Preview Interview

Use this skill to turn a role, resume, or job description into a focused interview-preparation package. Start from the target role and interviewer style, then produce only the practice materials that help the user perform better.

Core Workflow

1. Identify the interview target.

• Extract the role, seniority, company context, and interview type.
• Infer whether the user needs recruiter screening, behavioral practice, technical depth, system design, product sense, or management questions.

2. Build the interview map.

• List the skills and signals the interviewer will likely test.
• Translate the job description and resume into likely question themes.
• Separate must-cover topics from nice-to-have topics.

3. Generate the prep set.

• Draft likely questions with increasing difficulty.
• Build short answer outlines before long polished answers.
• Use concrete evidence, metrics, tradeoffs, and decision points.

4. Rehearse and critique.

• Run a mock interview in the same tone as the expected round.
• Score answers on clarity, relevance, specificity, and brevity.
• Rewrite weak answers with tighter structure and stronger examples.

5. Close the gaps.

• Identify missing stories, thin technical depth, or unsupported claims.
• Recommend what to study, what to cut, and what to emphasize.

Deliverables

Return only the pieces that fit the request:

• A likely question bank by interview round.
• STAR or CAR answer skeletons for behavioral questions.
• A mock interview script with follow-up prompts.
• A concise critique of draft answers.
• A gap analysis between resume and job description.
• A short pre-interview checklist for the final review.

Decision Rules

• Prefer role-specific questions over generic interview lists.
• Prefer concise answer outlines before polished final wording.
• Push for evidence: metrics, scope, constraints, and outcomes.
• Flag unsupported resume claims and missing examples early.
• If the role is unclear, infer the most likely interview format from the job description and state the assumption.

Common Failure Modes

• Answers stay generic and do not show ownership.
• Stories omit numbers, scale, tradeoffs, or user impact.
• Technical answers jump to tools before clarifying requirements.
• Behavioral answers are too long and never reach the result.
• The prep set does not match the likely interview round.

References

Load interview-patterns.md for reusable frameworks, answer structures, and mock-interview templates.