Day 1: The most important 90 secs of the interview

The Most Important 90 Seconds of Your Career

Hey there,

Let's talk about the moment that makes or breaks your interview, those first 90 seconds when they ask, "tell me about yourself."

Most people wing it. They ramble about their childhood love of computers or launch into a chronological resume recital that puts everyone to sleep.

But here's what the smartest candidates do: They reverse-engineer their story based on what the company actually needs.

True story: I once applied for a PM role that was at a director level internally. in the job description, it said “Product manager Payments”. I had no senior-level experience to apply for that role then. But I would not have known that before my hiring manager interview if I had not inquired with the recruiter, because the JD was generic.

The Secret: 5 Questions That Change Everything

Before you craft your "tell me about yourself" answer, you need intel. Real intel.

Not just the job description fluff, but the actual day-to-day reality of what they're hiring for.

Here are the 5 questions that will transform your next interview:

(Ask the recruiter these questions so you have a well-rounded answer for your hiring manager round. Bonus: if you can get the “intel” on the role for the recruiter round too)

1. "How is success measured in this role?"

This tells you whether they want a doer or a thinker.

• If they mention delivery metrics, deadlines, or output → Lead with your execution wins
• If they talk about influence, strategy, or long-term impact → Highlight your big-picture thinking

Your story should match their success metrics.

2. "Where does this role sit in the org structure?"

The real question: Are you a solo warrior, a team builder, or a cross-functional diplomat?

• Solo IC → Focus on your individual expertise and self-direction
• Team lead → Emphasize your leadership and people development wins
• Cross-functional role → Highlight collaboration and communication skills

Tailor your examples to the actual working style they need.

3. "Can you share what the top priorities are for the first 6 months?"

What you're really asking: Do they want quick fixes or transformation?

• Quick wins mentioned → Share stories about rapid problem-solving
• Long-term projects → Talk about strategic initiatives you've led

Match their timeline with your storytelling.

4. "Who will this role collaborate with most day-to-day?"

The hidden insight: How much "influence without authority" will you need?

• Lots of stakeholders → Emphasize consensus-building and communication
• Small, tight team → Focus on deep collaboration and technical partnership
• Senior leadership → Highlight executive presence and strategic thinking

Your collaboration style should mirror their environment.

5. "At what level is this role scoped internally?"

Why this is gold: It tells you exactly what depth of storytelling they expect.

• Senior IC → Deep technical expertise and domain mastery
• Manager → Leadership philosophy and team development
• Director → Strategic vision and organizational impact

Match your story's altitude to their expectation.

Putting It All Together

Once you have these answers, your "tell me about yourself" becomes laser-focused:

"I'm a [role] with [X years] of experience in [relevant domain]. What excites me most is [thing that aligns with their success metrics]. In my last role at [company], I [specific example that matches their priorities and collaboration style]. I'm particularly drawn to this opportunity because [connection to their actual needs based on the intel you gathered]."

This Week's Challenge

Pick one upcoming interview (or networking conversation) and ask at least 3 of these 5 questions. Notice how different your preparation becomes when you know what they actually care about.

The best part? Most candidates never ask these questions. You'll immediately stand out as someone who thinks strategically about fit—not just someone looking for any job.

This is a new 7-day series on Interview prep where every day I will share the techniques that I have crafted and perfected over the years. These will be short reads.

Like or comment if you find it useful!

We're diving into several strategies that separate good candidates from great ones. Hint: it's not about having all the answers.

P.S. Got a success story from using these questions? Hit reply and tell me about it. I love hearing about wins that come from strategic preparation rather than just crossing your fingers.

Found this helpful? Forward it to that friend who's been "casually looking" for six months. They'll thank you for the tactical advice.