Preparation Guide

Goal

Get ALL your experiences on paper. Don't filter yet - just capture everything.

Instructions

1. Open a Google Doc or notebook
2. For each core quality, brainstorm:
• Leadership & Initiative
• Resilience
• Teamwork
• Influence & Persuasion
• Integrity & Ethics
3. Think about:
• Work projects
• School projects
• Personal projects
• Volunteer work
• Everyday situations
4. Don't judge yet - write everything down

Remember

Create Your Story Matrix

For each quality, identify 2-3 strong stories. Rate them on three axes:

Selection Criteria

• Personal Involvement: Were you central to the story? Not just "I was in the room."
• Business Impact: Measurable difference? Revenue, user experience, costs, performance?
• Scope: Appropriate for your level? (See Questions page for level guidelines)

Target: 10-15 Total Stories

• 2-3 per quality (minimum)
• Some stories can cover multiple qualities (have backups!)
• Quality over quantity

Use CARL Framework

For each selected story, write out using Context → Action → Result → Learning

Story Worksheet Template

Key Principles

• Show, don't tell: Describe actions, not qualities
• Focus on YOU: What did YOU do, not the team?
• Be specific: "I surveyed 15 analysts" not "I asked some people"
• Include obstacles: Real stories have challenges

The Critical Mistake Most People Make

They write beautiful paragraphs and try to memorize them. This makes you sound scripted.

Better Approach: Bullet Points

1. Write your story as bullet points (5-7 bullets max)
2. Practice speaking from bullets only
3. Force yourself to form sentences naturally
4. This creates natural flow, not memorization

Practice Methods

1. Self-Recording

• Record yourself answering questions
• Watch/listen back (you'll cringe - that's good!)
• Identify filler words (um, like, you know)
• Notice body language and eye contact
• Replace filler words with pauses

2. Mock Interviews

• Practice with friends or coaches
• Get feedback on clarity
• Practice handling follow-up questions
• Simulate real interview pressure

3. Flash Cards

• Write common questions on cards
• Shuffle and practice randomly
• Tests your ability to think on your feet
• Reduces anxiety by building confidence

Research Company Values

Most companies publish their values. Examples:

• Amazon: 16 Leadership Principles
• Meta: Values like "Move Fast", "Be Bold", "Focus on Impact"
• Google: "Googleyness" principles

Map Your Stories to Values

For each company value, identify which of your stories demonstrates it:

Prepare Company-Specific Questions

• "Why do you want to work here?"
• "What excites you about this role?"
• Research the team/product/company deeply
• Connect your goals to their mission

1. Tell Me About Yourself

Time: 2-2.5 minutes

Structure:

1. Brief description + personal twist (30 sec)
2. List of accomplishments (60-90 sec)
3. Forward-looking statement connecting to role (30 sec)

Practice: Until it sounds natural (not memorized)

2. Your Favorite/Most Impactful Project

Time: 5-7 minutes if detailed

Choose based on:

• High personal involvement
• High business impact
• Appropriate scope for your level
• Demonstrates multiple qualities

Prepare: Expanded CARL format with details

3. Conflict Story

Why Critical: Almost every interview asks about conflict

Must Include:

• Seeking to understand first
• Showing empathy
• Using objective data
• Right communication channel
• Win-win solution
• Relationship preserved

The Three-Step Process

Step 1: Decode

What is the question really asking?

• Clarifying: "What metrics?" → Answer directly
• Digging: "Did anyone have conflicts?" → They want conflict resolution signal. Go deeper.

Step 2: Select

Choose the best story. If none fit perfectly:

• Propose a pivot: "I haven't had exactly that situation, but I have a similar story about [related quality]. Can I share that?"
• Most interviewers will say yes if it's related

Step 3: Deliver

Use your prepared structure (CARL). Guide the conversation back if needed:

• "I think we've covered that well. Should we talk about the technical implementation phase?"

2 Weeks Before Interview

• ☐ Completed brain dump
• ☐ Selected 10-15 stories
• ☐ Written all stories in CARL format
• ☐ Created story → qualities mapping
• ☐ Researched company values
• ☐ Mapped stories to company values

1 Week Before Interview

• ☐ Practiced "Tell me about yourself" (sounds natural)
• ☐ Practiced favorite project story (5-7 min version)
• ☐ Practiced conflict story
• ☐ Recorded yourself on 3-5 questions
• ☐ Identified and eliminated filler words
• ☐ Done 1-2 mock interviews

Days Before Interview

• ☐ Reviewed all stories (quick refresher)
• ☐ Practiced with flash cards
• ☐ Prepared questions to ask interviewer
• ☐ Researched specific team/role
• ☐ Prepared for common follow-ups

Day of Interview

• ☐ Quick review of your story matrix
• ☐ Have stories accessible (printed or on screen)
• ☐ Stay calm - you're prepared!

