Interview Checklist

The week before

Preparation

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• Researched the company using the company research prompt.
• Read the job description again and listed the three things they most need this hire to do.
• Looked up every person you will meet on LinkedIn.
• Ran at least one full mock interview out loud.
• Selected the three stories from your bank that best fit this specific role.
• Prepared your "tell me about yourself" answer and said it out loud five times.
• Prepared answers for the transition questions veterans always get.
• Wrote down 5–6 questions to ask them.
• Know your salary range and your walk-away number before anyone asks.
• Confirmed the format, duration, and who will be on the call or in the room.

The night before

Logistics

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• Outfit chosen, clean, and pressed.
• Route planned with a 30-minute buffer, or video link tested on the actual device.
• Printed copies of your resume (in-person) or resume open in a tab (video).
• Notepad and a working pen.
• Read your one-page day-before briefing.
• Phone charged, and charger packed.
• Interviewer names and the recruiter's phone number saved, in case something goes wrong.
• Alarm set. Sleep matters more than one more hour of preparation.

Video interviews specifically

Video setup

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• Tested camera, microphone, and the specific platform they are using.
• Camera at eye level — stack books under the laptop if needed.
• Light source in front of you, not behind you.
• Background is plain and uncluttered.
• Notifications silenced on every device, including the phone.
• Household and pets briefed.
• Backup plan ready: phone hotspot, and the recruiter's number for a phone fallback.
• Joined 3–5 minutes early.

During

In the room

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• Said "I" when describing what you personally did. Veterans default to "we" — it costs you credit.
• Translated jargon in the moment, without being asked.
• Gave the 90-second version of each story, then stopped and let them ask.
• Asked your prepared questions and took notes on the answers.
• Asked about next steps and timing before the conversation ended.
• Got everyone's name and role written down.

Within 24 hours

Follow-up

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• Sent a thank-you note to every person you met — distinct versions, they compare.
• Ran the self-debrief prompt while it was fresh.
• Added any question that caught you off guard to your prep list, with a prepared answer.
• Logged the interview in your tracking sheet with dates and next steps.
• Kept applying. Do not pause your pipeline waiting on one outcome.

Say I, not we

Military culture trains you to credit the team. Civilian interviewers are trying to figure out what you did. Say “I decided,” “I built,” “I led” — and then credit the team at the end. It is not arrogance; it is answering the question they asked.