Interview Prep Tips - How to SMASH Any Interview

Interview Preparation Guide

This guide is designed to help you prepare for your upcoming interview by covering some of the most commonly asked questions and offering practical tips on how to respond effectively.

Note: This advice is based on years of experience supporting successful candidates, but interview styles and processes can vary. Use this guide to help you feel more prepared—but always tailor your responses to the specific role and interviewer.

Most importantly: Never lie in an interview. Always be honest.

Interview Mindset

When going into an interview, your goal should be clear: to secure the job or the next stage in the process. While it’s important to assess whether the role is right for you, you’ll be in a stronger position to do that once you’ve received an offer.

Key Interview Questions and How to Tackle Them

1. What do you know about the company?
Split your answer into two parts:

• Part A: Share factual information—what they do, industries they work in, any recent projects or news that stood out.

• Part B: Show personal interest—highlight something that genuinely excites you about the business. This extra touch helps you stand out.

2. What do you know about the role?
Again, approach in two parts:

• Part A: Describe the role and responsibilities in your own words.

• Part B: Explain what excites you about it, linking your experience or interests to the position.

3. What excites you about this opportunity?
Focus mostly on the role (around 70–80%) and a bit on the company (20–30%). It's fine to repeat points made earlier but go into more detail here.

4. What are you looking for next?
Avoid naming the company directly. Instead, describe the type of role you're after—one that aligns naturally with the opportunity on offer, showing you're a great fit without sounding overly rehearsed.

5. Where do you see yourself in 2–5 years?
Talk about development, learning, and gaining more responsibility—rather than specific job titles. Emphasise commitment and growth, while keeping ambition realistic.

6. Tell us about your experience (and why you’re leaving your current role).
Be detailed and relevant. Focus on what’s most applicable to the role. When explaining why you're looking to move, be professional and positive—never speak negatively about a past employer.

7. Competency-Based Questions
These may or may not come up, but it's wise to be ready. Prepare examples that demonstrate key skills using the STAR method:

• Situation – What was the context?

• Task – What needed to be done?

• Action – What did you do?

• Result – What was the outcome?

(See the bottom of this post for a full list of example competency questions.)

8. Hobbies and Interests
Keep it honest. They just want to get to know you.

9. Strengths and Weaknesses
Share 3–5 strengths with examples. For weaknesses, pick one and explain how you manage or overcome it.

10. Salary Expectations
If asked, a good response is:

“My current salary is £X. I’m looking for a slight improvement, but my main focus is on finding the right role and team.”

11. Questions for the Interviewer
Avoid focusing on salary or holiday allowance. Instead, ask about the team, company culture, progression opportunities, or long-term goals. Think about what matters to you and build questions around that.

12. At the End of the Interview
Shake hands, thank the interviewer, and express your enthusiasm for the role. Let them know you’re excited about the opportunity and look forward to hearing from them.

Common Competency-Based Questions

Here are 10 popular examples of competency-based questions to help you prepare:

1. Tell me about a time you worked under pressure to meet a deadline.

2. Describe a situation where you resolved a team conflict.

3. How did you adapt to a major change at work?

4. Give an example of when you led a project—what was the result?

5. How did you handle a difficult customer situation?

6. Tell me about a time you had to manage competing deadlines.

7. What’s a challenge you faced, and how did you overcome it?

8. Share an example where you used problem-solving skills.

9. Describe how you communicated with stakeholders at different levels.

10. When have you used creative thinking to improve a process?

Structure your responses using the STAR method to clearly communicate your experience and results.

This preparation will give you the edge in your next interview. If you’re working with us, we’ll also run through everything during your prep call.

Good luck—you’ve got this.