Interview Preparation Tips: Set Yourself Up for Success

Great Interviews Start with Great Preparation

The best interviewers don't wing it—they prepare thoughtfully and systematically. This guide shares proven strategies for research, question crafting, and pre-interview preparation that help you conduct memorable, engaging conversations.

The Preparation Mindset

Bad preparation: Googling your guest 10 minutes before recording
Good preparation: Spending focused time understanding their story and crafting thoughtful questions
Great preparation: Structured research that informs without overwhelming, questions that guide without constraining

Let's dive into how to achieve great preparation every time.

Research Workflow

Phase 1: Discovery (30-45 minutes)

Goal: Understand who your guest is and what makes them interesting.

Sources to explore:

🌐 Their Digital Presence

  • Personal website or blog
  • LinkedIn profile
  • Twitter/X (recent tweets, not just bio)
  • GitHub (if technical)
  • YouTube channel or talks
  • Podcast appearances

📝 Their Content

  • Recent blog posts (last 6 months)
  • Conference talks or presentations
  • Books or articles they've written
  • Interviews they've given
  • Social media highlights

🏢 Their Work

  • Company website and about page
  • Products or projects they've built
  • Press releases or news
  • Team blog posts
  • Case studies

🎯 What you're looking for:

  • Unique experiences or perspectives
  • Recent accomplishments
  • Recurring themes in their work
  • Interesting contradictions
  • Untold stories
  • Passion points

[PLACEHOLDER: Example research notes screenshot]

Phase 2: Deep Dive (20-30 minutes)

Goal: Find the unique angles others might miss.

Strategies:

🔍 Look for Patterns

  • Topics they mention repeatedly
  • Words or phrases they use often
  • Values that show up consistently
  • Evolution of their thinking

📚 Read Between the Lines

  • What do they not talk about?
  • What questions haven't been asked?
  • What recent changes happened?
  • Where are they going next?

💡 Find the "Why"

  • What drives them?
  • What problem are they passionate about solving?
  • What experiences shaped their path?
  • What do they wish people understood?

🎪 Discover the Story

  • Career turning points
  • Mistakes that taught lessons
  • Unexpected opportunities
  • Controversial opinions

Phase 3: Note Taking (15 minutes)

Goal: Organize your research for easy access during the interview.

Use InterviewCue's background notes:

For each potential question, add:

Question: What inspired you to focus on sustainable tech?

Background notes:
- Mentioned Beijing childhood experience in TED talk (2018)
- Blog post about air quality (2019)
- Recent pivot from hardware to software (check!)
- Pronunciation: GreenCircuit = GREEN-sir-kit

What to include in background notes:

  • ✅ Key facts to verify or reference
  • ✅ Pronunciation guides
  • ✅ Follow-up angles
  • ✅ Fact-check reminders
  • ✅ Context you might forget

What NOT to include:

  • ❌ Entire paragraphs of research
  • ❌ Information you won't reference
  • ❌ Generic Wikipedia facts
  • ❌ Cluttering details

Pro tip: If you won't glance at it during the interview, don't add it.

Research Organization

Use reference links for:

  • Guest's website
  • Their LinkedIn or social profiles
  • Key articles or talks
  • Products or demos
  • Resources you'll mention

Press L during the interview to pull up these links instantly.

Use background notes for:

  • Context only you need
  • Pronunciation guides
  • Talking points
  • Verification facts

Question Crafting

The Anatomy of a Great Question

Bad question:

"Tell me about your company."

Why it's bad:

  • Too broad
  • Generic
  • Guest has answered 100 times
  • No clear direction

Better question:

"Your company pivoted from hardware to software last year. What surprised you most about that transition?"

Why it's better:

  • Specific and recent
  • Shows you've done research
  • Opens a concrete story
  • Unique angle

Open vs. Closed Questions

Closed questions (yes/no answers):

"Do you enjoy being a founder?"

Open questions (storytelling answers):

"What's the hardest part of being a founder that nobody talks about?"

Rule: Use open questions 90% of the time. Closed questions can work for confirmation or quick facts.

Question Types & When to Use Them

🎯 Experience Questions (storytelling)

"Tell me about the moment you realized this was the right path."

Best for: Origin stories, turning points, specific events

💭 Opinion Questions (insights)

"What's the biggest misconception about sustainable tech?"

Best for: Expertise, hot takes, contrarian views

🔮 Future Questions (vision)

"Where do you see this field in 5 years?"

Best for: Trends, predictions, aspirations

🎓 Advice Questions (wisdom)

"What would you tell someone starting out in this field today?"

Best for: Lessons learned, actionable insights, mentorship

🤔 Reflection Questions (depth)

"Looking back, what would you do differently?"

