The four passes
Do them in this order. Each one takes about thirty minutes.
Pass 1: the role, not the company brochure
Read the advert line by line and list the five requirements it repeats. Find the team and the interviewer on LinkedIn. Write one sentence answering why this company and not a competitor, and make it specific enough that it could not be pasted into another application.
Pass 2: build the story bank
Six to eight STAR stories covering delivery under pressure, conflict, a mistake, leading without authority, improving something, and your strongest technical achievement. Each one needs a number in the result.
Pass 3: rehearse out loud
Record yourself answering "tell me about yourself", "why this role" and your three most likely competency questions. Listen back once. Most people find their answers are twice as long as they thought and missing the result.
Pass 4: the practicalities
Salary range with a reason, notice period, availability, three questions for them, route or video link tested, and a printed copy of the CV they have.
The three interview types you will meet in Ireland
Recruiter screening call (20 to 30 min)
Motivation, salary expectation, notice, work authorisation and a quick sanity check of the CV. Have your range and your one-line pitch ready. This is where most candidates get filtered out and almost nobody prepares.
Competency or hiring manager interview (45 to 60 min)
STAR territory. Expect four to six behavioural questions plus role-specific detail. They are testing whether your examples are real, so be ready for follow-ups on what you personally did.
Panel or final round
Common in multinationals, pharma and the public sector. Answer to the person who asked, look at the others as you finish, and keep answers tighter, panels get through more questions. Often includes a presentation or a task.
The questions worth rehearsing word for word
| Question | What they are really checking |
|---|---|
| Tell me about yourself | Can you frame your own value in ninety seconds |
| Why this role, why us | Is this a targeted application or a mass one |
| Tell me about a time you handled conflict | How you behave when it is uncomfortable |
| Tell me about a mistake you made | Ownership and what changed afterwards |
| Walk me through this gap or this move | Whether the story is consistent and forward-looking |
| What are your salary expectations | Whether you are in range and whether you know your worth |
| Do you need sponsorship or a work permit | Practical eligibility; answer plainly and factually |
Last verified 19 September 2026 against interviews our clients sat in Ireland and the UK.
How to talk about salary and sponsorship without losing ground
On salary, give a range, not a number, and attach a reason: the market range for the role at your level and what you are on now. If you are asked early and you do not have the information yet, it is fair to say you would like to understand the scope first and ask what range is budgeted.
On permits, be factual and brief. State your current status, and if you need sponsorship name the permit and the fact that the employer process is routine. Vagueness is what worries employers, not the permit itself.
Neither subject needs an apology. Both are answered best in one calm sentence, then move the conversation back to the work.
The twenty-four hours either side
- ·The night before: reread the advert and your own CV, not the company blog. Sleep beats cramming.
- ·One hour before: say your first three answers out loud once, then stop preparing.
- ·In the room or on the call: take a breath before answering, and it is fine to say you are taking a second to pick the right example.
- ·Note down, immediately after, every question you were asked. It is the best preparation material for the next round.
- ·Within twenty-four hours: a short thank-you email, three lines, referencing one specific thing discussed.
- ·If you are rejected, ask for one piece of feedback. Roughly one recruiter in three gives something usable.
Keep going
The CV that got the interview, and the bullets you will be asked about.
The four paragraph structure Irish recruiters expect.
The wider job search playbook, from direction to offer.
Know your range before anyone asks for a number.
Mock interviews and feedback with a real coach.
What clients say about working with us
“Hugo is a friendly and dedicated professional who can help you with career coaching. He was very attentive to me, making calls to teach me strategies to get the perfect job and providing accurate and professional material.”
“I had an amazing experience with HULA Career! Their team provided outstanding support in improving my LinkedIn profile and CV, making them more professional and impactful. Their guidance was clear, personalized, and extremely helpful.”
“I've been a client of HULA Career for a while now, and working with them has been one of the best decisions I've made for my professional growth. From the very beginning, they made me feel seen and heard.”
“I had a very good experience with HULA! Hugo is an amazing professional who always goes beyond to provide the best service he can. I learned a lot from our sessions and would recommend 100% for anyone who needs help finding a new job.”
“HULA met my expectations perfectly. I was looking for guidance to create a standout resume, and they fully understood my needs. The team was extremely attentive and delivered excellent services.”
“They are excellent professionals and exceed expectations. They helped me in a practical way, but also in a psychological way so that I could position myself in the labour market in another country. Thank you so much, you're amazing.”
Want a real rehearsal before the real thing?
A mock interview with honest feedback is the fastest way to find out how your answers actually land. Start with a free consultation and we will tell you where you are losing the room.
Written by
Hugo F
Career coach and co-founder of HULA. He works every week with international professionals hiring into Ireland, the UK and Portugal, and coaches them through CV, LinkedIn, applications and interviews. More about Hugo.
Frequently asked questions
How do I prepare for an interview?+
Work in four passes: research the company and the role until you can say why this job and not another; prepare six to eight STAR stories mapped to the requirements in the advert; rehearse them out loud against likely questions; and prepare your own questions plus your salary and notice answers. Two focused hours beats a week of reading.
How long should I spend preparing for an interview?+
Around two to three hours for a first-round interview and four or more for a final round or a panel. Most of that time should be spent saying answers out loud, not reading about the company.
What is the STAR method?+
Situation, Task, Action, Result. You set the context in one or two sentences, say what you were responsible for, spend most of the answer on what you personally did, then close with the measurable result. Aim for around ninety seconds.
What questions are asked in Irish job interviews?+
Expect a walk-through of your CV, why this company, competency questions on teamwork, conflict, deadlines, mistakes and initiative, one or two role-specific technical questions, salary expectations and notice period, and your questions at the end. Panel interviews are common in the public sector and multinationals.
How do I answer 'tell me about yourself'?+
Ninety seconds, three parts: where you are now and what you are strongest at, one or two proof points with numbers, then why this role is the logical next step. Do not narrate your CV chronologically from college.
What should I ask at the end of an interview?+
Three questions, none about holidays. What does success in this role look like at six months, what is the biggest challenge facing the team right now, and what are the next steps and the timeline. They read as interest and they give you information you can use.
How should I prepare for an online interview?+
Test the link, camera and microphone the day before, sit with light in front of you rather than behind, keep the CV and the job advert open beside the camera, and look at the lens when you answer. Dress exactly as you would in person.