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Interview Preparation

Interview preparation

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Information Note-Taking 🌲 Evergreen Guide

Interview Preparation Guide


Thorough research before an interview is paramount, demonstrating genuine interest and providing you with the knowledge to articulate your fit for the role and the company.


Here's a summary of what to focus on for each area:


I. Company Research


  • Mission, Vision, and Values: Start with the "About Us" or "Mission" sections of their website. Understand what drives the company, its core beliefs, and its long-term aspirations. This helps you align your own values and show how you can contribute to their overarching goals.
  • Products/Services: Deeply understand what the company sells or offers.
    • Features & Benefits: Go beyond a surface-level understanding. What problems do their products/services solve? Who are their target customers? How do they differentiate themselves from competitors?
    • Recent Developments: Look for recent product launches, updates, or strategic shifts. Are there any new initiatives they're excited about?
    • User Experience (if applicable): If it's a consumer product, try using it. Read user reviews to understand common pain points and praises. This shows initiative and a practical understanding.
  • Industry & Competitors:
    • Market Position: Where does the company stand within its industry? Are they a leader, a disruptor, or a niche player?
    • Key Competitors: Identify their main rivals. How does the company differentiate itself from them? What are the strengths and weaknesses of each?
    • Industry Trends: What are the current and emerging trends in their industry? (e.g., technological advancements, regulatory changes, market shifts). This demonstrates a broader understanding of the business landscape.
  • Financial Health (for public companies): Look at investor relations sections for annual reports, earnings calls, and financial news. Understanding their financial performance shows a mature understanding of their business. For startups, check Crunchbase for funding rounds.
  • Recent News & Press Releases: Google the company name and check the "News" tab. Look for recent acquisitions, partnerships, major announcements, awards, or challenges. This provides current talking points and shows you're up-to-date.
  • Company Culture:
    • Official Channels: Review their "Careers" page, blog, and social media. Look for how they describe their work environment, employee benefits, and team activities.
    • Employee Reviews: Websites like Glassdoor and Indeed can offer insights into the employee experience, work-life balance, management styles, and overall culture. While some reviews can be overly negative or positive, look for recurring themes.
  • Social Media Presence: Explore their LinkedIn, Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram. How do they communicate their brand? What kind of content do they share? This gives you a feel for their public persona and how they engage with their audience.

II. Product Research


This is often intertwined with company research but deserves a dedicated focus. For a product-focused role, understanding the product is paramount.

  • User Journey: Understand how users interact with the product from start to finish. What are the key features? What problems do they solve for the user?
  • Product Roadmap (if public-facing): Sometimes companies share their future plans or upcoming features. This shows foresight and alignment.
  • Technology Stack (for technical roles): If relevant, understand the technologies used in their products.
  • Customer Feedback: Look for testimonials, case studies, or online reviews of their products. This provides insight into customer satisfaction and areas for improvement.

III. Team Research (and Interviewers)


  • LinkedIn Profiles:
    • Your Interviewers: If you know who you'll be interviewing with, look up their LinkedIn profiles. Note their career paths, experience, skills, and any shared connections or interests. This can help you personalize your conversation and ask relevant questions.
    • Team Members in Similar Roles: Look for other employees in similar roles within the company. What are their backgrounds and skills? This helps you understand the typical profile of someone successful in that team.
  • Company Organization: Try to understand the team's structure within the larger company. Who do they report to? How do they collaborate with other departments?
  • Recent Team Projects/Achievements: If the company shares team successes on their blog or social media, take note. This gives you a sense of their recent focus and accomplishments.

IV. Leveraging AI for Research


AI tools can significantly streamline this process:

  • Information Synthesis: Use AI (like Google Gemini, ChatGPT, DeepSeek, or similar) to quickly summarize key points from company websites, news articles, and financial reports. You can paste a link or a block of text and ask for a summary of their mission, recent news, or product features.
  • Keyword Extraction: Input the job description and company information into an AI. Ask it to extract key skills, values, and themes that you should focus on.
  • Generating Interview Questions: Provide the AI with the job description and your resume. Ask it to generate potential interview questions that align your experience with the company's needs. You can also ask for questions to ask the interviewer based on your research.
  • Content Alignment: Use AI to help you phrase how your past projects and skills align with the company's products and the job description. For example, "How can I phrase my experience in X to show it's relevant to Y product feature?"
  • Mock Interview Practice: Many AI tools offer mock interview simulations where you can practice answering questions and receive real-time feedback on your responses, pacing, and use of filler words. (Examples include Himalayas Plus, Rezi.ai, Interviewsby.ai, Yoodli, Huru, Final Round AI).

Crucial Note on AI:

While AI is a powerful tool for gathering and synthesizing information, it should not replace your critical thinking. Always verify information, and use AI to augment your understanding, not to generate responses you don't genuinely comprehend or believe. The goal is to internalize the information so you can speak about it authentically and knowledgeably.

V. Interview Conduct: The Art of Assertive Interruption


  • After meticulously preparing, your delivery in the interview becomes critical. Most managers may not dedicate extensive thought to your preparation; they often think only an inch ahead. However, some managers genuinely appreciate a candidate who shows exceptional initiative.


  • During the interview, it is not only acceptable but highly encouraged to interrupt the manager at every chance you get. This is not rude; rather, it demonstrates your preparedness, enthusiasm, and direct alignment with their needs. You should use these interruptions to immediately interject with details about your research into their company, products, and team. Furthermore, seize every opportunity to connect your past projects and experiences directly to the job description and the company's offerings.
  • Keep interrupting and share as much as possible about your research and relevant work. The rationale is that many managers can be "incompetent fools" who might otherwise overlook a highly capable candidate if you don't actively force them to acknowledge your value. By being assertively vocal and showcasing your depth of preparation and relevant accomplishments, you make it difficult for them to ignore your potential.


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