During the Interview

All That Prep, Now What?

In the previous lesson, we explored interview preparation. Now let’s build on that foundation. You’ve researched the company. You’ve prepared your stories. You know your talking points.

Now you’re sitting in the interview, and all that preparation needs to translate into conversation.

This lesson is about what happens in the room.

The First 5 Minutes

First impressions form fast. Set the tone early.

For virtual interviews:

Camera on, at eye level
Good lighting on your face
Clean background (not distracting)
Test audio before they join
Look at the camera, not the screen

For in-person:

Arrive 10 minutes early
Be kind to everyone (receptionists matter)
Firm handshake, eye contact
Mirror their energy level

Opening small talk: Keep it brief and genuine. They’re busy too.

Managing Nerves

Everyone gets nervous. The goal isn’t to eliminate nerves—it’s to manage them.

Before you go in:

Take slow, deep breaths (4 counts in, 4 out)
Do a quick power pose (sounds silly, but works)
Review your stories one last time
Remind yourself: they want you to succeed

During:

It’s okay to pause before answering
Slow down—nervous people speed up
If you lose your train of thought, take a breath and restart

Reframe the situation: This isn’t an interrogation. It’s a conversation about whether you’d work well together. They’re evaluating you AND you’re evaluating them.

Answering Questions You Didn’t Prepare

It happens. Here’s how to handle it:

Step 1: Buy time appropriately

“That’s a great question, let me think for a moment.”
“I want to give you a thoughtful answer…”
Pause. Silence is okay. Rambling is worse.

Step 2: Structure on the fly Even without preparation, structure helps:

“There are probably two aspects to this…”
“Let me share an example of how I’ve approached similar situations…”
“The way I think about this is…”

Step 3: Give your best answer, then check

Answer, then ask: “Does that address what you were asking?”
Opens the door for them to redirect if needed

Handling Difficult Questions

“Tell me about a time you failed”

Pick a real failure (not a humble brag)
Focus on what you learned
Show you’ve applied that learning since

“Why did you leave your last job?”

Be honest without badmouthing
Focus on what you’re moving toward, not away from
Keep it brief—don’t over-explain

“What are your salary expectations?”

Research market rates first
Give a range based on that research
Deflect if possible: “I’m flexible depending on the full package. What’s the range for this role?”

“Why should we hire you over other candidates?”

Connect your specific experience to their specific needs
Be confident without arrogant
“Based on what you’ve described, my experience in [X] would help because [Y]”

Reading the Room

Pay attention to signals:

Quick check: Before moving on, can you recall the key concept we just covered? Try to explain it in your own words before continuing.

Positive signs:

They lean in, nod, engage
They talk about next steps
They sell you on the role/company
They go over time

Neutral/concerning signs:

They seem rushed or distracted
Questions feel scripted and impersonal
They don’t ask follow-ups
They stick rigidly to time

Adjust based on signals:

If they engage, expand your answers
If they seem rushed, tighten up
If they’re stone-faced, don’t panic—some interviewers are just like that

Your Questions to Ask

Never say “I think you covered everything.” Always have questions.

Questions that show research:

“I read about [specific initiative]. How does this role fit into that?”
“I noticed [trend in the industry]. How is the company thinking about that?”

Questions that gather useful info:

“What does success look like in this role in the first 6 months?”
“What’s the biggest challenge the team is facing right now?”
“What happened to the previous person in this role?”

Questions that reveal culture:

“How would you describe the team’s working style?”
“What do people who struggle in this role typically struggle with?”
“What keeps you here?”

Questions to avoid:

Things easily answered on their website
Salary/benefits in first rounds (save for later)
Anything negative about the company

The Close

End strong:

Express interest clearly: “Thanks for your time today. This conversation confirmed my interest in the role. I’m particularly excited about [specific thing].”

Understand next steps: “What does the rest of the process look like? What are the next steps?”

Leave gracefully:

Thank everyone by name if you can
If virtual, don’t rush to end the call
If in-person, firm handshake, eye contact again

After the Interview

Within 24 hours: Send a thank-you note to each interviewer (if you have their email).

AI: "Help me write a thank-you email for my interview.

Interviewer: [Name]
Role: [Title]
Something specific we discussed: [Topic]
Something I want to reinforce: [Point about my fit]

Keep it short—3-4 sentences."

For yourself:

Write down what went well
Note what you’d improve
Record any questions they asked you haven’t seen before

Exercise: Prep Your Contingencies

Think through these scenarios:

They ask about a gap in your resume. How do you address it honestly without over-explaining?
You’re asked about a skill in the job description you don’t fully have. How do you respond?
The interviewer seems unengaged. What do you do?

Write brief notes on how you’d handle each.

Key Takeaways

First impressions matter—arrive prepared, test tech, be present
Nerves are normal; manage them with breathing and reframing
It’s okay to pause when surprised—structure your response, then answer
Read signals and adjust—engage deeply when they do, tighten up when they’re rushed
Always have thoughtful questions that show research and gather useful info
Close strong, send thank-you notes, debrief with yourself

Next: Negotiating offers and making decisions.

Up next: In the next lesson, we’ll dive into Negotiation and Decision.