How to prepare for an interview: an overview

The best way to prepare for an interview is to know which kind of interview you're walking into. A recruiter call, a case study and a conversation with the CEO each look for something different, so your preparation should too. Get started with this overview and start preparing for your interviews with intent and structure.

This guide is for experienced professionals interviewing in Germany, Austria and Switzerland.

What are the main types of job interviews?

• Screening call: The recruiter checks your motivation, salary expectations and notice period.

• Hiring manager interview: The hiring manager wants to know if you can solve this team's problems.

• Technical or functional interview: Peers test your depth. Be ready to explain your trade-offs.

• Case study or presentation: They want to see how you think. Structure your answer and end with a clear recommendation.

• Panel interview: Several people, several priorities. Think about what each person cares about and where the trade-offs lie between the different stakeholders.

• C-suite or final round: Leadership is testing your judgement. Come with a view on the company's priorities.

Your interview preparation checklist

You don't need to do everything for every round, but this list makes sure nothing important slips.

• Pick the 3–5 requirements in the job description that matter most, and one example from your experience for each

• Re-read the CV you sent for this role

• Get a feel for the company: how it makes money, its maturity, and any news from the last few months

• Look up who you're meeting and what they're likely to care about

• Prepare a short, role-specific answer to "tell me about yourself"

• Have 4–6 stories ready from your past experience

• Write down 3–5 questions you genuinely want answered

• Know your salary range and notice period

• Check the format, length and interview language

What's specific to senior roles?

At a senior level, you can expect more rounds and more people from different functions. Interviewers want to hear where you set direction or influenced people you didn't manage and not just how you operated within your role. Your questions matter as much as your answers, as well as the cultural fit between the company and yourself.

What is specific to the DACH region?

• Be punctual and follow their lead on formality. Be on time, greet with a handshake and eye contact if in person, and stick to "Sie" and surnames until invited to switch to "du" if holding the interview in German.

• Let evidence do the talking. Concrete examples with clear results land better than big claims or enthusiasm. Evidence of teamwork and quantifiable results rates higher than self-promotion and over-confidence.

• Come with questions. Interviews are seen as two-way, so make sure you have some thoughtful questions prepared.

• Know what's off-limits. In Germany, an prospective employer is not allowed to ask you about certain topics. Examples are pregnancy, family planning or relationships and if you are asked, you're not required to answer truthfully (note: this is not legal advice but there have been court rulings that follow this).

How long should I prepare for an interview?

It depends on the round. A screening call needs much less than a case study or final round. Spend your time on examples specific to the role rather than generic question lists.

Got an interview coming up? Aptly Prep builds a prep brief for each round from the job description, your CV and your notes, so you can walk in feeling ready.