Best for: Growth, mistakes, evolution of thinking

Question Order Matters

Start strong:

  • Opening question sets the tone
  • Use something engaging but not controversial
  • Warm up both you and your guest

Build momentum:

  • Flow from general to specific
  • Layer questions that build on each other
  • Save deeper questions for the middle

End memorably:

  • Final question should feel like a natural conclusion
  • Can be aspirational or advice-focused
  • Leave guest feeling good

Example flow:

  1. Warm-up: "What first drew you to this work?" (origin story)
  2. Build: "Walk me through your biggest breakthrough" (experience)
  3. Deepen: "What surprised you most about that journey?" (reflection)
  4. Explore: "What's the biggest misconception in your field?" (opinion)
  5. Expand: "Where do you see this going?" (future)
  6. Close: "What advice would you give to someone starting today?" (wisdom)

How Many Questions?

General guideline:

  • 30-minute interview: 6-8 questions
  • 45-minute interview: 8-10 questions
  • 60-minute interview: 10-12 questions
  • 90-minute interview: 12-15 questions

Why so few?

  • Great answers take time
  • Follow-ups happen naturally
  • Conversations meander (that's good!)
  • You'll never ask them all

Pro tip: Prepare 2-3 more questions than you think you'll need. Better to have extras than run out.

The Art of the Follow-Up

Prepare primary questions in InterviewCue. Follow-ups happen naturally.

Great follow-up triggers:

Guest says something surprising:

"Wait, what? Tell me more about that."

Guest mentions something specific:

"You mentioned [specific thing]—can you expand on that?"

Guest glosses over something interesting:

"Hold on, let's go back to [detail]. Why did you [action]?"

Guest reveals a belief:

"That's fascinating. What made you think that way?"

Follow-ups show you're listening and create the best moments.

Link Organization

Essential Links to Include

Every interview should have:

👤 Guest Links

  • Personal website
  • LinkedIn profile
  • Twitter/X or social media
  • Company website
  • GitHub (if applicable)

📚 Reference Materials

  • Blog posts you'll mention
  • Articles or papers
  • Talks or presentations
  • Products or demos

🎯 Supporting Content

  • Industry reports
  • Related news articles
  • Competitors or comparisons
  • Background reading

Excluding Noise

Don't include:

  • ❌ Generic social media (unless specific)
  • ❌ Old irrelevant content
  • ❌ Links you won't actually reference
  • ❌ Repetitive promotional boilerplate

Use the "Exclude Permanently" feature for boilerplate links that keep showing up (standard social media, newsletters, etc.).

Pre-Interview Checklist

One Week Before

✅ Research Phase

  • [ ] Complete discovery research (30-45 min)
  • [ ] Deep dive into unique angles (20-30 min)
  • [ ] Create interview in InterviewCue
  • [ ] Draft initial questions (6-10)

✅ Preparation Phase

  • [ ] Add background notes to questions
  • [ ] Add reference links
  • [ ] Reorder questions for flow
  • [ ] Review for tone and depth

Day Before Interview

✅ Final Prep

  • [ ] Read through questions one more time
  • [ ] Add any last-minute background notes
  • [ ] Check pronunciation guides
  • [ ] Verify all links work
  • [ ] Run through in Practice Mode (5 minutes)

✅ Equipment Check

  • [ ] Test microphone
  • [ ] Test recording software
  • [ ] Check internet connection
  • [ ] Verify backup recording method
  • [ ] Charge devices (laptop, iPad, etc.)

✅ Environment

  • [ ] Set up recording space
  • [ ] Minimize background noise
  • [ ] Test screen positioning for InterviewCue
  • [ ] Prepare backup notes (paper, just in case)

30 Minutes Before Interview

✅ Technical Setup

  • [ ] Start recording software (test recording)
  • [ ] Open InterviewCue interview
  • [ ] Review questions quickly
  • [ ] Pull up reference links
  • [ ] Position screen comfortably
  • [ ] Test hotkeys (quick Practice Mode run)

✅ Mental Prep

  • [ ] Review key background notes
  • [ ] Remember your first question
  • [ ] Take deep breaths
  • [ ] Get excited!

5 Minutes Before

✅ Final Checks

  • [ ] Recording software ready (but not recording yet)
  • [ ] InterviewCue open to interview
  • [ ] Phone on silent
  • [ ] Notifications off
  • [ ] Water nearby
  • [ ] Comfortable posture

✅ Mindset

  • [ ] Remember: It's a conversation, not an interrogation
  • [ ] Be curious, not scripted
  • [ ] Listen more than you talk
  • [ ] Stay present

Preparation Mistakes to Avoid

Over-Preparing

The trap: Memorizing questions, planning every detail, leaving no room for spontaneity

The problem:

  • Interviews feel scripted
  • You miss natural moments
  • Guest feels interrogated
  • No room for magic

The fix: Prepare structure, but leave space for serendipity.

