21 Questions you need to ask yourself before your interview

Interview preparation will be the key to interview success and landing that first job. Ask yourself the following questions prior to your interview. If you can answer them all, “YES”, you are ready. If not, you are not ready.

Pre-Interview: (once you have been notified about the interview)

  1. Have confirmed the interview time, date, location and name of the interviewer?
  2. Have I asked about parking, transit and where to enter the building?
  3. Have I asked if there is a job description?

Days Before Interview:

  1. Have I been on the company’s web site?
  2. Do I know how long it will take me to get to the interview?
  3. Have I researched information about the job, company and interviewer?
  4. Have I prepared my interview kit: resumé, references, portfolio? (if applicable)
  5. Have I got my pad and pen ready?
  6. Have I decided on my wardrobe?
  7. Have I prepared my opening speech?
  8. Have I prepared answers to every interview question I can think of?
  9. Have I made my list of questions about the job and company?
  10. Have I prepared my closing speech?
  11. Have I called to confirm the interview the day before?
  12. Will I get a good night’s sleep before the interview?

Day Of Interview:

  1. Have I double-checked that I have all the things I need?
  2. Have I looked in the mirror and do I look great?
  3. Do I have my “Thank-you” letter ready to finalize and send after the interview?
  4. Will I arrive to the interview at least 15 minutes early?
  5. Have I turned off my cell phone?
  6. Am I confident and smiling?                                              

Yes to all?  You are Ready.

Good Luck!

markewicken: Mark Wicken is a marketing professional with over 30 years of advertising, communications and strategic planning experience within the retail and packaged goods industries. He has been a senior member of agency management teams with both account and brand management responsibilities. His strengths have always been on innovative thinking, solid organization and strong interpersonal skills. Starting in the advertising agency industry, Mark held senior account management positions at several multinational agencies including Leo Burnett, Foster, Caledon, Vickers & Benson and Saffer Advertising, and has been responsible for the management of accounts like IBM, McDonald’s, Esso and General Motors. Mark moved from his agency roles to the Client side and held the position of Divisional Vice President of Marketing for Domino’s Pizza International and Director of Marketing for KFC, Hardee’s and Sbarro restaurants in the Middle East. In 2002 he established The Mark Wicken Group, a business specializing in executive search, training and consulting within the marketing, advertising and communications industries. In addition to executive search, Mark has devoted much of his lifetime to teaching, education and youth development. He is President of MusicFest Canada ‘The Largest Annual Music Festival in North America’ and has been an instructor at the International Academy of Design and The Toronto Film School since 1998. Mark graduated from The University of Toronto, took post-graduate studies at Northwestern University, and is married with two sons.