How To Prepare For Any Interview – Career Coaching Tips

You can never be too prepared for an interview. The more groundwork you do, the more confident you feel — and the better your chances of getting the job. Whether you're a first-time job seeker or an experienced professional aiming for a competitive role, strong preparation gives you the edge.

As Seneca famously said: “Luck is where opportunity meets preparation.”

Once your interview is locked in, create a structured plan. Set aside time in your calendar, list your priorities, and complete anything you can well before the interview day. Based on our experience in career coaching and interview training, here is a proven, practical guide to help you stand out.

Do Your Homework

Solid research shows employers that you're motivated, enthusiastic, and serious about the role. It also helps you ask stronger questions and engage confidently during the interview.

Company Research

Dig into the organisation’s background and form a strong understanding of who they are and what they do. Focus on:

• What the company does: Products, services, customers, and industry focus.
• Who they are: History, size, leadership team, locations, culture, and whether they are part of a larger group.
• Who will be interviewing you: Look them up on LinkedIn or online to understand their roles, background, and possible common ground.
• Recent news: Announcements, achievements, or upcoming initiatives.
• Competitors: Understand the market landscape and how the company positions itself.

Role Research

Go through the job description closely and list out everything the employer is looking for. Then compare it against your experience, qualifications, and achievements.

Identify:

• The purpose of the role or project
• Any unfamiliar tools, systems, or methodologies
• Skills or experience you don’t fully meet
• Examples from your career where you’ve handled similar responsibilities

Prepare Excellent Answers

The best candidates are the ones who can clearly explain how their experience fits the employer’s needs. Instead of simply listing your tasks, focus on solving problems.

Every employer has a challenge they’re trying to fix by hiring someone. Shape your responses around that challenge.

The Most Powerful Interview Tool: The STAR Framework

Use STAR — Situation, Task, Action, Result — to create strong, structured examples for behavioural questions. These “war stories” should be short, specific, and no more than two minutes each.

Prepare 6–10 stories you can adapt for questions about:

• Teamwork
• Conflict resolution
• Time management
• Leadership
• Problem solving
• Achievements

Have Strong Questions Ready

Smart, thoughtful questions show that you’ve done your research and are genuinely interested in the role. Prepare a list, such as:

• “What does success look like in the first three months?”
• “What challenges would the right candidate need to solve straight away?”
• “How does the team measure performance?”
• “How would you describe the culture here?”

Asking good questions is one of the quickest ways to make a strong impression.

Prepare to Address Weaknesses

If you’ve been invited to an interview despite missing a mandatory requirement, that’s a positive sign. Employers often prioritise attitude, culture fit, and learning ability over checking every single box.

To handle gaps confidently:

• Prepare examples of how you quickly learned new systems or skills in past roles.
• Use the STAR framework to explain how you adapted to new challenges.
• Be honest, positive, and future-focused.

For education or certification gaps, explain your on-the-job experience and how the skills overlap or translate.

Brush Up on the Basics

The small details can cause the biggest headaches. Remove unnecessary stress by organising everything well ahead of time, including:

• Transport and parking
• Clothing (dry-cleaning or ironing)
• Haircuts or grooming
• Requesting time off work

The more you sort out early, the calmer and more focused you’ll be on the day.

Practise Positive Body Language

Non-verbal communication makes a huge difference in how an interviewer perceives you. Confident body language shows self-awareness, professionalism, and composure.

Focus on:

• Sitting upright, not slouching
• Maintaining eye contact
• Smiling naturally
• Controlled hand movements
• Leaning in slightly to show engagement

Consider practicing with a friend or career coach — an outside perspective helps you identify habits you don’t notice.

Interviewing is a skill — and like any skill, it improves with practice. The more structured your preparation, the more confident and articulate you become. After every interview, reflect on what went well, what didn’t, and what you’ll improve next time.

Great preparation gives you more headspace for the important things: delivering polished answers, asking standout questions, and demonstrating excellent body language.

If you want personalised support, mock interviews, or guided practice, our Interview Coaching Service can give you the clarity and confidence you need to impress hiring managers and secure the job you want.