Under-Preparing

The trap: "I'll just wing it—conversation flows naturally!"

The problem:

  • Awkward silences
  • Generic questions
  • Missed opportunities
  • Looks unprofessional

The fix: Do the research. Craft thoughtful questions. Your guest deserves preparation.

Surface-Level Research

The trap: Reading only the guest's bio or website homepage

The problem:

  • Questions they've answered 100 times
  • Missing unique angles
  • No depth
  • Boring for guest and audience

The fix: Go deeper. Find the untold stories.

Too Many Questions

The trap: Preparing 30 questions for a 45-minute interview

The problem:

  • Rushing through
  • No follow-ups
  • Feels like a checklist
  • Missing conversational flow

The fix: 8-10 questions max. Let conversations breathe.

Rigid Question Order

The trap: "Must ask questions in exact order!"

The problem:

  • Unnatural transitions
  • Interrupting good flow
  • Missing follow-up opportunities
  • Feels forced

The fix: Use questions as a guide, not a script. Navigate naturally.

Advanced Preparation Strategies

The "Unexpected Angle" Technique

Find questions no one else asks:

Start with: What has every interviewer asked this person?
Then ask: What hasn't been explored?

Example:

Everyone asks founders: "How did you get started?"
Better: "What made you persist after your first major failure?"

Everyone asks authors: "What inspired this book?"
Better: "What chapter did you almost cut, and why did you keep it?"

The "Depth Ladder" Technique

Prepare questions that go deeper:

Level 1 (Surface):

"What does your company do?"

Level 2 (Context):

"What problem are you trying to solve?"

Level 3 (Personal):

"What experience made you care about solving this problem?"

Level 4 (Insight):

"What do you understand now that you wish you knew then?"

Start at Level 2 or 3. Level 1 is boring. Level 4 comes naturally if you listen.

The "Contrarian" Technique

Find where your guest might disagree with conventional wisdom:

Steps:

  1. Research what most people in their field believe
  2. Look for signals your guest thinks differently
  3. Craft a question that explores that difference

Example:

Conventional wisdom: "AI will eliminate most jobs"
Your guest hints at disagreement in a tweet
Your question: "You've suggested AI might create more jobs than it eliminates. What do you see that others miss?"

Result: Unique, memorable conversation.

Templates & Examples

Question Template Library

Origin Story Template:

"What [event/experience] first made you realize [field/passion] was your calling?"

Turning Point Template:

"Walk me through the moment when [major decision/pivot/change] became inevitable."

Lesson Learned Template:

"What did [failure/challenge/mistake] teach you that success never could?"

Misconception Template:

"What's the biggest misconception about [field/topic] that drives you crazy?"

Future Vision Template:

"If you could fast-forward 5 years and see [field/industry] transformed, what would surprise us most?"

Advice Template:

"If you could go back and tell [younger self/beginners] one thing about [topic], what would it be?"

Sample Background Notes

Format:

Question: [Your question here]

Background notes:
- [Key fact to verify]
- [Pronunciation guide]
- [Follow-up angle]
- [Context or reminder]

Real example:

Question: Your company pivoted from B2C to B2B last year. What drove that decision?

Background notes:
- Pivot happened March 2024 (verify)
- Revenue grew 300% after (source: TechCrunch)
- Follow-up: Ask about customer reactions
- They now serve Fortune 500 clients

Time Management

Realistic Preparation Timeline

For a typical interview:

Total time: 90-120 minutes spread over a week

Breakdown:

  • Research: 45-60 minutes
  • Question drafting: 20 minutes
  • Organizing in InterviewCue: 15 minutes
  • Review and refine: 15 minutes
  • Practice run: 5-10 minutes
  • Day-of prep: 15 minutes

Don't try to do it all at once! Spread it over several days.

Quick Prep (Last Minute)

If you only have 30 minutes:

Minutes 1-15: Rapid Research

  • Guest's website homepage
  • LinkedIn profile
  • Most recent article/post
  • Quick Google search

Minutes 16-25: Core Questions

  • Draft 6 essential questions
  • Add one follow-up angle per question

Minutes 26-30: Setup

  • Add to InterviewCue
  • Test equipment
  • Quick mental prep

Better than nothing, but plan more time for important interviews!

Related Documentation

Key Takeaways

✅ Do:

  • Research deeply but organize minimally
  • Craft open, specific questions
  • Prepare structure, not scripts
  • Use background notes wisely
  • Test equipment in advance
  • Practice once through

❌ Don't:

  • Over-prepare and lose spontaneity
  • Ask generic questions everyone asks
  • Clutter background notes
  • Skip the research
  • Prepare too many questions
  • Forget to test equipment

Remember: Great preparation gives you confidence to be fully present during the interview. That presence is what creates magic.

Happy preparing! 📋✨