An interview is a conversation, not an exam. The employer wants to know if you can do the job and if you will fit in. You want to know if the job is right for you. Good preparation makes both easier.

Before the day

Learn about the employer. Read their website, recent news and the job advert again. Know what they do, who their customers are and why this job exists.

Know your own CV. Anything on it can be asked about. Be ready to talk about each job, project or course for a minute or two.

Prepare short stories. Think of three or four real examples: a problem you solved, a time you worked in a team, a mistake you learned from, something you are proud of. A simple shape helps: the situation, what you did, and what happened.

Common questions

  • "Tell me about yourself." Two minutes: what you do or studied, one or two strengths with examples, and why you want this job. Not your life story.
  • "Why do you want to work here?" Connect what you learned about the employer with what you want to do.
  • "What is your biggest weakness?" Pick a real one that will not stop you doing this job, and say what you are doing about it.
  • "Where do you see yourself in a few years?" Show that you want to grow in this field.
  • Salary. Find out the usual range for this job in your city before the interview, from people in the field or salary surveys, so you can answer calmly.

Questions you can ask

Always have two or three:

  • What does a normal day or week look like in this role?
  • What would success look like after the first three months?
  • How is the team organised, and who would I work with most?
  • What are the next steps after this interview?

On the day

  • Arrive 10 minutes early, or log in early for an online call.
  • Bring copies of your CV and any documents they asked for.
  • Dress a little more formally than the people who work there.
  • Listen to the whole question before you answer. It is fine to take a moment to think.

Online interviews

  • Test your internet, camera and microphone the day before.
  • Sit facing a window or lamp, with a quiet, plain background.
  • Keep your phone silent and close other apps.
  • Look at the camera when you speak, not only at the screen.

After the interview

Send a short thank-you message the same day or the next, if you have the interviewer's email. Then write down what went well and what you would answer differently next time. Every interview, even one that does not lead to a job, is practice for the next.