Interviews often go sideways before the first question—when nerves, tech hiccups, or a scattered story steal your momentum. One of the simplest ways to show up calm and sharp is to run a short, repeatable warm-up that primes your voice, stories, and presence.

The 7-minute warm-up (do this every time)

1) 60 seconds: Set your “headline”

Before you join the call (or walk into the room), write one sentence that answers:

• “Why should they hire me for this role?”

Example: “I help B2B teams grow pipeline by turning messy data into clear campaigns.”

This becomes your anchor if you get thrown a curveball.

2) 2 minutes: Practice a clean 20–30 second intro

Your intro should be role + impact + proof:

• Current/most recent role
• 1–2 measurable outcomes
• Why you’re excited about this position

Tip: Record it once on your phone. If it sounds breathy or rushed, slow down by 10%.

3) 2 minutes: Rehearse 2 “proof stories” (STAR-lite)

Pick two stories you can adapt to many questions:

• A challenge you solved
• A conflict/feedback moment you handled well

Use a lightweight structure:

• Situation (1 sentence)
• Action (2–3 sentences)
• Result (1 sentence with numbers if possible)

Keep the result crisp: “Reduced onboarding time by 25%.”

4) 1 minute: Presence check (virtual or in-person)

For virtual interviews:

• Camera at eye level
• Light in front of you (not behind)
• Notes at screen level: 3 bullets max (headline + 2 stories)

For in-person:

• Shoulders back, feet grounded
• Bring a pen + notepad; it signals focus and helps pacing

5) 1 minute: Prepare 2 smart questions

Avoid questions that are answered on the job description. Aim for signal questions like:

• “What does success look like in the first 90 days?”
• “What’s the biggest challenge the team wants this hire to solve?”

Why this works

This routine reduces cognitive load. Instead of improvising under pressure, you walk in with:

• A clear message (headline)
• Two adaptable examples (proof stories)
• Stronger delivery (presence + pacing)

If you already do a pre-interview routine, what’s your go-to step that makes the biggest difference right before you join?