How to Make the Most of the 24 Hours Before Your Job Interview

You’ve managed to score yourself an interview at a company where you’d like to work. The only problem is, it’s tomorrow! Perhaps they have deliberately given you short-notice, or maybe you just haven’t had time to prepare. Whatever the reason, the first thing to do is not to panic. There is plenty you can still do to prepare for an interview, even if it is only 24 hours away.

Contact the Person Who Invited You to the Interview

If you are running short of time, the first thing to do is contact someone from the company to confirm all of the details about your appointment. Make sure you know how to get to the office reception and confirm the dress code. Also, try to find out the name of the person who will be conducting your interview so that you can greet them by name when you arrive. Personal touches always help to give a positive impression.

While on the phone, you can also try to secure information about the company and the job being offered. Asking a few questions about the role can help you prepare for the interview while making you look enthusiastic about the position. You should also ask for an emailed copy of the job description if this isn’t something you already have.

Search the Company Online

Remember that employers use interviews to see how well suited you are for their company. Qualifications can only get you so far, and they will be looking for people who will fit in with the other members of the team. Get online and see what you can find out about the company and their work ethos.

There are a few basic facts you should know, such as the focus of the company, what their stature is either locally or globally, and what the core principles are. You should be tailoring what you say to match the company ethos, so the more you can find out, the better.

Check out Forums to get a More Personal Insight

Another good tip is to search through online forums and reviews. If you can find information from recent employees, you can gauge how the working day is likely to unfold. You may even get lucky and find a few posts about someone’s recent interview.

Social media is also great for this purpose. Searching the company name on Twitter and Facebook can give you an insight that you will struggle to acquire elsewhere. Remember, as much as you might want to get the job, you also need a happy working life, so it is crucial to look out for warning signs.

Focus on Your Skills

Once you’ve found out everything you can about the company, it is time to focus on yourself. Make a list of your skills, and try to highlight the ones that you think will be most relevant to the role. Use what you know about the company to decide what they will want to hear, rather than focusing on what you want to say.

Try to think of a few examples from your career so you can demonstrate your abilities during the interview. Companies want to know that you are true to your word, and will expect you to give evidence of your skills.

Get Everything Ready the Night Before

Finally, after a hard day researching and preparing, you should get everything ready the night before. Take out the outfit you are going to wear, make sure you have any documentation you might need, and put your keys somewhere that you won’t forget. Print several clean copies of your resume in case you meet with multiple interviewers.

You want interview day to be as calm as possible, to allow time to compose yourself and run on schedule.

If you have found yourself short of time to prepare for an interview, then there is no need to panic. Sure, it is better to have as much time as possible to do all of your research, but you can still give an excellent impression with just 24 hours notice. Remember, an interview is about assessing how your personality will fit in with the group. Focus on making yourself desirable to the company’s ethics, and you stand a high chance of landing the job.