For candidatesThe Interview Prep Guide
We sit inside hiring processes every day. Most run 4–5 stages over 3–4 weeks, and each stage tests something different. Here's what hiring teams are looking for at every stage and how to show up ready.
What each round is really testing
The details change by company and role. The pattern doesn't.
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Recruiter screen
Tests: whether you understand the company and can explain your background clearly.
- Know the company in plain language: what they do, who buys it, the pain it solves, how they win, and what's next. Use AI to get there faster.
- Answer "tell me about yourself" in three parts: your company, your mandate, your outcomes.
- Make sure LinkedIn matches your resume. Set end dates on roles you've left.
- Confirm office days and location now. It's the most avoidable late-stage exit we see.
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Hiring manager interview
Tests: your results, and whether you own them.
- Focus on the last 3–5 years. That's your center of gravity.
- Keep answers under two minutes. Answer the question, then stop talking.
- Use STAR for examples. Spend most of your time on the action and the result.
- Don't stretch the truth on deal sizes, scope, or experience. Trust is what gets you hired.
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Skills assessment
Tests: how you think, take direction, and perform live.
- Clarify the assignment before you build it:
Here's how I interpreted this. Does that match what you had in mind?
- Mock call: run discovery, don't pitch. Let each question build on the last answer.
- Presentation: open with objectives and check alignment. Use the company's branding. Watch the clock.
- Close it yourself. Recap, confirm alignment, and name the next steps.
- Clarify the assignment before you build it:
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Executive conversation
Tests: judgment, presence, and genuine interest.
- Build a "why" rooted in their market and value proposition. "Fast growing with a great culture" fits any company.
- Ask questions as if you already have the job. What would you need to know on day one?
- Let your questions evolve each round. Don't repeat what you asked earlier.
- Bring energy. On camera, what feels enthusiastic to you often reads as neutral.
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Close and offer
Tests: follow-through, right up to the end.
- Ask about next steps before every call ends.
- Send a short thank-you that references something specific. Connect with everyone you met on LinkedIn.
- Line up references early and brief them on the role.
- Know the full comp structure before you negotiate.
Every role has results. Know yours cold.
Hiring managers don't just care about your results. They care that you know them. Write down your targets, responsibilities, and outcomes before the interview. Here's what clean and direct sounds like.
"Year 1: $100K quota, 110% attainment. Year 2: $120K quota, 85%. Year 3: $180K quota, 101%."
"Our goal was 300 MQLs a quarter. I delivered an average of 375, 125% of target, which created $900K in new pipeline."
"Our KPI was a 90% renewal rate. I managed 25 enterprise accounts and held a 96% renewal rate."
No defined goals? Share the ones you set for yourself. "It's hard to explain how we measured success" makes you sound unprepared.
None of these should catch you off guard
Write your answers out now, with real numbers. Then say them out loud.
| The question | What a strong answer does |
|---|---|
| Why are you looking? | Points toward what you want next. Never trashes your current company. |
| Walk me through your most complex project or deal. | Runs start to finish and makes clear what you personally drove. |
| Tell me about a time you missed your goals. | Stays short, honest, and recent. Shows what you changed and what happened next. |
| What are you working on improving? | Frames a strength as development, with the specific steps you're taking. |
| How do you use AI in your work? | Names the workflow, the tool, and what it changed. "I use ChatGPT" isn't an answer. |
| What are your comp expectations? | Treats it as a two-way fit question. You can hold a number. Just don't open with it. |