For Any Project Story

• "What would you do differently?"
• "What was the hardest part?"
• "How did you measure success?"
• "Did you encounter any conflicts?"
• "What's next for this project?"

For Conflict Stories

• "How did you feel during this?"
• "What if they hadn't agreed?"
• "How do you prevent this in the future?"

For Failure Stories

• "What did you learn?"
• "How did you apply this learning?"
• "Would you make the same decision again?"

Why This Matters

Interviewers assess you based on what you ask. Good questions show:

• You've thought about the role
• You understand what matters
• You're evaluating fit (not just desperate)

Great Questions

• For Hiring Managers: "What's your management style? How do you help engineers grow? What makes engineers successful on your team?"
• For Team Members: "What are the biggest technical challenges the team faces? How does the team make technical decisions? What's the product direction?"
• For Any Interviewer: "What does success look like in this role? What are you most excited about in the next 6 months?"

Questions to Avoid

• ❌ "What's a day in the life?" (too generic)
• ❌ "What's the salary?" (save for recruiter)
• ❌ "How many hours do people work?" (signals wrong priorities)

Preparation

Prepare 5-10 questions. You won't ask them all, but having options shows thoughtfulness.

The Critical Finding

According to former Meta Engineering Managers:

"90% of success in behavioral interviews comes from preparation. Most people spend all their time on technical interviews, but behavioral interviews are actually the #1 interview type that is underprepared for. If you get good at behavioral interviewing, you will actually become a better engineer because you'll understand what's made your projects successful."

Two Benefits of Behavioral Prep

1. Interview Success: You'll deliver stories with confidence and hit all the signals interviewers are looking for
2. Career Growth: Understanding what makes your work successful helps you repeat those behaviors. It's like writing a performance review - the reflection helps you apply those learnings going forward

1. "Tell Me About Yourself"

Why critical: This is often the FIRST question. First impressions matter. Interviewers are most attentive in the first 5-10 minutes.

Structure (2-2.5 minutes total):

• Part 1 (30 sec): Brief description + personal twist
• Part 2 (60-90 sec): List of 3-5 accomplishments (NOT a history lesson)
• Part 3 (30 sec): Forward-looking statement connecting to the role

Practice until:

• It sounds natural (not memorized)
• You can deliver it confidently without notes
• It flows smoothly from one part to the next
• You can adapt it slightly based on the role

2. Your Favorite/Most Impactful Project

Why critical: Almost every interview asks about a project. This sets the stage for your entire interview.

Choose based on:

• High personal involvement (you drove it)
• High business impact (measurable results)
• Appropriate scope for your level
• Demonstrates multiple qualities

Prepare in detail:

• Full CARL format
• 5-7 minutes if you're a good speaker
• Be ready to dive deep into any part
• Have answers for common follow-ups ready

3. A Conflict Story

Why critical: Almost every interview asks about conflict. You WILL get this question.

Must include:

• ✅ Seeking to understand first
• ✅ Showing empathy
• ✅ Using objective data
• ✅ Right communication channel
• ✅ Win-win solution
• ✅ Relationship preserved

Common follow-ups to prepare for:

• "How did you feel during this?"
• "What if they hadn't agreed?"
• "How do you prevent this in the future?"

Create Your Story Matrix

Build a mental map (or actual document) that helps you quickly select the right story:

Why this matters: During the interview, you can quickly look at your matrix, identify which quality is being tested, and select the best story. This reduces panic and helps you stay organized.

For Amazon Interviews

Critical: Amazon interviewers compare notes. Don't repeat the same story multiple times.

• Map your stories to the 16 Leadership Principles
• Have 2-3 stories per LP (32-48 total stories)
• Always share trade-offs explicitly
• Include conflicts and obstacles (show it wasn't easy)
• Focus on repeatable actions

For Meta/Facebook Interviews

• Emphasize impact and metrics
• Show you can operate at scale
• Demonstrate growth mindset
• Highlight cross-functional collaboration

For Any Company

• Research their published values
• Map your stories to their values
• Understand their culture (conflict-positive? data-driven?)
• Prepare questions that show you understand their challenges

Final Checklist

• ☐ Quick review of your story matrix (don't overthink - just refresh)
• ☐ Practice "Tell me about yourself" one more time
• ☐ Practice your favorite project story
• ☐ Practice your conflict story
• ☐ Review company values and how your stories map
• ☐ Prepare 5-10 questions to ask the interviewer
• ☐ Have your stories accessible (printed or on screen) for quick reference
• ☐ Get a good night's sleep

On Interview Day

• Arrive/join early (5-10 minutes)
• Have your story matrix accessible
• Stay calm - you're prepared!
• Remember: Pauses are okay. Silence shows thoughtfulness.
• Listen carefully to questions - decode what they're really asking