APPLYSTEAD GUIDES
Interview guides: questions, sample answers and preparation
Most interview questions are variations on a few themes: who you are, why this role, what you have done and how you work with people. These guides explain what interviewers are listening for and give sample answers you can adapt to your own experience.
Build your preparation in order: research the role, prepare a handful of true stories with the STAR method, rehearse the common questions, then plan your questions for the interviewer and your follow-up email.
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Interview preparation: a step-by-step plan you can actually rehearse
Interview preparation made practical: map the role to your evidence, research the employer, rehearse answers aloud and follow a day-before and day-of plan.
Common interview questions: 24 sample answers and what interviewers want
24 common interview questions, what each one is really testing and a short sample answer you can adapt, plus how to handle unexpected or improper questions.
How to answer “Tell me about yourself” in an interview (with examples)
A present–past–future structure for “Tell me about yourself,” how long to talk, and sample answers for graduates, career changers and experienced hires.
All 15 guides on interviews
Interview preparation: a step-by-step plan you can actually rehearse
Interview preparation made practical: map the role to your evidence, research the employer, rehearse answers aloud and follow a day-before and day-of plan.
Common interview questions: 24 sample answers and what interviewers want
24 common interview questions, what each one is really testing and a short sample answer you can adapt, plus how to handle unexpected or improper questions.
How to answer “Tell me about yourself” in an interview (with examples)
A present–past–future structure for “Tell me about yourself,” how long to talk, and sample answers for graduates, career changers and experienced hires.
What are your strengths and weaknesses? How to answer, with 12 examples
How to answer “What are your strengths and weaknesses?” with real, provable choices, a simple structure and 12 sample answers across jobs and career stages.
How to answer “Why do you want to work here?” (with sample answers)
Answer “Why do you want to work here?” with real employer research, a three-part structure and sample answers for healthcare, trades, tech, retail and more.
How to answer “Why should we hire you?” (with sample answers)
Answer “Why should we hire you?” with a requirement–evidence–value structure, a worked example from a job posting and sample answers for every career level.
Where do you see yourself in 5 years? How to answer (with examples)
How to answer “Where do you see yourself in 5 years?” with a realistic, skills-based plan, plus sample answers for new grads, career changers and the unsure.
Behavioral interview questions: 30 examples and how to answer them
30 common behavioral interview questions grouped by skill, what a strong answer shows, a story bank method and three worked sample answers to adapt.
The STAR interview method: how it works, with 6 worked examples
Learn the STAR interview method (situation, task, action, result) with six worked examples, a weak-versus-strong rewrite and a story bank you can reuse.
Questions to ask in an interview: 36 examples and when to use them
36 questions to ask in an interview, grouped by role, team, success, culture, growth and next steps, plus who to ask, what to avoid early and how many.
Phone interview tips: how to prepare for a recruiter screen
Phone interview tips for recruiter screens: setup, notes, common questions, salary and availability answers, sample opening and closing, and follow-up.
Video interview tips for live and one-way recorded interviews
Video interview tips for live calls and one-way recorded interviews: tech, lighting and audio checklist, eye contact, notes, timing and scripts for glitches.
What to wear to an interview: a practical guide for any job
What to wear to an interview by setting (office, trades, healthcare, retail, tech and video), plus grooming, comfort, religious attire and budget tips.
Interview follow-up email: status checks, offer deadlines and withdrawals
Interview follow-up email templates for after the decision date passes: status checks, promised materials, competing offer deadlines, withdrawing and silence.
Thank-you email after an interview: what to write, with samples
How to write a thank-you email after an interview: what to include, when to send it, subject lines, and samples for phone, video, panel and final rounds.
More guides by topic
Job search
Practical job search guides: where to find openings, how to apply online, how many jobs to apply for, networking, recruiters, internships and follow-up.
Resumes and cover letters
Resume and cover letter guides with examples: formats, summaries, skills, action verbs, ATS-friendly layouts, tailoring to a job and LinkedIn profiles.
Applicant tracking systems
How to apply through Workday, Greenhouse, Lever, iCIMS, Taleo, SmartRecruiters and Ashby: accounts, uploads, application questions and common errors.
Salary and job offers
Guides to salary expectations, negotiating pay, evaluating a job offer, accepting or declining it by email and asking for a raise, with scripts and templates.
Career advice
Career advice guides: choosing a career, setting career goals, changing careers, quitting a job professionally, resignation letters and life after a layoff.