four steps.
Practice out loud. For you if you know what you want to say but not how to say it. What sounds good in your head often turns out too long or muddled when you say it out loud. Ask someone to ask you the questions and answer out loud, or say your answers to yourself. First step: say one of your stories out loud and time it.
Prepare your questions. For you if you tend to go blank when the interviewer asks whether you have any questions. Two or three questions show that you've thought about the job: what a typical week looks like, what's hardest about the role, what would mean you'd succeeded after six months. First step: write three questions for your next interview.
Record yourself. For you if you want to take it further. This is the most demanding approach, because watching yourself is uncomfortable. Record yourself answering five common questions and watch it. You'll see whether you talk too long, dodge the question or forget the result. First step: record one answer today and listen to it.
How to plan your search leading up to the interview is covered in job hunting, and when salary comes up, negotiating your salary can help.
When nerves take over
Being nervous before an interview is normal, and interviewers expect it. It helps to be well prepared, to arrive with plenty of time to spare and to take a few calm breaths before you go in. If your mind goes completely blank on a question, it's fine to say, "Can I take a second to think?" A brief moment of silence matters little next to a well-thought-out answer.
A first step today: write down a time you solved a problem at work or school: what happened, what you did, and how it turned out.
This is the understanding and a first step. Atlas is where it becomes a habit. Under Work & career you'll find Today's three, where you write down your three most important tasks for the day before you open your email. If you add Study & career as a separate area, you'll find Plan the session, where you decide what you'll get done before you start. You log each bit of preparation and see, week by week, that it's actually happening. Try Atlas free for 7 days, and cancel whenever you want.