How to prepare for a job interview, step by step

To prepare for a job interview, learn what the job and employer need, choose four or five true stories from your experience that match, practise saying them aloud, plan your journey and documents, and prepare two questions to ask. Start at least two days before if you can.

Key points

• Preparation is mostly matching your real experience to what the job asks for.
• Choose a few strong examples and practise telling them in under two minutes each.
• Learn the basics about the employer, the role and the people you will meet.
• Plan the logistics: route, time, documents, clothes and a back-up plan.
• Prepare questions to ask, and a short thank-you message afterwards.

What should I do first when I get an interview invitation?

Confirm that you can attend, then write down the facts: date, time, address or video link, who you will meet, how long it will take and what to bring. Reply politely to confirm. If you need a change of time, ask promptly and give a reason.

Then look again at the advert and your application. Print or save the advert and your CV. You will be asked about things you wrote, so read your own CV with fresh eyes.

If the invitation mentions a test, a presentation or an assessment, find out what it involves, and ask the contact person if details are not clear.

How do I research the employer?

Look for what the organisation does, who it serves, where it works and how it describes itself. Check the website, the careers page, any public pages on social media, and any news that is easy to find. You are not looking for secrets. You want enough to ask one or two informed questions and to explain why you want to work there.

Write down in short notes:

• What the organisation does, in one sentence.
• Who its customers or clients are.
• One thing about the place or team that interests you.
• The name and title of your interviewer, if you were told.

If it is a small business, you may find little online. Then focus on the job and the type of work.

How do I work out what they will ask?

Read the advert and underline each requirement. Each underlined item is a likely question. Turn them into prompts: "Tell me about a time you worked under pressure", "How do you handle an unhappy customer?", "What experience do you have with this tool?".

Also expect the standard questions: tell me about yourself, why this job, strengths and weaknesses, and why you left your last job. The articles on common interview questions and the STAR method help with these.

How do I build my answers from my own experience?

Make a short bank of four or five stories. Each should be a real situation from work, school, volunteering or home that shows a skill the job needs. For each, jot down:

1. Situation: where you were and what was happening.
2. Task: what you needed to do.
3. Action: what you did, step by step.
4. Result: what happened, and what you learned.

Here is a sample note for a fictional cashier, Sipho:

"Situation: Friday afternoon, three tills open, one card machine failed. Task: keep my queue moving. Action: told customers politely, asked the next till to take card payments for my queue, handled cash and kept the line informed. Result: queue cleared without complaints, and the supervisor asked me to show a new colleague the manual card slip procedure."

With this one story, Sipho can answer several questions: pressure, problem-solving, customer service and teamwork. Choose stories that stretch across different questions.

How do I practise?

Say your answers aloud. Silent reading does not prepare your mouth. Do it in three rounds:

• Round one: say each story out loud and time it. Aim for one to two minutes.
• Round two: answer common questions without notes, using your stories.
• Round three: ask a friend, relative or colleague to ask you questions and give feedback on clarity and pace.

Record yourself on a phone if you can. You will notice filler words, long pauses or rambling. Do not memorise scripts word for word. Memorise the key points of each story, so you sound natural.

How do I prepare for different interview types?

The same core preparation applies, but a few details change with the format.

Format	What to add to your preparation
One-to-one	Learn the interviewer's name and role, and prepare to build a simple rapport
Panel	Expect several people to ask in turn. Look at each person as you answer, and note names
Phone	Find a quiet place with good signal, keep your CV and notes in front of you, and speak a little slower than normal
Video	Test the link, camera and sound, sit facing a light, and look at the camera when you speak
Group	Show you can listen and include others, and speak clearly without talking over people
Practical test	Ask what tools or tasks to expect, and practise the basic task on your own

If the invitation does not say which format it is, ask politely. The articles on phone, video, panel and group interviews go into each format.

What does a 48-hour countdown look like?

Spreading the work out keeps nerves down. This is one way to do it.

Two days before

• Confirm the time, place and contact person.
• Read the advert and your CV, and underline the requirements.
• Write your four or five stories in short notes.

One day before

• Research the employer for twenty minutes and write down two questions.
• Say your stories aloud and practise your opening answer.
• Lay out clothes and pack your documents.
• Check the route or test your video setup.

