3 Smart Ways to Prepare for Interviews in Today’s Job Market

If it’s been a few years since your last job interview or if you’re navigating this process for the first time, the landscape may feel different. And you’re not imagining it. Interviews today are more strategic, more behavioral, and often more competitive.

Employers are looking beyond qualifications. They want evidence: how you think, how you solve problems, and how you operate under pressure.

The good news? With the right preparation, you can walk in confident and ready.

Here are three modern strategies that will give you a real advantage. 

Use AI as Your Interview Prep Partner

If you use them intentionally, AI tools can be incredibly helpful.

Instead of just asking, “What are common interview questions?” you can try more specific prompts like: 

• Generate behavioral interview questions for a project manager role in healthcare.
• Act as a hiring manager and critique my answer.
• What weaknesses do you see in this response?

 AI is especially powerful for:

• Practicing behavioral and situational questions (more on those concepts below)
• Researching a company’s products, services, and mission
• Refining your career story
• Stress-testing explanations for career pivots or resume gaps

The key is to ask for critical feedback. You can improve your responses by identifying weak spots and sharpening your language.  Think of AI as a low-stakes rehearsal room where you can practice before the real performance.

Conduct a Quick Informational Interview

Before (or even after) you apply, try reaching out to someone who already works in the role you want.

You don't need to ask for a referral; just ask for 15 minutes of insight.

This isn’t about landing the job directly, but rather about gathering intelligence that will help you in your interview and interactions with the hiring team.

You might ask:

• What does a typical week look like?
• What skills matter most in this role?
• What surprised you when you started?
• How would you describe the team culture?

This conversation gives you something powerful: insider language.

You’ll learn how the company talks about its work, what challenges really matter, and what success looks like. That insight helps you tailor your resume and interview answers so they truly resonate.

Of course, if you make a strong impression, opportunities may also naturally follow.

Prepare for Both Behavioral and Situational Questions

Most modern interviews include both. Knowing the difference helps you prepare effectively.

Behavioral Questions: “Tell me about a time...”

These questions ask about your past experience to predict future performance.  They appear across industries and roles, from entry-level positions to management and executive leadership.  Examples of a behavioral interview question include:

• Tell me about a time you worked effectively as part of a cross-functional team.
• Share an example of when you identified and addressed a process inefficiency.
• Tell me about a time you had to solve a problem under significant time pressure.
• Describe a situation where you had to learn a new skill or technology rapidly.
• Share an example of when you had to influence senior leadership.

Your job is to provide a clear, structured story. The STAR method (Situation > Task > Action > Result) works well here. Employers aren’t just listening for what happened; they’re evaluating how you think and how you contribute.

Situational Questions: “What would you do if...”

Situational interview questions reveal your problem-solving abilities and showcase how you'll handle real workplace challenges. These are hypothetical scenarios designed to test judgment, problem-solving, and how you balance stakeholders and outcomes.  Examples of a situational interview question include:

• What would you do if a client was unhappy with your work?
• How would you handle competing priorities from two managers?
• What would you do if team communication began breaking down?
• How would you adapt to new compliance regulations?

This is your opportunity to demonstrate leadership potential, even if you’re early in your career.

The Bottom Line

Modern interviews are less about memorizing “perfect answers” and more about demonstrating:

• Self-awareness
• Preparation
• Strategic thinking
• Clear communication

If you use AI to refine your responses, gather insider insight through informational interviews, and prepare strong examples for both behavioral and situational questions, you’ll walk into your interview with clarity and confidence.

And in today’s competitive market, that confidence makes a difference.