Interview Day Checklist: What to Do 48 Hours Before, the Morning Of and in the Room

Candidates tend to put almost all of their preparation into answers: rehearsing STAR stories, researching the company, practising “Tell me about yourself”. That work matters, but it sits on top of a foundation that is easy to neglect. If you arrive stressed, underslept, lost, or fumbling with a laptop that will not connect, your carefully prepared answers come out worse than they should.

Think of interview day as a small project with a fixed deadline. Projects fail at the edges: a missed train, a dead phone, a CV you cannot find, a video link that was never tested. None of these are about intelligence or experience, which is exactly why they are so frustrating to lose a job over. The good news is that every one of them is preventable with a checklist.

This guide works backwards from the interview itself. It is organised into five phases: the 48 hours before, the night before, the morning of, the arrival and opening minutes, and the first hour afterwards. Each phase has a short list of things to do and the reasoning behind them, so you can adapt the plan to your own situation rather than following it blindly.

Two days out is the right moment for a logistics audit. It is early enough to fix problems (a wrong address, an unclear start time, a missing document) and late enough that you are not tempted to keep cramming new material. Start by re-reading the invitation email slowly. Note the exact time and time zone, the full address or video link, the names and job titles of your interviewers, the expected duration, and whether you have been asked to bring or prepare anything.

If anything is unclear, email the recruiter or coordinator now. Questions such as “Will there be any tasks or presentations?” or “Is there anything I should bring?” are routine and read as organised, not needy. If you need a reasonable adjustment, for example for a disability or health condition, raise it as early as possible; our guide to assessment reasonable adjustments explains how that process usually works.

Do a route or tech rehearsal

For an in-person interview, look up the journey for the same day of the week and time you will actually travel, then check for engineering works, strikes or road closures. Identify a backup route. Check where the entrance is, since large offices often have a separate visitor reception. For a video interview, join a test call with a friend using the same device, browser, camera and internet connection you will use on the day, and check that your microphone, lighting and background look right.

Finalise your content, then stop adding

Your content should be settled by now. That means a tight answer to “Tell me about yourself”, four to six STAR stories mapped to likely competencies, a clear answer to “Why this company and this role?”, and three to five questions to ask the interviewers. If you are still collecting stories, use our STAR method guide to structure them. Then rehearse out loud at least twice. Saying answers aloud exposes rambling and gaps that silent reading hides.

The night before is for removing decisions from tomorrow morning. Every choice you make in advance, such as what to wear, what is in your bag, and what time you leave, is one less thing competing for your attention when nerves are already high.

Start with your outfit. Choose it, try it on to check fit and comfort, and lay out everything including shoes, accessories and any adapters or steaming you need. If you are unsure of the dress code, look at the company’s careers pages and social media for photos of staff, or simply ask the recruiter. The usual rule is to dress one step smarter than the day-to-day norm at the company. Our guide on what to wear to an interview covers specific industries.

Next, pack your bag completely (the full list is in Section 05) and put it by the door. Charge your phone, laptop and any headphones. If your interview is remote, close unnecessary apps, install pending updates now rather than tomorrow, and note a backup contact number for the interviewer in case the link fails.

Protect your sleep

Sleep is the single highest-return preparation you can do at this stage. Aim for your normal full night rather than trying to go to bed unusually early, which can backfire if you lie awake worrying. Stop practising answers at least an hour before bed. A short, low-stimulation routine such as a walk, a shower, light reading or stretching helps your mind switch off. Limit caffeine in the afternoon and alcohol in the evening, since both can fragment sleep.

Wake up with enough slack that nothing feels rushed. As a guide, give yourself two to three hours between waking and the interview start for an in-person interview, and at least ninety minutes for a video interview. The aim is to arrive at a calm baseline, not to fill the time with activity.

Eat a proper breakfast or light meal, including some protein and slow-release carbohydrate, and drink water. Avoid trying anything new, whether that is a heavy brunch or three coffees, since an unfamiliar food reaction is the last thing you need. If you normally have one coffee, have one coffee. If caffeine makes you jittery, consider skipping or halving it.

