Interview prep that works: STAR stories, your pitch, and the questions to ask

Build a STAR story bank

Most behavioral questions ('tell me about a time you…') are answered with the STAR method: Situation, Task, Action, Result. Prepare 4–6 stories from your real projects. The Action — what you personally did — should be the longest, most specific part; that's what interviewers are actually evaluating. End each with a concrete result, ideally a number.

Pull these from work you've actually done, so they hold up under follow-up questions.

Nail 'tell me about yourself'

Use Present → Past → Future: what you do now and a recent win, the relevant thread of how you got here, and why this role is the logical next step. Keep it to about 90 seconds (150–200 words). This is almost always the first question — a crisp answer sets the tone.

Answer the weakness question well

Pick a real, non-core weakness — never something the job lists as essential — and pair it with a concrete action you're taking to improve. Avoid character flaws (dishonesty, poor communication); those read as unfixable. 'I used to over-polish before shipping; now I timebox and ship a first version for feedback' works.

Always have questions to ask

Bring 4–5 questions across role, team, growth, and process. Not asking any reads as disengagement. Good ones: 'What does success look like in the first 90 days?', 'How does the team make decisions?', 'What are the next steps?'

Send a thank-you note within 24 hours

A short, specific thank-you email after the interview is a small but real edge — a meaningful share of employers view skipping it negatively, and most candidates don't send one. Reference something specific from the conversation.