Landing the job takes more than a great resume. You also have to communicate your value in the room, on the phone or on camera. This guide walks you through everything to do before the interview so you walk in prepared and confident, whether you're a recent graduate or an experienced professional changing careers.
Research: your foundation
Research lets you tailor your answers, ask informed questions and show real interest in the position.
Company research checklist
- Company mission, vision and values
- Recent news, press releases and major announcements
- Products, services and target market
- Competitors and industry position
- Company culture and work environment
- Recent financial performance (for public companies)
- Leadership team and organizational structure
- Current challenges and opportunities in their industry
Role research
- Read the complete job description closely
- Required skills and qualifications
- Team structure and who the role reports to
- Career progression opportunities
- Day-to-day responsibilities
- How success is measured in the position
- Common challenges in similar roles
Know your value
Your value is the combination of skills, experience and qualities you bring. To explain it well:
Build your professional story. Connect your past experience to where you want to go next. Cover your background and key achievements, what motivates you, why this specific opportunity interests you and how you'd contribute to the company's success.
Identify your key strengths.
- List your top five to seven professional strengths
- Prepare a specific example for each one
- Connect each strength to the job requirements
- Put numbers on your achievements whenever you can
Get interview-ready
Build an ATS-friendly resume in minutes (the PDF is free), then practice with a recruiter who has been on the hiring side for 26 years.
Prepare your materials
What to bring
- Several copies of your resume on good paper
- A list of references with contact information
- Your portfolio or work samples, if relevant
- Copies of certifications or other relevant documents
- A notepad and a professional pen
- Your questions for the interviewer, written down
Get your online presence ready
- Make sure your LinkedIn profile is up to date
- Review and clean up your social media
- Prepare a digital portfolio if it's relevant to the role
- Test any technology you'll need for a virtual interview
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Know the type of interview
Phone interviews
Phone interviews are often the first step in screening. Success depends on clear communication.
- Choose a quiet spot with good reception
- Keep your resume and notes in front of you
- Sit up straight or stand to project energy
- Smile while you speak, because it comes through in your voice
- Speak clearly and at a moderate pace
- Listen carefully and don't interrupt
- Keep a glass of water nearby
Video interviews
Virtual interviews are now standard, and technical preparation matters as much as your answers.
- Test your technology in advance, including audio, video and screen sharing on Zoom, Microsoft Teams or Google Meet
- Make sure your internet connection is strong
- Put your camera at eye level
- Choose a professional, uncluttered background
- Face the light source so your face is well lit
- Dress professionally from head to toe
- Silence notifications and minimize distractions
- Have backup contact information ready in case the call drops
Body language on camera: Sit upright with a slight forward lean to show engagement. Look at the camera when you speak, and glance at the screen to read reactions. Keep gestures inside the frame, smile naturally and nod to show you're listening. If the audio glitches, pause rather than talk over the interviewer, and ask them to repeat anything you missed.
In-person interviews
Face-to-face interviews allow the fullest connection with your interviewer.
- Plan your route and arrive 10 to 15 minutes early
- Bring several copies of all your materials
- Dress for the company's culture, erring on the professional side
- Be ready for one-on-one, panel or back-to-back formats
- Be courteous to everyone you meet, including the front desk
- Turn your phone off completely
Panel interviews
Several interviewers at once means managing several relationships.
- Greet each panel member individually
- Make eye contact with everyone
- Direct your answer mainly to the person who asked, while including the others
- Remember names and use them when appropriate
- Ask questions that engage more than one panelist
- Send each person an individual thank-you note
Case interviews
Common in consulting and analytical roles, case interviews test how you solve problems.
- Clarify the problem before solving it
- Think out loud so they can follow your process
- Structure your approach logically
- Make reasonable assumptions when needed
- Check your work and your conclusions
- Be ready to defend your reasoning
Body language and first impressions
You have seconds to make a first impression. Walk in with confidence, smile, make eye contact, offer a firm handshake and use the interviewer's name.
Throughout the interview:
- Keep appropriate eye contact, roughly 60 to 70 percent of the time
- Sit up straight but relaxed, leaning in slightly to show engagement
- Use open gestures and nod to show understanding
- Match the interviewer's energy level
What to avoid: crossed arms (they read as defensive), touching your face or hair, checking your phone or watch, fidgeting or tapping, slouching and strong cologne or perfume.
Managing nerves
Almost everyone gets nervous. These help:
- Take a few deep breaths before you walk in
- Arrive early so you have time to settle
- Pause before answering to collect your thoughts
- Keep water nearby
- Think of nervousness as excitement, which feels the same in your body
- Picture the interview going well, and remind yourself how much you've prepared
- Remember it's a conversation, not an interrogation
Interview-day routine
The night before
- Review your research and notes
- Lay out your outfit and materials
- Plan your route and transportation
- Set more than one alarm
- Aim for 7 to 8 hours of sleep and skip the alcohol
The morning of
- Wake up with plenty of time
- Eat a balanced breakfast
- Review your key talking points
- Stretch or take a short walk
- Arrive early, use the restroom and check your appearance
During the interview
- Let the interviewer lead at first
- Listen fully before you answer, and pause before complex questions
- Ask for clarification when you need it
- Watch the interviewer's cues and keep your answers on track
- Show enthusiasm, stay hydrated and keep your energy up in long interview days
Closing strong
- Summarize your interest in the role
- Ask about next steps and the timeline
- Ask for business cards so you can follow up
- Thank everyone involved
- Stay professional until you've left the building
- Write down notes as soon as you're done
Next, practice your answers with our behavioral interview and STAR method guide, then read what to do after the interview.