On the day

• Eat something and drink water.
• Re-read your notes once, then put them away.
• Leave early and arrive calm.
• Switch off your phone before you go in.

How do I prepare for questions about pay?

Do some research before the interview so you are not caught off guard. Look at adverts for similar roles, ask people who do the work, and think about the lowest offer you would accept. If asked, you can give a range based on that research or ask what the budget is for the role. Do not guess wildly. The article on the salary expectation question has sample wording.

What should I prepare to ask them?

Interviews usually end with "Do you have any questions?" Have two or three ready. Good questions show interest in the work:

• "What would a typical day look like in this role?"
• "What would you want the person in this job to have achieved after the first three months?"
• "How is the team set up, and who would I work with most?"
• "What are the next steps in the process?"

Avoid asking about pay or leave as your first question unless they raise it. You can ask later in the process or when an offer is discussed. The article on questions to ask at an interview has more.

What should I plan for the day?

Do the practical things the day before so the morning is calm.

Documents: copies of your CV, ID, certificates, references if requested, a notebook and pen, and the invitation details.

Route: plan how you will get there and add a buffer for delays. If you are unsure of the location, do a trial trip or check the map. For a video interview, test your internet, camera and microphone and choose a quiet spot.

Clothes: pick something clean, tidy and appropriate for the workplace, one step more formal than daily wear in that job. Try it on beforehand.

Mind: sleep, eat and bring water. Write the names of your interviewers where you can see them.

How early should I arrive?

Aim to arrive about ten to fifteen minutes before the time. Earlier than that can inconvenience staff, and later is a risk. If you are early, wait nearby and go in at the right time. Switch off your phone or set it to silent before you enter. Be polite to everyone you meet, including security and reception, because their impressions can matter.

How do I handle the interview itself?

Greet your interviewer, give a handshake or nod as is usual where you are, and sit when asked. Listen to each question to the end. Pause for a moment before answering. Give a direct answer, then support it with an example, then stop. If you do not understand a question, ask politely for it to be repeated.

If you do not know an answer, say so honestly and describe how you would find out or what you have done that is similar. Do not invent. Keep eye contact at a comfortable level and speak at a steady pace. Keep your answers about what you did, not only what "we" did.

What if I get nervous?

Nerves are normal, and interviewers expect them. Slow your breathing before you go in, and take a breath before each answer. Having practised stories helps because you know where you are going. If your mind goes blank, say "Let me think about that for a moment" and take a few seconds. Preparation reduces the load on memory.

What do I do after the interview?

Send a short thank-you message the same day or the next morning. Say thanks, name one thing you enjoyed learning, and say you are keen. Keep it to a few lines. Then write notes about the questions you were asked while they are fresh, which helps next time. If you were told when to expect news, wait until that date passes before following up politely.

What if I have been out of interviews for a long time?

If it has been years since your last interview, start small. Practise answering three questions aloud each day for a week. Ask a friend to play the interviewer once, even if it feels awkward. Many people find that the first practice is the hardest and the second is much easier. Remember that you do not need to sound polished. You need to be clear, honest and prepared with real examples from your work and life.

Common preparation mistakes

• Reading about the company but not matching examples to the job.
• Memorising scripts and sounding stiff.
• Arriving without a copy of the CV.
• Speaking negatively about a former employer.
• Not asking any questions.
• Forgetting to confirm the location or time.

Frequently asked questions

How long should I prepare for an interview?

Aim for at least a few hours spread over two days: one session to research and choose your examples, and one to practise aloud. If you have little time, focus on the advert, your CV and three stories you can tell clearly.

What should I bring to an interview?

Bring a few printed copies of your CV, your ID, relevant certificates or licences, a notebook and pen, the details of your referees and the invitation with the address and contact person. Put them in a tidy folder or bag.

How do I answer a question I do not know?

Say honestly that you have not done it, then describe something similar you have done or explain how you would approach learning it. Do not guess or invent. Employers often value honesty and willingness to learn more than a made-up answer.

Should I follow up after an interview?

A short thank-you message the same day or the next morning is polite and normal. If you were told when to expect a decision, wait until that date has passed before sending a polite request for an update.

Next steps

Pick one real job advert, underline its main requirements and write one short story for each. Say each aloud twice. If you want a guided way to put this together, you can build your CV step by step with CV Sorted: it is free to build and preview.