Interview prep checklist: what to do before, during, and after

Good interview prep is mostly a checklist, not inspiration. The candidates who seem calm and prepared usually just did the same handful of things every time. Here is a checklist you can reuse for each round, split into before, during, and after.

As soon as the interview is scheduled

Put it on a calendar with a reminder. Include the date, time, time zone, format, and the names of the people you will meet. Time zone mistakes are a classic, avoidable way to lose an opportunity. jobwyre puts each interview round on a calendar you can subscribe to in Apple or Google Calendar, with a reminder before it.

Save the job description and your application. You will want the exact wording you applied with.

Ask what to expect. Length, format, who you will meet, and whether there is anything to prepare. Recruiters are usually glad to say.

Two to three days before

Research the company. Product, customers, recent news, and how they make money. Fifteen focused minutes beats an hour of skimming.

Research the people. Look up your interviewers, and note something real you have in common or find interesting.

Prepare your stories. For behavioral questions, have four or five stories ready that show teamwork, conflict, failure, leadership, and impact. Keep each to about two minutes, with a clear result.

Match your experience to the role. Read the description and pick the two or three requirements you can speak to best.

Prepare questions to ask. Good ones cover the team, what success looks like in the first six months, and the challenges they face. Avoid anything a quick search would answer.

The day before

Confirm the time and format, and test your tech for a video call.
Choose what you will wear, and set up a quiet space with a clear background.
Have your resume, the job description, and your notes within reach.
Sleep. It matters more than a last hour of cramming.

During the interview

Arrive a few minutes early.
Listen fully to each question before answering.
Use specific examples with results, not general claims.
Take short notes: names, topics, and anything they say about next steps.
Ask your prepared questions, and ask about the timeline.

After the interview

Send a thank-you within 24 hours. Short, specific, and sincere. A template is in the follow-up email guide.

Write up your notes while it is fresh. What was asked, how it went, what you would change, and what you promised. Store them with the job record so they are there before the next round.

Set the next step date. If they gave a decision date, put a reminder a day after it.

Update the status. Interviewing, waiting, or closed.

Keep it repeatable

Save this list once and reuse it. If you use Claude or ChatGPT, connecting it to your board over MCP lets you ask "what interviews do I have this week and what should I prepare?" and get the dates and your notes in one place.

For the wider system around your search, read how to track job applications and what to do after you apply.