Run a short mental warm-up

Athletes warm up before they perform; interviewees should too. Spend ten to fifteen minutes on a gentle routine. Read your one-page summary of key points, not your entire notes. Say your self-introduction aloud once. Review your three strongest STAR stories in headline form. Then put the notes away. Some people find a few minutes of slow breathing, for example inhaling for four counts and exhaling for six, helps lower their heart rate before they walk in.

Take a quick look at the news for the company and its sector that morning. Interviewers often ask what you have noticed recently, and a fresh headline shows genuine engagement. Our guide on answering “What do you know about our company?” shows how to turn that research into a strong answer.

Your bag should be organised, light and professional. A slim folder or notebook and a pen are usually enough. You do not need to carry everything you own, but you do want the few items that, if missing, would create real problems.

For in-person interviews, bring several clean printed copies of your CV, even if you submitted it online. Interviewers sometimes have not printed it, and handing over a copy is a small, helpful gesture. Bring a notebook with your prepared questions and space for notes, and a pen that works. Include any documents requested in the invitation, which often means photo ID, proof of the right to work, and for some roles, degree certificates or references. Check the invitation carefully, because some employers specify precisely what they will accept.

Add the practical extras: your phone fully charged (on silent, not vibrate), a portable charger, a bottle of water, tissues, mints, and a small contingency kit such as plasters or a stain remover pen. Bring the interviewer’s name and contact number written down in case you are delayed. If you are carrying a laptop or portfolio for a presentation or work sample, test that it opens correctly and keep a copy on a USB drive or in cloud storage.

Aim to reach the building or neighbourhood roughly fifteen minutes early, then use the spare time to settle rather than walking in immediately. Find a nearby cafe or a quiet spot, use the toilet, check your appearance, silence your phone, and take a few slow breaths. Walk into reception about five to ten minutes before the start time. Arriving much earlier than that can put pressure on the receptionist or interviewers, and arriving late is worse.

Be courteous to everyone you meet, from security and reception to other candidates. Employers do sometimes ask reception staff for impressions, and in assessment centres everyone you meet may be an observer. Greet people warmly, state your name and who you are meeting, and wait where you are directed.

Make the opening count

When the interviewers arrive, stand, make eye contact, smile, and offer a handshake if they do (a nod and a warm greeting works just as well if they do not, or on camera). Use their names. Expect small talk about your journey or the weather; keep it positive and brief, as it is a way to ease into conversation rather than a test. When invited to sit, take a posture that is upright but relaxed, and place your notebook and CV neatly in front of you.

The first substantive question is often some version of “Tell me about yourself”. Open with a concise, structured answer of around sixty to ninety seconds that links your background to the role. If you need a framework, see our guide to how to answer “Tell me about yourself”. Throughout, listen fully before answering, pause briefly to collect your thoughts, and ask for clarification if a question is unclear. A brief pause reads as thoughtful, not unprepared.

Do not skip the aftermath. What you do in the hour after the interview improves both your chances with this employer and your performance at the next one. Ideally, sit somewhere quiet and write notes straight away, while the details are fresh.

Record the names and roles of everyone you met, the questions you were asked, the answers that landed well, the ones that did not, and anything you learned about the role, team or timeline. Note any commitments you made, such as “I will send my portfolio link”. These notes are invaluable if you progress to a second round, since you can refer to earlier conversations and avoid repeating yourself. They also help you identify patterns in questions that trip you up so you can fix them before your next interview.

Send a short thank-you

Within 24 hours, send a brief, personalised thank-you email to your main contact or to each interviewer if you have their details. Thank them for their time, mention one specific thing from the conversation that reinforced your interest, and restate in a sentence why you are a strong fit. Keep it to a few lines. Our guide on how to follow up after an interview includes templates and guidance on timing and when to chase.

Reset and keep moving

Then step away. Do something unrelated to work, such as a walk, a meal or a call with a friend. Avoid replaying every answer; your memory of the interview is usually harsher than the interviewers’ impression. Keep your other applications moving, because continuing to prepare for other opportunities protects you against the anxiety of waiting for a single decision.