Interview nerves usually come from a lack of preparation, not a lack of ability. The good news is that most of what makes an interview go well is within your control and can be sorted in the days before. This is a calm, practical checklist for a UK interview: what to research, how to know your own evidence, the questions to prepare on both sides, and the logistics that quietly decide whether you turn up composed or flustered.
Research the company and the role
Start with the basics and go one level deeper than everyone else. Read the company's own website, particularly the about page and any recent news, blog or press releases, so you understand what they do and where they are heading. Look at the specific team or department you would join, and check LinkedIn for the people who may be interviewing you. Read any recent coverage or announcements so you can speak to what is happening now, not what was true two years ago. Then come back to the job description and read it slowly. It tells you what the role actually involves and what they will be assessing, which is the foundation for everything else you prepare.
Re-read your CV and map your evidence to their criteria
The interviewer has your CV in front of them, so you need to know it cold. Re-read it alongside the advert and, for each requirement they list, note a specific example from your own experience that proves you can do it. This mapping is the single most useful thing you can do. It means that whatever they ask, you already have a relevant, concrete example ready rather than reaching for something vague. If your CV needs to line up more clearly with the role in the first place, our guide to tailoring your CV to a job description covers how to do that before you ever get to the interview.
Prepare for likely questions
You cannot predict every question, but you can prepare for the common ones: why this role, why this company, your strengths, a challenge you handled, a time you worked in a team, a time something went wrong. For the competency and behavioural questions, prepare your answers using the STAR structure — Situation, Task, Action, Result — so each example has a clear shape and lands on an outcome. Prepare four or five strong examples that you can adapt to different questions rather than trying to script an answer for every possible prompt. Say them out loud once or twice; the aim is to sound clear and natural, not rehearsed.
Prepare intelligent questions to ask them
You will almost always be invited to ask questions, and having none reads as a lack of interest. Prepare two or three that show you have thought about the work: what the priorities are for the role in the first few months, what success looks like, how the team is structured, or the challenges they are trying to solve. Good questions do double duty — they show genuine interest and help you judge whether the role is right for you. Avoid anything a quick look at their website would have answered, and save detailed pay and benefits negotiation for once an offer is on the table.
The practical logistics
Sort the practical details the day before so nothing is left to chance. Confirm the format: is it in person, a video call, or a panel, and how long is it likely to last? If it is in person, check the location and plan your journey with time to spare. If it is a video call, note the platform and test it. Confirm the timing and time zone. Decide what to bring — a printed copy of your CV, a notepad, any documents they have asked for — and settle what you will wear, aiming slightly smarter than the company's everyday dress unless you have been told otherwise. Small logistics, sorted early, remove most of the last-minute stress.
Interview-day basics
Aim to arrive about ten minutes early for an in-person interview, or to be sitting ready a few minutes before a video call. First impressions form quickly, so a warm greeting, a bit of eye contact and a settled posture go a long way. Listen to the whole question before you answer, and it is perfectly fine to take a short pause to think. If you do not understand something, ask them to clarify rather than guessing. Keep your answers focused and let your prepared examples do the work.
Video-interview specifics
Video interviews are now standard, and a few basics make a real difference. Test the platform, camera and microphone in advance so you are not troubleshooting at the start. Set the camera at roughly eye level and look at it, not the screen, when you speak. Sit facing a window or a light so your face is clearly lit, with a plain, tidy background. Choose a quiet space where you will not be interrupted, use a stable connection, and close other applications and notifications. Keep your CV and a few notes just off camera for a discreet glance.
After the interview
A brief, genuine thank-you note by email within a day is a reasonable touch: thank them for their time, restate your interest, and keep it short. Then take a few minutes to reflect while it is fresh — which questions went well, where you hesitated, and what you would do differently. Whether or not this particular role comes through, that reflection makes your next interview sharper.
Common mistakes to avoid
- Turning up with little or no research on the company or role
- Not knowing your own CV well enough to talk through it
- Having no questions prepared to ask them
- Technical failures on a video call from not testing the setup
- Running late, or leaving the logistics until the last minute
Common questions
How do I prepare for a job interview?
Research the company, the team and the role; re-read your CV and the advert and map your evidence to their criteria; prepare STAR examples for likely questions; write two or three questions to ask them; and sort the logistics so the format, location or platform, timing and dress are all settled the day before.
What questions should I ask the interviewer?
Ask about the priorities for the role in the first few months, what success looks like, how the team is structured, and the challenges they are trying to solve. Genuine questions about the work show interest and help you judge whether the role is right for you. Avoid asking things a quick look at their website would have answered.
How do I prepare for a video interview?
Test the platform, camera and microphone in advance, set the camera at eye level, sit facing a window or light so your face is well lit, and find a quiet space with a stable connection. Close other applications, silence notifications, and keep your CV and notes just off camera for reference.