Complete Job Interview Preparation Checklist

Find the company LinkedIn page and read recent posts, news, and employee count to understand size and culture.

Read the company About page, mission statement, and any published values or principles.

Search for recent press coverage, product launches, or industry news about the company in the last 6 months.

Research the company business model: how they make money, who their main customers are, and who their main competitors are.

Look up the interviewer on LinkedIn if their name is known. Note their role, background, and tenure.

Read 5 to 10 recent Glassdoor reviews to understand common themes in company culture, management, and work-life balance.

Note the company funding stage or public status and how this might affect the role and expectations.

Identify two or three genuine things about the company that excite you so you can speak to them naturally.

Print or save the full job description before the interview in case it is updated or removed.

Highlight the three to five most important skills or requirements listed and prepare a specific example for each one.

Identify any skills listed where you are weaker and prepare an honest, forward-looking answer in case they come up.

Map each bullet point in the job description to a specific project, achievement, or story from your own experience.

Note any technologies, tools, or methodologies mentioned that you should be ready to discuss.

Check the seniority level implied by the role and calibrate the scope of your examples accordingly.

Prepare five to eight STAR stories (Situation, Task, Action, Result) covering a range of different scenarios.

Include at least one story about handling a conflict with a colleague or stakeholder.

Include at least one story about a project or decision that did not go as planned and what you learned.

Include at least one story about handling a tight deadline, ambiguity, or competing priorities.

Include at least one story about leading or influencing others, even without formal authority.

Prepare a clear answer to "Tell me about yourself" that takes 90 seconds and ends with why you are interested in this role.

Prepare a confident answer to "Why are you leaving your current role?" that stays positive and forward-focused.

Prepare a salary expectation answer based on market research for this role, location, and seniority.

Practice answers aloud, not just in your head. Saying them out loud reveals gaps that mental rehearsal hides.

Prepare at least five questions to ask the interviewer so you always have one ready regardless of what has already been covered.

Ask one question about what success looks like in this role in the first 90 days.

Ask one question about the team you would be joining: size, structure, and how the role fits in.

Ask one question about the biggest challenge facing the team or company right now.

Ask one question specific to the interviewer: what they enjoy about working there, what their career path has been, or what they find most challenging.

Avoid asking about salary, benefits, or holidays in a first interview unless the interviewer raises it.

Confirm the interview format: in-person, video call, or phone, and who will be interviewing you.

For in-person: plan your route, check travel time, and build in a 20-minute buffer for delays.

For video: test your camera, microphone, internet connection, and background at least a day before.

Print two copies of your CV and bring a notepad and pen to an in-person interview.

Save the interviewer contact details and the interview link or address somewhere accessible offline.

Prepare appropriate dress for the company culture: research what people typically wear and aim slightly above it.

Re-read your CV and the job description one final time so they are fresh in memory.

Review your prepared stories and key talking points briefly without over-rehearsing.

Lay out your outfit, pack your bag, and charge your phone and laptop if needed.

Get at least seven hours of sleep. Cognitive performance drops measurably on less.

Avoid alcohol the evening before and eat a proper meal so energy levels are stable.

Eat breakfast and drink water before the interview. Hunger and dehydration affect memory and focus.

Arrive or log on five minutes early, not fifteen. Arriving very early can create awkwardness for hosts.

Take a moment to breathe slowly before entering or joining. Calm the nervous system intentionally.

Speak at a slightly slower pace than feels natural. Nerves speed up speech and reduce clarity.

If a question is unclear, ask for clarification rather than guessing and answering the wrong thing.

Take a short pause before answering difficult questions. Interviewers respect thoughtfulness over speed.

Note any follow-up questions or action items that come up during the conversation.

Send a thank-you email within 24 hours referencing one specific topic from the conversation.

Write down the questions you were asked while they are still fresh so you can prepare better for future rounds.

Note anything you wish you had said differently and refine those answers for next time.

Follow up if you have not heard back within the timeline the interviewer gave. One polite email is professional, not pushy.

Whether or not you get the role, reflect on what you learned about what you want and what to work on.