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Playbooks · 5 min read
The Interview Day Checklist: 24 Hours Before to the Handshake
Remove every avoidable failure — logistics, tech, and mindset.
You can't fully control the questions, but you can eliminate every avoidable mistake around them. A short checklist the day before and the morning of means you walk in — or log in — calm, on time, and focused on the conversation instead of scrambling.
24 hours before
- •Re-read the job description and your own resume — you'll be asked about both.
- •Review your STAR story bank and your 'tell me about yourself'.
- •Confirm the time (and time zone), format, and who you're meeting.
- •Prepare your questions for the interviewer.
- •Lay out clothes; plan your route or test your tech.
Virtual interview tech setup
- •Test camera, mic, and the meeting link in advance — join from the actual device you'll use.
- •Check lighting (face a window or light), a clean background, and that you're framed head-and-shoulders.
- •Close other apps and notifications; have a wired connection or strong Wi-Fi.
- •Keep your resume, the job description, and a notepad within reach off-camera.
The morning of
Arrive earlyIn person: 10 to 15 minutes. Virtual: join 2 to 3 minutes early.
Warm upSay your intro out loud once so your first words aren't your first words.
Reset your mindsetIt's a two-way conversation, not an interrogation. You're evaluating them too.
💡 Composure is a skill you can rehearse. Doing a full timed mock the day before makes the real thing feel familiar.
Do a timed mock round
Simulate the real pressure with a timed, no-pause full interview round.
Do a timed mock round →