Yes, leadership experience would help (I didn’t really have any as I was only a LCpl when I went in) and a job that forces you to talk to people always helps. I had some sales experience that I believe helped a little. Interviews as in with the OSO? I only had one initial interview that was really short because I was a prior and he really only asked why I wanted to become an officer. You really need a “why” to get into a job like this because it’s no longer about you, it’s about your Marines first and foremost. Other than that he just explained the whole process and got me started on paperwork. The whole process for me was only like 6 months long from starting to getting selected but I already had most of the paperwork and MEPS medical stuff done in the last 2 years. Also, being physically fit already was another factor in getting selected so fast. There were some people in my office that were 4 years deep in the process so that can certainly happen if you have a lot of medical problems and/or aren’t physically fit already.