The most common mistake I see when I'm helping people prep for interviews: they haven't thought through their answers to predictable questions in advance. Then they ramble, go off-topic, or undersell themselves. Interviews have a predictable structure — like a first date, there are questions everyone gets asked, and the people who do well are the ones who've thought about their answers ahead of time.
Take "Tell me about yourself." Before your interview, highlight the keywords in the job description and then match them to your own experience. Your answer should naturally hit those terms — because the HR person is often literally following along with the JD while you talk. The more your language overlaps with what they're looking for, the better you come across in that first round.
On the language itself: find a way to practice speaking English more fluidly. A lot of people fill silence with "um," "like," and "you know," which makes them sound uncertain. I recommend iTalki — you can find native English-speaking tutors, filter by price and availability, and get real practice time on demand. Some offer trial lessons at a discount. Use it specifically to practice interview answers out loud, not just conversation.
For virtual interviews, you can have notes. Use them. I write a full outline in advance — two STAR stories for each potential question, each one contained to about two minutes. Don't memorize them word for word, just internalize the key beats for each story: the company context, the project, the action you took, and the measurable result. Practice until it sounds like you're remembering it, not reading it.
And if they ask about a tool or skill you don't have: don't just say "I don't know that." Show learning agility. Something like: "I haven't used Tool A extensively, but I have solid experience with Tool B, which is similar. I'm also actively taking courses on Tool A right now, and I'm confident I can ramp up quickly." That's a much better answer.
© 2026 Rachel Hong · Accelerator Consulting