Lessons Learned From Interview Experiences

Friends, many people seek advice for interviews. You'll discover your own method, which is ultimately the best, but here is my guidance based on receiving and accepting four offers from Amazon and conducting nearly 200 Amazon interviews myself. Attached is the Amazon "one sheet" I created for myself. More on this later. It's fully applicable to interviews beyond Amazon as well. First, be authentic and humble. Honesty and acknowledging both strengths and weaknesses are irreplaceable, as people can easily detect insincerity. Second, understand the company and the role for which you are applying. Many applicants fail to demonstrate a convincing passion and suitability for their chosen role. Being non-traditional is fine, but your application shouldn't seem vague or general. Third, have over 30 examples of impactful situations, whether related to Amazon's Leadership Principles (LPs) or general stories, that follow the STAR format. Ensure each story (S+T) clearly illustrates what you (not others) did (A) and the outcomes (R), including metrics if possible. Incorporate layers of thoughtfulness, such as scalability and lessons learned. Fourth, create a one-pager that organizes your preparation and serves as a reference during live interviews. As mentioned above, I've attached the actual edited (with brackets for confidentiality) one-pager I used for my Amazon interviews. I prepared three stories for each LP (42 in total), since interviewers value unique stories and it's uncertain which LPs will be discussed. I prepared three questions for the interviewer, incorporating topics throughout the job process. I crafted a four-point, 60-second summary of my resume, and a 5-minute version, as many candidates overly extend their background discussions. I also practiced delivering every LP response within five minutes, aware that people often extend their answers during the actual interview and in anticipation of follow-up questions. I prepared specific examples of successes in team/stakeholder management. For each past job, I outlined 3-6 examples of impact, serving as backups for LP stories. I noted my interests for the job I'm applying for. In this case, for my ultimate passion for games at Amazon, I went further and listed expertise in games, collectibles, non-endemics, and specific account and platform ideas. Outside of Amazon, prepare 30-40+ general anecdotes and you can make categories for different areas of impact you anticipate wanting to highlight or that they will ask about. I found this one-pager to be an optimal tool for motivation and structuring my preparation. It may seem excessive, but it worked for me, and you'll find what works for you. Given virtual interviews, having a "cheat sheet" seems even more sensible. You can find this reference sheet within resource 9 of 10 ("Career Job Pack") on my LinkedIn profile page, under the 10 video game career resources. I hope this helps, and I wish you the best of luck in all your interviews.

I've interviewed 100s of people for 6-figure roles. (Here's what nobody tells you...) It's not the most qualified candidate who gets the job. It's the best prepared for the interview. How to prep like the top 1%: 1. Research the company like you already work there. ↳ Know their challenges, victories, and latest news. 2. Practice your answers out loud. ↳ What sounds good in your head may not when spoken. 3. Prepare 3 specific stories that showcase your skills. ↳ Focus on your adaptability and leadership. 4. Study the job description. Find the top 3 skills they want. ↳ Then craft examples proving you have them. 5. Do a mock interview with a trusted person. ↳ Someone who will give you honest feedback. 💡 And 7 questions to ask that make YOU stand out: 99% of candidates ask basic questions at the end. Don't waste this opportunity to impress! Ask these instead: ➟ What does success look like in the first 90 days? ➟ What are the biggest challenges facing the team that I could help solve? ➟ How would you describe the management style of the person I'd be reporting to? ➟ What distinguishes your top performers from everyone else? ➟ How does the company support professional development and growth? ➟ What made YOU decide to join this company, and what keeps you here? ➟ What do new employees find surprising after they start? The best candidates don't just answer questions. They create meaningful conversations. Remember: Interviews are a two-way street. You're evaluating them just as much as they are you. You spend 90,000 hours of your life at work. Choose a company and manager that support your growth. Your career will thank you. P.S. What's your best tip for nailing your interview? Share in the comments to help others prepare. ♻️ Valuable? Repost to share with your network. 🔖 Follow Justin Wright for more on career success. Want my 80 best cheat sheets? Get them here for free: BrillianceBrief.com   

