I’m doing quite a lot of interviews with new guys at Blendle. Here are four major clues I’m taking with me as notes-to-self if I’m ever interviewing for a new position again. Might be of help for you someday too.

1. Study the company. As an interviewer you’re looking for smart, talented people that would like to join whatever cause you’re working on. If you’re a candidate, you should have a deep understanding of the primary goal of the company. If you can’t figure out what it is, this would be my number one question (and I’d question why I would want to work at a place where I can’t figure out what their goal is as well). Gather as much knowledge about the company as you can: this is by far the easiest thing you can do to prepare.
2. Study the people you’re interviewing with. Ask in advance who you’ll be speaking with. Study their profiles and find out as much as you can about this person. Dropping a reference to something you found or read lets the other person know you did your homework.
3. Prepare questions. Your interviewing for a position which will potentially take up the biggest chunk of your waking hours every day. It is impossible that you don’t have questions about your potential new employer (beyond “what is your view on working remote?”). This is the time to check if you can align with the values of the company.
4. Bring stuff to show. Regardless of the position, make sure to bring stuff you can show. A demo you can run, a video of something you’re proud of, a piece of code you particularly like. Make sure to customize it according to the company your interviewing with.

Preparation is everything, and it can make all the difference between a bad and a stellar interview.