Is Being Qualified Enough? Why Interview Preparation Matters

February 10, 2026 in Career and Job Search Tips, Interview Tips

 

Laurie Hyllberg

Laurie champions Kinsa Group’s position as the top food and beverage recruiting firm in the nation and its presence in the global FMCG marketplace. To her Bachelor of Science in Psychology, Business Management, and Marketing she adds over 20 years of executive search experience in the food and beverage industry at Kinsa. Building a network of executives and professionals through membership in the Women’s Foodservice Forum, Institute of Food Technologists, FaB Wisconsin, Chicagoland Food and Beverage Network, and maintaining professional expertise in recruiting as an Executive Board Member for the Recruiters Of Wisconsin association, Laurie is able to connect top talent in the food industry with food and beverage processors and foodservice providers growing their teams at the C-Suite, VP, Director, and Management level. Connect with Laurie today!

 

You’re qualified. Your resume proves it. But interviews are won in conversation, and conversation requires preparation.

Preparation Builds Three Things That Matter

  1. Credibility. When you articulate your experience with specificity (numbers, outcomes, context), you prove you’ve done the work. Vague answers suggest you haven’t, even if you have.
  2. Clarity. Preparation helps you translate years of complex work into concise, relevant stories. Without it, you ramble. With it, you land your points.
  3. Confidence. Confidence comes from knowing what you’ll say and why it matters. Hiring managers notice when you are winging it.

How to Prepare Your Accomplishment Examples

Interviewers will ask you to describe specific situations from your career history. There is about a 10-second window before the awkward silence kicks in. Scrambling to find a story will result in vague answers that don’t speak to your abilities.

Don’t memorize a script. Prepare 5 – 7  examples before the interview. Structure each story around the situation, your specific role, the actions you took, and the outcome. Use this format:

  • Metrics-based: “I led a product relaunch that increased distribution by 40% in six months and contributed $8M in incremental revenue.”
  • Challenge/solution: “Our co-packer was inconsistent in quality. I renegotiated the contract, implemented weekly audits, and reduced defect rates from 12% to under 3%.”
  • Team or cross-functional impact: “I built alignment between sales, marketing, and supply chain to execute a national rollout two weeks ahead of schedule, avoiding $200K in delay costs.”

The examples you choose should cover leadership, problem-solving, collaboration, and results. These examples should be flexible enough that you can adapt them to be the answer to different questions.

How to Prepare Questions for the Employer

At the end of most interviews, you’ll hear: “Do you have any questions for us?”

Saying “No, I think you covered everything” is a missed opportunity. Asking “What’s the salary range?” suggests you haven’t thought beyond the paycheck.

Your questions reveal how you think and what you care about. Ask things that demonstrate insight and strategic interest:

  • “What does success look like in this role in the first 90 days versus the first year?”
  • “What are the biggest operational or market challenges the team is navigating right now?”
  • “How does this role interact with sales, supply chain, or product development?”
  • “What’s driving growth for the business right now: new products, new channels, or something else?”
  • “Why is this role open, and what results would demonstrate success in it long-term?”

Avoid questions you could answer with a Google or LinkedIn search. Use your questions to assess if this role aligns with your career goals. Interviews are a two-way evaluation.

What Happens When You Don’t Prepare

When you don’t prepare, you lose control of the narrative. Instead of showcasing your best work, you scramble to remember details or default to generic answers. The interviewer walks away unsure of your impact.

You also miss the chance to evaluate the opportunity. Without thoughtful questions, you can’t assess whether the role, team, or company is a great fit for you. A bad fit wastes everyone’s time.

Unprepared candidates rarely advance; not because they lack experience, but because they fail to communicate it effectively.

Work With a Partner Who Prepares You to Win

At Kinsa Group, we help you position your experience, refine your narrative, and walk into interviews ready to perform.

⭐ Candidate Testimonial: Stephanie Savage was incredible to work with. She not only helped me get a great job that is a perfect fit for me, but also I feel Stephanie took the time to understand me and what I was looking for in my next role […] Through the entire process, she was amazing in coaching me and getting me ready for interviews […] I would recommend Kinsa to anyone looking for their dream role.” – Business Development Manager

If you’re exploring your next move in food and beverage, let’s talk. Submit your resume or reach out directly to one of our recruiters. We’ll help you prepare and connect you with opportunities where your expertise shines.

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