How to prepare for a job interview

Preparing for a Job Interview is very important. If you prepare well, you will be calm, confident, and awake the day of your job interview. Read the interview tips below to find out the best ways to prepare between the time you are called back for a job interview and the time you undertake the actual interview process.

Key tips to preparing for the job interview

Research well in advance of the job interview

Once you learn you have been called back for a job interview, start researching the company and job position immediately. Also, begin preparing answers to possible questions from day one of learning you will be going to a job interview in the near future. By preparing well in advance, it will be far less stressful and the whole job interview preparation process will seem much easier.

Be aware of the type of job interview you are having

There are several types of job interview. Make sure you know which one you are facing. Read our dedicated section on Joblers to find out more about the different interview types.

Sleep well, eat well, feel awake for the job interview

You must sleep well before the job interview, in order to feel fresh and ready to tackle the job interview. People do get obsessed by the need for lots of sleep, which in turn can cause you to get very little sleep! However, just try to rest your body as much as possible in the days leading up to the interview.

Eating well is also significant. Have full meals before your job interview, and a big breakfast the day of your interview. Through this, you will have the energy to remember all the preparatory information you have revised prior to interview.

If you achieve both the sleeping and eating routines detailed above, then you will feel revitalised, fresh and awake for the job interview.

Practice typical job interview questions

To be fully prepared for a job interview, you must familiarise yourself with the typical questions that you will encounter during the job interview. If you know what types of questions to expect then you can be more confident in the interview because there will be no nasty surprises. Take a look at a list of typical job interview questions to prepare yourself. You can also prepare by looking at the different types of job interview questions.

It is important to be familiar with the questions, but you should also practice your answers. Think about what you could say in response to all the questions on the list above.

If you are familiar with both questions and answers, then you will be much better prepared for the job interview.

Do not panic the day before your job interview

It is common to feel nervous the day before your job interview. However, you must not let these nerves develop into panic. If you panic, and feel you are wildly unprepared, you will start cramming any information you feel you lack, and it will not stick in your head. On the day before the interview, simply review the preparatory notes you have already made. Make sure you revise the information you have already prepared for the interview until you feel comfortable remembering a lot of it from memory. Get a friend or family member to ask you a random selection of practice interview questions to test you.

Prepare your clothing the day before the job interview

Make sure to prepare your outfit the day before the job interview to avoid any last minute worry. If you cannot find the correct shirt or your trousers are in the washing machine the morning of your interview, then you will panic and also lose focus on the interview itself. If you are unsure of what clothes you should wear, read our page about what to wear for a job interview.

Bring necessary documents to the job interview

Remember to bring any necessary documentation that you will need for interview. Documents may include a passport or driving license. They could also be educational information, such as a school project, essay, or even proof of your academic grades. Employers are often interested in references from any work experience you have done, so remember to bring these along with you. Finally, you may want to bring a copy of your CV and cover letter; you can revise them on the journey there and the interviewer might want to use them during the interview.

Whatever documentation you might need during a job interview, remember to bring it!

Make sure to know the date, time and place of the job interview

The date, time and place of a job interview are essential to arriving at the place to start the interview process. Check through any correspondence you have had with a potential employer to make sure you know exactly when and where your job interview is taking place.

Do not panic the day of your job interview

It can be very easy to wake up the day of interview, go into a state of panic, and seriously harm your chances of doing well at the job interview. Some people skip breakfast, or drink 5 coffees in a row, or even contemplate not going to the interview to avoid the stressful emotions that they have. Do not do any of these things. Simply focus on being calm and appearing professional during the interview.

Plan your travel route to the job interview

On the day of your job interview, the last thing you want is to have the added stress of planning your journey. Or worse…the blind panic of getting lost on your way to the interview! If you want to prepare well for a job interview, make sure you have made travel plans prior to the day of interview – look up train times, bus schedules, ask a friend for a lift. Through this, you will have one less stress on the day of interview and can focus fully on what is to come in your job interview.

Arrive in plenty of time to your job interview

Arrive half an hour before the job interview begins. Much better to be early than late. Many interviewers will be looking out for those candidates who arrive in plenty of time and those who arrive late. It is the first sign to distinguish the serious candidates from the incompetent ones. Moreover, if you arrive a bit too early, you can always pick up a coffee and quickly go over your preparatory interview notes again which is no bad thing!

Relax, shake the interviewer’s hand, and begin the job interview

You are now sitting in the waiting room prior to your job interview. There is no more preparation to be done. So take a deep breath and relax. Once the interviewer walks in to collect you, stand up straight away, look him/her directly in the eyes and shake their hand. You are ready to begin the job interview.

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