How to Prepare for a Job Interview: A Practical Checklist

Being invited to an interview means the employer already believes you could do the job. Preparation is about helping them confirm it.

Before the interview

Research the employer

Read the company’s website and recent news. Understand what they do, who their customers are and where the role fits in. If it is a government department, read the department’s mandate and the job advert carefully.

Re-read the job advert

List the main requirements and think of one real example from your experience — work, school, volunteering or community life — that shows you can meet each one.

Prepare your stories with the STAR method

For behavioural questions (“Tell me about a time when…”), structure your answer as:

• Situation — the background in one or two sentences
• Task — what you needed to achieve
• Action — what you personally did
• Result — what happened, ideally with a number or clear outcome

Common questions to practise

1. Tell us about yourself.
2. Why do you want to work here?
3. What are your strengths and weaknesses?
4. Tell us about a time you solved a problem at work.
5. Where do you see yourself in three years?
6. What are your salary expectations?

For salary questions, research typical salaries for the role and give a realistic range. For government posts, the salary level is usually stated in the advert.

What to bring

• Copies of your CV
• Certified copies of qualifications and your ID if the employer asked for them
• A pen and a notebook with your questions
• Your licence or professional registration certificate if relevant

On the day

Plan your route and aim to arrive 10–15 minutes early, allowing for traffic and load shedding at traffic lights. For virtual interviews, test your data, camera and microphone beforehand, find a quiet spot and keep your phone charged.

Questions to ask them

• What does a typical day in this role look like?
• How will success be measured in the first three months?
• What are the next steps in the process?

After the interview

Send a short thank-you email within a day. If you have not heard back by the date they mentioned, a polite follow-up is fine.

Keep applying while you wait — create a job alert so you do not miss similar roles.