# Interview Brief > Prepares a comprehensive interview brief after Mark receives an interview request on Upwork or elsewhere. Covers: project scope review, client background, tech stack deep-dive, key talking points from Mark's experience, smart questions to ask, rate/timeline discussion prep, and red flags. Invoke when Mark gets an interview invitation on a job he has applied for. Trigger phrases: "interview brief", "prep me for an interview", "got an interview", "/interview-brief". - Skill: `markbaindesign/interview-brief` (Agent Skill) - Install (CLI): `npx skillmds@latest add markbaindesign/interview-brief` - Raw SKILL.md: https://api.skillmd.com/api/skills/markbaindesign/interview-brief/raw - Safety review: pending - Works with: Claude Code, Claude.ai, OpenAI Codex - Category: Coding & Dev Tools - Author: markbaindesign (https://skillmd.com/u/markbaindesign) - Updated: 2026-09-17 - Page: https://skillmd.com/skills/markbaindesign/interview-brief --- # Interview Brief Prepares Mark for a client interview by combining proposal context with fresh research on the client and their project. --- ## Step 1 — Gather context Ask for the following if not already provided. Collect all before proceeding. 1. **Job title / Upwork job URL** (required — to locate the proposal and job details) 2. **Client name or company name** (required — for research) 3. **Client website URL** (optional but useful) 4. **Interview format** (Upwork video call / Zoom / phone / async messages — if known) 5. **Any specific questions or topics the client mentioned** (paste them if you have them) 6. **When is the interview?** (to calibrate urgency) If the job URL is provided and matches a file in `context/proposals/`, read that proposal now. Also check `pipeline/pending_briefs.json` for the full job dict (title, description, budget, skills, client details). --- ## Step 2 — Load the proposal Find the matching proposal file in `context/proposals/` (match by slug derived from job title or date). Read the full file — both PROJECT BRIEF and PROPOSAL OUTPUT sections. Extract and note: - What was promised in the proposal (deliverables, approach, timeline, rate range) - Which of Mark's projects were cited as relevant - Any flags or concerns noted in the PROJECT BRIEF - Screening question answers if any were included If no proposal file is found, ask Mark to paste the proposal text or describe what was sent. --- ## Step 3 — Research the client Use WebSearch and WebFetch to find real, current information. Do not invent facts. ### 3a. Company / client background Search: `"[client name]" about site:[client URL domain]` Search: `"[client name]" LinkedIn` Search: `"[client name]" Upwork profile` (if individual) - Is this an individual or a company? - What do they do / what is their business? - Size: solo operator, small team, established company? - Industry and sector - Any prior Upwork history visible (hires, spend, reviews) ### 3b. Project and tech context Search: `"[client name]" WordPress` (or relevant stack from job description) Search: `"[client name]" [main technology from job description]` Fetch the client's website if URL provided — look for: - CMS / platform in use (check page source, BuiltWith headers, footer credits) - Current state of what they want to build or improve - Any design references or existing work they linked in the job post ### 3c. Red flags check Search: `"[client name]" reviews scam complaint` (optional, do if Upwork history is thin) Check the Upwork job dict for: - Payment verified? Rating? Hires? Spend? - Is this a repeat client or new to Upwork? --- ## Step 4 — Build the interview brief Produce the full brief as a markdown file. Structure: ``` # Interview Brief: [Job Title] Client: [Client name] Date: [today's date] Interview: [format + date/time if known] --- ## Project scope (from proposal) [2–3 sentences summarising what was quoted, what approach was proposed, and what rate/timeline was discussed. Pull directly from the proposal — not from memory.] --- ## Client background [What was found: individual vs company, industry, size, relevant history. If Upwork client: their rating, total spend, number of hires. Tone: direct, no padding.] --- ## Their tech stack (confirmed + likely) [What is confirmed from research. What is inferred from the job description. Group: Current setup / What they want to build / Gaps to fill.] --- ## Key talking points [5–7 specific points Mark should hit in the interview, grounded in what was found. Each one links back to a real project from project-database.csv or a verified skill. These are NOT generic — they should be specific to THIS client and THIS project.] - **[Point]**: [One sentence on what to say and why it lands here] - ... --- ## Questions to ask them [6–8 smart questions. Ordered: project clarity first, then working style, then longevity/fit. These should be specific to what was found — not generic interview questions.] 1. [Question] — *why ask: what this reveals* 2. ... --- ## Rate and timeline prep [Based on the job's budget range and the proposal sent: - What rate was proposed? Is there room to move? - What's the likely project duration based on scope? - Hourly vs fixed: which is better here and why? - How to handle rate questions if they push back] --- ## Things to probe / potential concerns [Any flags from the proposal, from research, or from the Upwork job dict that warrant gentle probing during the interview. E.g.: vague scope, low budget for complexity, first-time Upwork client, missing technical clarity, unrealistic timeline.] --- ## If they ask about [common interview scenarios] Quick prep for the questions Mark is most likely to get: **"Have you done something like this before?"** [Which specific project(s) to reference and what to say] **"What would your process look like?"** [2–3 sentences on Mark's standard discovery → design/build → delivery flow] **"What's your availability / when can you start?"** [Standard answer prep: lead time, hours per week, timezone note] **"Can you do it for less?"** [One or two sentences on how to handle rate pushback without caving immediately] --- ## One-line summary [Single sentence Mark can use to open: "I applied because..." — specific to this job.] ``` --- ## Step 5 — Save the brief Save to: `context/applications/[client-slug]-interview-[YYYYMMDD].md` If a folder already exists for this application (from `apply.py`), save inside it instead: `context/applications/[existing-folder]/interview-brief-[YYYYMMDD].md` Confirm the save path to Mark. --- ## Notes - Pull facts from the proposal and project-database.csv — do not fabricate experience. - Keep talking points concrete: name the project, year, what was built. Vague claims lose trust. - The "Questions to ask" section is often the most valuable part — smart questions signal expertise. - If the interview is in under 2 hours, cut Step 3 research to the most essential searches only and flag this in the output. - Do not include certifications or skills that are not in PROFILE.md or project-database.csv.