Mandala Chart for Job Interview Preparation
Most interview nerves come from not knowing what to expect. Good preparation removes most of that: you know the company, you have your examples ready, you have said your answers out loud, and you know exactly where to be and when.
This Mandala Chart breaks interview preparation into eight areas, from researching the company to the thank-you email afterwards. It works for a first job, a career change or a senior role, and for interviews in person or on video.
Start about a week before the interview. Research and stories take the most time, so do those first; rehearsing, logistics and follow-up fit into the last few days.
The eight themes, and why they are there
1. Company research
Interviewers notice quickly whether you have done your homework. Knowing the company’s products, customers and recent news lets you give answers that fit them, not just any employer.
- Read the latest news about the company
- Learn their main products and customers
- List 3 competitors
- Read their mission and values
- Look up the interviewers on LinkedIn
- Note recent launches, funding or hires
- Ask someone who works there
- One thing I genuinely admire about them
2. Role fit
The job ad is a list of what they will judge you on. Mapping your experience to each requirement – including the gaps – tells you what to emphasize and what to prepare for.
- Highlight every requirement in the ad
- Match each requirement to my experience
- Name my gaps and how I’ll close them
- Learn the tools the team uses
- Find out who the role reports to
- Know the salary range for the role
- Rough plan for my first 90 days
- Why this role – in one sentence
3. My stories
Most interview questions are really asking for evidence. Short, concrete stories in the STAR format (situation, task, action, result) are the strongest evidence you can give.
- Five stories in STAR format
- A failure and what I learned
- A conflict I handled well
- A result with numbers
- A time I led without the title
- A time I learned something fast
- Each story under 2 minutes
- Link each story to a requirement
4. Common questions
The same questions come up in almost every interview. Answers you have said out loud a few times come out clearer and calmer than answers you only thought through.
- “Tell me about yourself” in 90 seconds
- “Why do you want to work here?”
- Strengths and one real weakness
- Why I’m leaving my current job
- Say my answers out loud
- Record a mock interview on video
- Mock interview with a friend
- Practice a technical or case task
5. My questions
Your questions show how you think and help you decide whether you want the job. Good ones are about the work, the team and what success looks like.
- Prepare 5 questions, ask 2–3
- What does success look like in 6 months?
- What is the team’s biggest challenge?
- How does the team work together?
- What are the next steps and timeline?
- Skip questions the website answers
- Ask the interviewer about their own role
- Write down their answers right after
6. Portfolio
Showing real work makes your claims concrete. A few well-chosen samples beat a long portfolio nobody has time to look at.
- Pick 3 relevant work samples
- One-page summary per sample
- Tailor my CV to this role
- Update LinkedIn to match the CV
- Test sharing my screen
- Printed copies for in-person interviews
- Short demo ready to show
- Remove confidential details
7. Logistics
Small practical problems – a late bus, a broken microphone – cost confidence at the worst moment. Settle them the day before.
- Confirm time, place and format
- Plan the route, arrive 10 minutes early
- Test camera, mic and lighting
- Choose clothes the day before
- Charge laptop and phone
- Bring ID, CV and a notebook
- Get a good night’s sleep
- Light meal an hour before
8. Follow-up
A short, specific thank-you note is rare enough to be remembered. And every interview, good or bad, is practice for the next one.
- Thank-you email within 24 hours
- Mention one thing we talked about
- Notes on how it went, same day
- Follow up if no reply after a week
- Connect with the interviewers on LinkedIn
- Ask for feedback if I’m turned down
- Improve my stories after each interview
- Keep applying until I have signed
Tips for making it your own
- Put the company and job title in the center, and replace the generic questions with the ones typical for your field.
- Keep the “My stories” block for future interviews – after a few rounds you will have a library of examples ready to use.
- For video interviews, rehearse at least once on the same device and in the same room you will use.
Questions
How long should I prepare for a job interview?
For most roles, five to ten hours spread over a week is plenty: a few hours of research, a few hours on your stories, and several short rounds of practicing out loud.
What is the STAR method?
STAR stands for Situation, Task, Action and Result. It is a simple way to tell a short story about something you did, ending with the outcome – ideally with a number.
Should I send a thank-you email after an interview?
Yes, within a day. Keep it short, thank them for their time, and mention one specific thing from the conversation that made you more interested in the job.
Related templates
New to Mandala Charts? Read how to make a Mandala Chart, or browse all templates.