Having a job interview on your schedule is always exciting, but it can also be a little nerve-wracking. It’s normal to have some “what ifs” floating around in your mind, leaving you feeling ill-prepared even if you’ve done your due diligence.
Fortunately, you can alleviate many of those concerns with a bit of extra effort. By setting yourself up for success the night before and the morning of, you can make sure your interview day moves forward seamlessly. Here’s how to get started.
Pick Your Outfit
Staring at your closet and trying to pick your attire in the morning can leave you scrambling. This is especially true if you grab pieces only to find they’re wrinkled, musty, don’t fit, or aren’t in the best of shape.
Instead, plan your outfit out in advance. If you haven’t worn the clothing items within the past month, try them on to ensure they’ll fit. Then, check for signs of wear and tear, do some ironing if needed, and find matching shoes and accessories, setting everything together. That way, when you awake in the morning, you know exactly what you’ll put on.
Pack Your Bag
By packing your bag the night before, you can make sure you have everything you need in advance. Start by grabbing copies of your resume and portfolio. Follow that up with a few basics, such as a stain-removing stick, breath freshener, or other essentials.
If you’re carrying any liquid items, you may want to put them in leakproof bags. That ensures that it doesn’t spread all over your bag if the worst were to happen.
Set Out Your Breakfast
Planning your breakfast the night before helps make your morning more leisurely. Take a moment to gather up ingredients and place them together, or group them in the fridge and a cabinet if you have room temperature and cold items in your meal. If you can, you should do some prep work, such as chopping or measuring, as that streamlines your morning.
If you’re also taking a lunch out with you or to-go coffee, get everything you need for that set up as well. The more prep you do tonight, the less hectic your morning is, helping you stay calm before your interview.
Check Your Route
This is actually a two-part preparation step. First, you want to check the route to your interview the night before the appointment. That allows you to review the path you’ll take, giving yourself a chance to familiarize yourself with it.
Second, you want to check your route again about an hour before you’re supposed to hit the road using a GPS app. This allows you to observe how shifting driving patterns may influence your drive time, ensuring you can leave early if an unexpected situation makes that essential.
Reflect on Questions
The night and morning before your interview, spend time reflecting on questions. Review your answers to the ones the hiring manager may ask, and determine if there’s anything else you’d like to learn about the company after doing your research. That ensures you’re ready for the full experience, which increases the odds you’ll come across as composed and prepared.
Get In Touch With Our Recruiters
If you’d like to learn more about preparing for an interview, the team at TekCom wants to hear from you. Contact us today.
