You have an interview coming up and you’re overwhelmed. You know you need to prepare, but don’t know where to start. Stay tuned, I’m going to teach you how to jumpstart your interview prep.

Sometimes, even when we’re given fair warning about an upcoming interview and have plenty of time to prepare the best we can, we don’t. It could be because we’re lazy pants, it could be because we’re overwhelmed, and intimidated. Whatever the reason may be doesn’t really matter, but it results in the same outcome: procrastination.

Dun dun dun!!!

The big p-word.

Today I’m giving you 5 steps to take that will conquer procrastination.  It’ll serve as the launching pad for your interview prep. It’s a good start and will allow you to create the momentum you need to dive deeper when getting yourself in tiptop shape for that big interview. 

This lesson is part 1 of a multipart series focusing on interview Prep miniseries.

Ready to explearn? Let’s jump right in.

Step 1: Figure out the company’s mission

You can find this on their website. Sometimes, there’s a separate tab for the mission. You can look at the about page for information about the company. Otherwise, it’ll be in the message of the founder, CEO, president, the head honcho. Occasionally, the mission is obvious, other times you’ll have to deduce from the message of the founder. 

Why this is important:

It reveals more about the company’s ethos and culture, which will serve you well when asked about what you know already about the company / startup

It also gives you a glimpse into their corporate culture and allows you to decide if you really want to work there

Step 2: Figure out the company’s product 

Ask where there is a demo you can try. This will help familiarize yourself with their products. Be sure to read the testimonials of clients and employees to better grasp the cultural ethos at this company. You need to educate yourself on what they’re selling, what the heart of their business is. In some cases, this is a product, in other cases it is a service. Some companies offer both products and services. Research what they do and educate yourself by not only reading about it, but trying it out yourself

Step 3: Find competitors in the space

Who are they competing against? Do your market research! Is there a huge opportunity in the space or is the market already quite saturated? Figure out what these guys do differently – what’s their secret sauce? One thing you should know and speak about in the interview is how they differentiate themselves.

To find out, run a simple google search by typing “company X” versus the competitor to do some more product and industry research. Take notes on what you’ve learned and also come up with some of your own ideas. This way, in the interview you’ll be able to speak about:

What they need to work on 

How they can further differentiate themselves

Any other brilliant ideas you have, Explearners!

Step 4: Figure out your narrative 

Where do I fit in? That’s what you need to ask yourself. You now understand the mission and vision and the product now figure out, where is my story in all of this? To do this you first start with the simple question of “where do I fit in?” To answer this question you think about the value you can add to make their company better. Type out a little narrative in bullets.

Don’t go too crazy with this, think of it as a brainstorm session. I love brainstorming, and it is similar to what I love about a deep conversation. You have Unfettered access to all of your creativity: no idea is too big, no dream is too crazy. And brainstorming allows you to embrace and express that

Step 5: Begin shaping answers

The last step is to start shaping your answers. Now, I don’t want you to feel intimidated by this. Remember, we’re not going nuts with this prep and we’ve broken down the process into 5 manageable steps … launching pad of sorts to get you started. Have a look at the generic interview questions. You can run a simple google search on most common interview questions to guide you.

As you peruse the questions ask yourself this: 

“based on my story and their product, how do I shape my answers to these questions?”

This is key because now you’re thinking more specifically about your narrative and the value you can add to their company, products, and services.

Take a few notes on how you would answer, preferably make some bullet points. My advice is to avoid scripting out answers, because that becomes an impediment and you fall into the trap of trying to memorize those answers…which we don’t do.

But do start thinking about shaping answers by shedding light upon 2 things (1) what you’ve learned about the company, product, and services and (2) your story, your narrative, your value

Let’s recap:

The problem that we’re trying to solve is overcoming inertia regarding the interview prep process. 

Fear of the interview leads to procrastination, which ultimately prevents you from doing the best you can.

We’ve found a solution to the problem by taking 5 small steps, to build momentum and get started. When you’re scared or intimated by a speech event (such as an interview), the best thing to do is to take action. 

Doing these 5 things will get you in great fighting shape for the next part of the interview prep lessons.

Our way of taking action is what we discussed in this video: the 5 steps to take to fight procrastination and get the ball rolling on your interview prep. 

Make sure to keep an eye out for our next video. There we’ll be discussing the specifics related to preparing for your interview so that come game day, you’ll be readier than ever. 

And you’ll have fewer reasons to feel scared, intimidated or nervous because you’ve prepared in an effective and smart way. 

Be sure to start with part 1 that we outlined today, and you’ll be in good shape for part 2.

See you in my next lesson! 😊

Happy Explearning 🐝

About the Author and the Explearning Academy:

Mary Daphne is an expert in communication, executive interpersonal skills, and personal development. She is the founder of the Explearning Academy, a platform dedicated to helping individuals enhance their social fluency, boost their careers, and elevate their social game. Through immersive group coaching programs like the Executive Communication Lab and self-guided journeys, participants gain the social superpowers and career catapults they've been searching for. If you're ready to take your negotiation skills to the next level and connect with like-minded individuals, visit academy.explearning.co and explore the various plans available. Join the Explearning Academy community and unlock your full potential.

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