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Вікторія ГорбікWork
2 March 2025, 09:00
2025-03-02
How to prepare for an interview if the previous one was several years ago? Tips from a talent manager based on personal experience
Talent Acquisition Manager Fedir Savko himself recently had his first interview in 4 years. After a long time working at the same company, he was returning to the search again and, as he himself notes, interview stress was inevitable. The specialist shared several directions on how to prepare for a job search in such a case and minimize the worries that he brings to himself.
Talent Acquisition Manager Fedir Savko himself recently had his first interview in 4 years. After a long time working at the same company, he was returning to the search again and, as he himself notes, interview stress was inevitable. The specialist shared several directions on how to prepare for a job search in such a case and minimize the worries that he brings to himself.
«If you haven’t changed jobs in a long time, an interview can seem like a stressful challenge,» Fedir Savko notes in a post on Linkedin.
Here’s how he says you can prepare for an interview to feel much more confident.
Mental preparation: accept this challenge
The first thing to do is accept that you will be worried. This is normal. It is important that you do not go through this stage alone.
Pump up self-presentation
Write a short intro about yourself (up to 2 minutes will be enough). The main thing is not to just list your responsibilities, but to talk about:
Achievements and challenges you have faced.
Technologies, approaches, and new skills you have mastered.
Why did you decide to look for new opportunities now?
Tip: Definitely get a document. Write down your presentation there and practice speaking it out loud.
Prepare for interview questions
There are already 100,500 lists of standard questions on the Internet, but the main thing is not to learn the answers mechanically, but to understand what and why you are saying. We, recruiters, use the STAR (Situation — Task — Action — Result) method to evaluate a candidate, so try preparing yourself using this method.
Important: Write down in a document (Google Docs, Sheets, or other) several real-life cases from your experience:
Achievements: what was improved, optimized, implemented?
Failures: what went wrong, what conclusions were drawn?
Conflicts: how did you resolve misunderstandings within the team or with clients?
From my experience, I realized how important it is to have such cases ready. I was helped by consultations with HR, who guided my preparation, helped me remember real examples that I wrote down and used during the interview. This allowed me to answer quickly without thinking too much. We all have stories. The main thing is to be honest. Trust is built on openness.
What not to do:
Talking only about responsibilities is an emphasis on achievements.
It’s better to speak in formulaic phrases naturally and naturally.
Be afraid to admit mistakes — the main thing is what conclusions you draw.
Conduct a test interview
It’s great if you have an HR friend or recruiter who can conduct a mock interview.
Support from the environment is an important resource:
Colleagues and acquaintances can share their experiences and advice.
Friends or family will encourage you before the interview.
Mentors or coaches will prepare you professionally.
Research the company and prepare questions
An interview is not an interrogation (sometimes I like to joke like that to relieve tension), but a two-way conversation.
You also choose a company, so:
Learn more about the company: its history, products, and market.
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