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  • Top 5 Interview Prep Mistakes

  • Resume Checklist for 2025

  • Building an Equitable Hiring Process

Top 5 Interview Prep Mistakes (and How to Avoid Them)

Interviews can feel like high-stakes auditions. The good news? Most candidates stumble over the same handful of things. Here are the top five mistakes I see as a recruiter — and how you can sidestep them.

1. Not Researching the Company

Candidates often know the role but not the company’s mission, values, or product. Interviewers notice.

👉 Fix it: Spend 30 minutes on the company website, LinkedIn, and recent press.

2. Talking in Generalities

“We increased sales” isn’t memorable. Hiring managers want numbers and specifics.

👉 Fix it: Use STAR (Situation, Task, Action, Result) to anchor your answers.

3. Rambling Instead of Pausing

Nerves make people overshare. Clarity is more powerful than volume.

👉 Fix it: Practice answers out loud; pause, breathe, and let the interviewer guide.

4. Ignoring Culture Questions

“Why do you want to work here?” is just as critical as technical questions.

👉 Fix it: Tie your answer back to company values and your own motivations.

5. Skipping Questions for the Interviewer

When asked “Do you have questions?” — saying “No” is a missed chance.

👉 Fix it: Prepare 3 thoughtful questions about team dynamics, goals, and success measures.

Great interviewing isn’t about perfection — it’s about preparation and presence. Nail these five areas, and you’ll stand out from the crowd.

Resume Checklist for 2025

Applicant tracking systems (ATS) are evolving, and hiring managers have less time than ever. Here’s a checklist to make sure your resume is ready for today’s job market.

✅ Keep It Skimmable

  • 1–2 pages max

  • Clear headings and bullet points

  • No walls of text

✅ Lead With Impact

  • Quantify results (“Increased revenue by 35%,” “Hired 50 engineers in 6 months”)

  • Action verbs (led, built, launched, grew)

✅ ATS-Friendly Formatting

  • Stick to standard fonts (Arial, Calibri)

  • Avoid graphics, text boxes, or columns

  • Save as PDF

✅ Tailor to Each Job

  • Match keywords from the job description

  • Highlight relevant skills and achievements

✅ Polish the Details

  • Consistent formatting

  • No typos

  • Professional email address

A great resume doesn’t just get you noticed — it gets you interviews. Use this checklist, and you’ll be ahead of 80% of applicants hitting “Easy Apply.”

Building an Equitable Hiring Process

Equity in hiring isn’t a “nice to have.” It’s essential for attracting top talent, improving retention, and building a culture where people thrive. Here are three ways to start building a more equitable process today.

1. Standardize Interview Questions

When interviewers “wing it,” bias creeps in.

👉 Fix it: Build scorecards with the same core questions for each candidate.

2. Diversify the Hiring Panel

Homogeneous panels unintentionally signal who “belongs.”

👉 Fix it: Include team members with varied backgrounds, genders, and perspectives.

3. Measure, Don’t Assume

Gut feel ≠ fairness. You can’t improve what you don’t track.

👉 Fix it: Track pipeline diversity, pass-through rates, and time-to-hire by demographic segment.

Equitable hiring is a journey, not a box to check. Start small, be consistent, and watch how it transforms your company’s ability to attract and retain great talent.