Hour zero is the moment they emailed you. You have 72 hours. Don't wing it.
Day 1: research, write, re-write
Hour 1: read the company website end to end. Not just the careers page. Read the about page, the latest blog posts, and any product pages.
Hour 2: find one recent piece of news about them. Funding, a launch, a hire, a pivot. Have a one-line opinion on it.
Hour 3: write down three reasons you specifically want this role at this company. Not "I want to grow." Three concrete reasons. If you can't find three, the role probably isn't a great fit.
Day 2: your story
Write down, by hand or in a doc, answers to four questions:
- Walk me through your CV.
- Why are you looking?
- Why this company?
- What's a project you're proud of and why?
Each answer should be under 90 seconds spoken aloud. Time yourself. Most people answer the first question for four minutes and lose the room.
Day 3: questions for them
The single highest-leverage prep item. Write down 5 questions you'd genuinely like answers to. Examples that work:
- "What does the first 90 days look like for someone in this role?"
- "What's the hardest part of this role that isn't in the JD?"
- "How do you measure success at the 6-month mark?"
Avoid: anything you could find on the website, anything about salary or holiday in the first interview.
Hour minus 1
Glass of water nearby. Phone on silent and out of sight. Test your camera and mic 5 minutes early. Have your CV and the JD open in another tab.
You're ready. Go.