Interview Skills

This skill provides frameworks for excelling in technical interviews and negotiating job offers effectively.

When to Use This Skill

• Preparing for behavioral interview questions
• Practicing the STAR method for storytelling
• Planning how to communicate during technical interviews
• Evaluating a job offer
• Preparing to negotiate salary or compensation
• Deciding whether to accept or counter an offer

Core Frameworks

STAR Method for Behavioral Questions

Structure answers to behavioral questions ("Tell me about a time when...") using STAR:

Component	% of Answer	Purpose
Situation	10%	Set the context
Task	10%	Your specific responsibility
Action	60%	What you did (the meat)
Result	20%	Outcomes with metrics

Example Structure:

"Tell me about a time you resolved a conflict on your team."

SITUATION (10%): "On my last project, two senior engineers disagreed
about the database architecture - one wanted PostgreSQL, the other MongoDB."

TASK (10%): "As the tech lead, I needed to help them reach a decision
that the whole team could support without damaging their relationship."

ACTION (60%): "First, I scheduled a meeting where each could present
their case with specific criteria: performance requirements, team expertise,
and maintenance burden. Then I created a decision matrix we could score together.
When scores were close, I facilitated a discussion about what mattered most
for THIS project specifically. I made sure both felt heard by summarizing
their key points before moving on."

RESULT (20%): "We chose PostgreSQL based on the team's existing expertise.
Both engineers felt the process was fair - one even said it was the best
technical decision process he'd experienced. The project launched on time
and we haven't had database issues in 18 months."

Full reference with 5 example stories: references/star-method.md

Technical Interview Communication

Beyond coding ability, how you communicate matters:

Think Aloud

• Verbalize your thought process constantly
• "I'm thinking about using a hash map here because..."
• "Let me consider the edge cases..."
• Silence is your enemy - interviewers can't evaluate what they can't hear

Ask Clarifying Questions (First 5-10 Minutes)

• Input format and constraints
• Expected output
• Edge cases and error handling
• Performance requirements
• Example inputs/outputs

Drive the Conversation

• Don't wait to be led
• Propose your approach before coding
• Explain trade-offs proactively
• Check in: "Does this approach make sense before I implement?"

Handle "I Don't Know" Honestly

• "I haven't worked with that technology, but here's how I'd approach learning it..."
• "I'm not sure about the exact syntax, but the concept is..."
• Never pretend to know something you don't

Salary Negotiation Framework

Negotiation is expected and professional. Most offers have room to negotiate.

Before Negotiating

1. Research market rates

   • levels.fyi for tech companies
   • Glassdoor for ranges
   • Blind for crowdsourced data
   • Talk to people in similar roles

2. Know your BATNA

   • Best Alternative To Negotiated Agreement
   • Your leverage depends on alternatives
   • Never negotiate from desperation

3. Wait for the formal offer

   • Don't discuss numbers until you have a written offer
   • "I'd prefer to discuss compensation once we're both sure about fit"

Negotiation Tactics

Tactic	Example
Use email	Written negotiation is documented and thoughtful
State a range	"$150K-$160K based on my research"
Cite specifics	"Based on levels.fyi data for this role..."
Negotiate holistically	Salary, equity, sign-on, PTO, remote work
Express enthusiasm	"I'm excited about this role" + negotiation

Full reference with scripts and tactics: references/salary-negotiation.md

Handling Lowball Offers

When an offer is below expectations:

1. Don't react emotionally - Stay professional
2. Defer response - "Let me think about that and get back to you"
3. Gather data - Research what the role should pay
4. Counter with evidence - Not just "I want more"
5. Be willing to walk - Sometimes offers can't be fixed

Story Bank Strategy

Prepare 3-5 versatile stories that can answer multiple question types:

Story Theme	Can Answer Questions About
Technical challenge	Problem-solving, learning, complexity
Team conflict	Conflict resolution, communication, leadership
Project under pressure	Stress, prioritization, delivery
Mistake/failure	Learning, humility, growth
Cross-team collaboration	Influence, stakeholder management

Each story should include:

• Quantified results where possible
• Your specific actions (not team actions)
• What you learned
• What you'd do differently

Related Resources

• references/star-method.md - Full STAR examples for common questions
• references/salary-negotiation.md - Detailed negotiation tactics and scripts
• /soft-skills:prep-interview command - Structure your interview stories
• professional-communication skill - General communication frameworks