Day 3: Mock interview prompt pack
Today is day 3 and my goal is to get you set up for interview success by the end of 7 days. I know daily emails might be a lot for many folks, so if you wish, you can email me back, and I will reduce your frequency to weekly. But here we go! if you find them valuable. Please help me spread the word.
Word of caution: I have trained a specific project inside ChatGPT with clear instructions of my industry and type of role I am in, my skills, and the role I am aiming for. I think that helps with AI being precise and looking for specific context when doing a mock. Claude, on the other hand, has better answers but loses context quickly.
Gemini, I haven’t used it extensively yet, but I will report if I find things to be aware of.
Pre-Interview Setup Prompts
Interview Customization: "I'm interviewing for [specific role] at [company name] with [interviewer title/background]. The interview is [virtual/in-person] and scheduled for [duration]. Research this company and role, then design a realistic interview flow including: opening questions, core competency questions, technical/role-specific questions, culture fit questions, and closing. Tailor the difficulty and focus areas based on the interviewer's likely priorities."
Interviewer Persona Development: "Based on this job description [paste JD] and company info [paste details], create a detailed interviewer persona. Include their likely: interview style (formal/casual), key concerns for this hire, deal-breakers they watch for, questions they probably ask everyone, and how they typically open/close interviews. Then interview me as this person."
Full Interview Simulation Prompts
Standard 45-60 Minute Interview: "Conduct a complete interview simulation. Start with small talk, then move through: 1) 'Tell me about yourself' 2) 3-4 behavioral questions using STAR method 3) 2-3 role-specific technical/strategic questions 4) 1-2 culture/motivation questions 5) My questions for you 6) Next steps discussion. Keep realistic timing, give me thinking time, and ask follow-ups like a real interviewer."
Panel Interview Simulation: "You are now 3 different interviewers in a panel: [Hiring Manager - focused on results], [Peer/Senior IC - focused on technical skills], [HR/Culture - focused on fit]. Interview me for 45 minutes, switching between personas. Each should ask 2-3 questions from their perspective, build on each other's questions, and show different personalities/interview styles."
Specialized Interview Types
Executive/Leadership Interview: "You're a [VP/C-level executive] conducting a final-round interview. Focus on: strategic thinking, leadership philosophy, handling ambiguity, cross-functional collaboration, and business impact. Ask tough questions about difficult decisions, failures, and vision. Be challenging but professional. Spend 50 minutes total."
Technical/Case Study Interview: "Present me with a realistic business case/technical problem for this role: [describe role]. Give me 5-10 minutes to work through it, ask clarifying questions, and present my approach. Then dive deeper into my methodology, challenge assumptions, and explore alternative solutions. Include both technical depth and business judgment."
Behavioral Deep-Dive Interview: "Focus entirely on behavioral questions for 45 minutes. Ask about: conflict resolution, difficult stakeholder management, project failures, team leadership, innovation, working under pressure, and ethical dilemmas. For each answer, ask 2-3 follow-up questions to test authenticity and depth. Push for specific examples and outcomes."
Industry-Specific Simulations
Startup Interview: "You're a startup founder/early employee interviewing me. Focus on: scrappiness, ambiguity tolerance, wearing multiple hats, fast execution, cultural fit with small team, and growth potential. Keep the tone casual but assess carefully for startup mentality. Ask about handling limited resources and rapid changes."
Big Tech Interview: "Simulate a [Google/Meta/Amazon] style interview. Include: behavioral questions with their leadership principles, technical problem-solving, system design thinking, scalability questions, and culture fit. Use their known question styles and follow their structured approach. Be thorough and detail-oriented."
Consulting/Client-Facing Interview: "You're a consulting partner interviewing me. Present a business case study, test my client communication skills, explore problem-solving approach, and assess executive presence. Include a mini-presentation component and questions about handling difficult clients. Focus on structured thinking and communication."
Advanced Interview Scenarios
Stress Interview Simulation: "Conduct a deliberately challenging interview. Interrupt me occasionally, challenge my answers, ask rapid-fire questions, and create time pressure. Include questions like 'Why should we hire you over 200 other candidates?' and 'What's your biggest weakness?' Test my composure and recovery. Afterwards, debrief on handling pressure."
Multi-Round Interview Series: "Simulate a full interview process: 1) 20-minute phone screen with recruiter 2) 45-minute hiring manager interview 3) 30-minute peer interview 4) 15-minute executive chat. Each round should build on the previous, ask different question types, and feel like a realistic progression. Provide feedback after each round."
Cultural Mismatch Interview: "Intentionally play an interviewer whose style doesn't match mine. If I'm energetic, be reserved. If I'm detailed, be big-picture focused. Test my adaptability, ability to read the room, and skill at connecting with different personality types. This tests real-world interview variability."
Post-Interview Analysis Prompts
Comprehensive Performance Review: "Provide detailed feedback on my interview performance including: 1) Overall impression and hire/no-hire decision with reasoning 2) Strongest moments and weakest moments 3) Specific improvements for answers 4) Body language and presence notes 5) Questions I should have asked 6) How I compared to typical candidates for this role."
Interview Replay & Improvement: "Let's replay the 3 weakest moments from my interview. For each one: show me what I said, explain why it wasn't strong, give me a better answer, then let me practice the improved version. Focus on specific language, structure, and delivery improvements."
Follow-up Strategy: "Based on how the interview went, help me craft: 1) Thank you email highlighting key points 2) Any additional information I should send 3) Timeline expectations for follow-up 4) How to address any concerns that came up 5) Strategy if I don't hear back in their stated timeframe."
Each prompt creates a realistic, challenging practice environment that mirrors real interview situations while providing actionable feedback for improvement.
This is a new 7-day series on Interview prep where every day I will share the techniques that I have crafted and perfected over the years.
These will be short reads.
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