I’ve been fortunate to land roles at Microsoft and Salesforce. Here’s what’s in my job interview prep doc: Let me start by saying, interviewing is a skill. You never know exactly what you’ll be asked during an interview. But you can sure as hell prepare for a lot of different scenarios. For years, I’ve maintained a personal interview prep doc. It’s just a text doc that I duplicate and edit for different roles. I reference this doc during a call to represent myself in the best way, whether it’s a phone or video call. Tons of folks are looking for jobs right now, so I thought I’d break down what’s in my doc, in case it inspires someone interviewing. Each section in my doc: 😎 Tell us about yourself: Contains the simplest version of my career arc in a nutshell, plus a few personal details, like where I’m based. Plus a nod to how we can dive in more to any of these experiences for more details. 📕 Relevant experience for this role: Bullets where I match specific aspects of the job description to my expertise, using as similar of words as possible. 💻 What I’m doing now: A deeper look at my current role. I find a lot of interviewers ask about this. Team size, scope, how success is measured, reporting structure, and so on. 🧲 What attracted you to this role: I always make a section of bullets about why this role, why now. Mix of why this role stood out to me, plus career motivations for seeking a growth opportunity. ⭐️ Personal values: I have a list of personal values that I always reference in interviews. It helps the interviewer see what matters to me so we can both assess if this fits. 📈 Results: List of metrics I’ve nailed in similar roles so I can quickly call upon them. Ideally fast, memorable numbers that tell a story. 🗒️ Company notes: I quickly review the company’s blog, YouTube channel, and social channels and note what seems important to the company right now, so I can drop in these observations as relevant. 🌲 Personal/fun facts: Stuff I’m comfortable sharing. It’s not necessary to share these. But sometimes an interview gets a little dry. Another way I might use this is if the interviewer is, say, from my home state. I’d make a note to talk about Indiana. ❓ My questions for them: I plan in advance, while staying flexible if new ones come up in the moment. I wrote a different post on questions for the hiring team that I will link in the comments. No, I don’t read the doc verbatim like a teleprompter. But the simple act of writing all this down cements it in my brain and helps solidify the story. Plus the notes are there if I do need them, which makes me less anxious. That alone probably helps me present as more confident on the call. I also believe you need to practice interviewing to crush it for that ultimate role! Take a couple interviews, test the waters. How do you prepare for an interview? What other tips do you have for folks? Sending those seeking the right role the best luck this Friday and beyond. ♥️

I've been helping a family friend who recently graduated college prep for her first round of job interviews—and wow, I was shocked to learn her college career services team focused heavily on creating ATS-friendly resumes (not really a thing, IMO) and barely touched on interview prep—especially the STAR method (Situation, Task, Action, Result), which is absolutely critical for telling your story clearly and effectively. Here's some things we covered: Don’t memorize answers—build stories. Think of 4–5 key experiences you’ve had (projects, challenges, leadership roles) and map them to the STAR structure. Lead with the result. Especially in fast-paced interviews, highlight the outcome upfront to grab attention before diving into the details. Keep it concise. 2–3 minutes max per story. If you’re rambling past that, you’re losing your interviewer. Check for visual cues. Align with the job. Review the job description and prep stories that demonstrate the skills and qualities they’re looking for. Practice out loud. It’s one thing to know your stories—it’s another to say them clearly and confidently. Another tip I often share with job seekers is if the interview is virtual, consider hiding your own video or putting a sticky note over your video to avoid the inclination to stare at yourself as you speak and train your eyes to the camera instead.

My playbook to prepare for job interviews - surprise yourself and have fun. I. Pre-Interview Deep Dive: Become the Expert Don't just skim the company website. Become a mini-expert on both the company and the industry: 🧐 Company Intel: Dig into YouTube, news articles, and company publications. What challenges are they tackling right now? 🚶 Walk in Their Shoes: Consider the interviewer's perspective. What are their daily pressures? What are they reading? Read it too! 🌐 Industry Trends: Stay updated on the latest industry news and developments. Be ready to discuss current events. II. During the Interview: Shine with Authenticity Preparation is key, but don't be a robot! ✨ Embrace Spontaneity: Leave room to be surprised by your own insights. Originality stands out. 💡 Unique You: Ditch the canned answers. Offer your unique perspective. 📚 Storytelling Power: Share concrete examples that showcase your growth and learning. Highlight how you've reflected on past experiences and turned challenges into opportunities. III. Post-Interview Growth: Reflect & Refine The interview isn't the end – the growth starts right after. 🧘 Decompress & Analyze: Take time to reflect. Where did you shine? Where could you improve? 👂 Seek Feedback: Don't be afraid to ask for feedback! It's the best way to understand your performance and identify areas for growth. 🌱 Continuous Improvement: Every interview is a stepping stone. Learn from each experience and keep honing your skills. #interviewtips #jobsearch #careeradvice #interviewpreparation #careersuccess #jobinterview #professionaldevelopment #gethired #hiring #lifeatgoogle #lifeatgoogle