How to Prepare for a Job Interview: The Complete Checklist

To prepare for a job interview, research the company and the role, match your experience to the job description, prepare a handful of specific stories using the STAR method, and practise answering common questions out loud. The day before, confirm the logistics and get your documents ready; afterwards, send a brief thank-you note.

Most nerves come from uncertainty. A clear checklist removes most of it, so you can focus on having a real conversation. This guide gives you that checklist, from a week out to the follow-up email.

What should you research before an interview?

• The company: what it does, who its customers are, recent news and its stated values.
• The role: reread the job description and list the top skills and responsibilities.
• The team and interviewers: if you know their names, look at their public professional profiles to understand their roles.
• The format: ask the recruiter how long it lasts, who you will meet and whether there is a test or presentation.

Then compare the job description with your own resume. For each key requirement, note an example from your experience that shows it.

How do you answer behavioural questions with the STAR method?

Behavioural questions usually begin with Tell me about a time when... The STAR method gives your answer a clear structure so you stay concise and end on a result.

What are the most common interview questions?

1. Tell me about yourself.
2. Why do you want this job, and why this company?
3. What are your main strengths?
4. Tell me about a challenge you faced and how you handled it.
5. Describe a time you made a mistake.
6. Where do you see yourself in a few years?
7. Why are you leaving your current role?
8. What are your salary expectations?

How should you answer Tell me about yourself?

Keep it to about one to two minutes and make it professional: your current role and what you do, one or two achievements relevant to this job, and why you are interested in this position now. Think of it as present, past, future.

How should you handle salary questions?

Research typical pay for similar roles in your location and industry before the interview. If asked, you can give a researched range, or ask about the budgeted range for the role first. Knowing your own minimum, which depends on your household budget, helps you answer calmly.

What questions should you ask the interviewer?

Always have two or three ready. Good questions show interest and help you decide whether you want the job.

• What would success look like in this role after the first few months?
• What are the biggest challenges the team is facing right now?
• How does the team work together day to day?
• How do you support learning and development?
• What are the next steps in the process?

Your interview day checklist

1. Confirm the time, address or video link, and the interviewers' names the day before.
2. Plan your route to arrive 10 to 15 minutes early, or test your camera, microphone and internet for a video call.
3. Prepare copies of your resume, a notebook, a pen and any documents requested.
4. Choose clothes that match or are slightly smarter than the company's usual dress code.
5. Get a good night's sleep and eat something before you go.
6. Review your story bank and questions once, briefly, then stop rehearsing.

What should you do after the interview?

Within a day, send a short thank-you email to the interviewer or recruiter. Mention one specific thing you discussed and briefly restate your interest. Then note down the questions you were asked and how you answered; it helps with later rounds and future interviews. If you are tracking several applications, block regular time for follow-ups with a simple time blocking routine.

Your next step

Write out three STAR stories from your recent work today and say each one aloud, timing yourself. Aim for about two minutes each. Practising out loud is the single most effective way to sound confident when it matters.