Preparing for Interviews with Confidence
Get ready to interview with confidence—no matter where you are in the process. Preparing for internships isn’t just about practicing answers. It’s about understanding different interview formats, communicating your experiences clearly, and evaluating whether an organization is the right fit for you.
Start Here
Early-stage
(exploring, applying, or interviewing for the first time)
- Build your foundation: learn interview basics and practice common questions like “Tell me about yourself.”
- Create 2–3 strong stories from class projects, teamwork, or part-time work using STAR.
- Do one low-stakes practice run (out loud) before your first real interview.
Late-stage
(multiple interviews, final rounds, or offer stage)
- Level up performance: refine your answers for clarity, concision, and impact (focus on outcomes and decisions).
- Prepare for role-specific formats (technical, design, or case) and practice under time limits.
- Ask sharper questions to evaluate team culture, expectations, and support.
Interviewing Preparation & Execution
Interviews are conversations, not interrogations. Strong preparation helps you show up confident, communicate your experiences clearly, and ask thoughtful questions that help you evaluate the role and organization.
- Prepare before interviews and reflect afterward.
- Practice common questions like “Tell me about yourself.”
- Learn how to talk about coursework, projects, and experiences.
- Identify organizations with inclusive cultures and values.
- Navigate virtual interviews, assessments, and pre-hire testing.
Resources
- [Workshop Slides] Intro to Interviewing
- Pre-Interview Worksheet
- AI Prompt Resource Guide: Interview Prep
- Tell Me About Yourself (TMAY) Worksheet
- Interview Protocol: Questions to Ask in an Interview
- Identifying Positive and Inclusive Organizations - Interview Questions (roles, culture, routines)
- How to Talk About Course Projects in Interviews
- Interview Guide (from the U-M Alumni Association)
- [Handout] Virtual Interviews/Interviewing During Covid
- [Handout] Talent Assessments and Pre-Hire Testing
Behavioral Interviews
Behavioral interviews focus on how you’ve handled real situations in the past. Employers use them to understand how you communicate, collaborate, solve problems, and respond to challenges.
- Understand common behavioral interview questions.
- Structure answers using the STAR method.
- Translate academic, work, and project experiences into clear stories.
- Practice answering questions with confidence and clarity.
Resources
Technical, Design, & Case Interviews
Some internships include role-specific interviews that assess technical skills, design thinking, or structured case analysis. These formats can feel unfamiliar—but they’re learnable with practice.
- Prepare for technical interviews (data science, engineering, and related roles).
- Understand what to expect in consulting and case interviews.
- Practice presenting your UX portfolio and design work.
- Learn how design challenges and heuristic evaluations are assessed.
- Get exposure to real-world interview examples and expert guidance.
Resources
Need help deciding what to focus on?
If you’re unsure which interview format applies to you or want feedback on your preparation plan, you can always meet with a CDO Career Coach for personalized guidance.