The night before the interview is immensely unnerving and anticipative. It is important to channel this nervous energy to make sure you are the doing right things to ensure success come interview day. By the evening before the big day, you must surely have done tons of preparation- you have reiterated your answers, polished your resume, and planned how you are going to reach there. But there is still a lot yet to accomplish that will help avoid last-minute emergencies.
In this article, Team YLCC brings you an effective checklist for things to do the night before the interview. Read on!
- ASSEMBLING THE INTERVIEW OUTFIT
Selecting the outfit for an interview is not something to be done last-minute. What you wear for an interview can make or break your chances and therefore you should put in some serious consideration into selecting the attire. Make sure it is impactful and comfortable as well.
Once you have done that, the next step is to make sure that the garments are spotlessly clean and professionally ironed. If you are wearing any accessories like a tie, make sure those match the outfit and give an impressive look overall.
- PRINT YOUR MATERIALS
There are several things for which you need to carry a hardcopy, e.g. your resume, your transcripts and certificates, etc. This is important in case the recruiter does not possess a copy at the time of the interview and may therefore expect you to provide them with one.
We suggest you make an exhaustive list of everything you need to print and progress accordingly. This can also be done well in advance, especially if you do not own a printer at home and have to rely on local shops.
- ARRANGE EVERYTHING TO CARRY
Under no circumstances do you want to turn up at the interview having left something important at home. Create a checklist of everything you need to carry well in advance and tick a box everything you include something. Having a systematic approach will play a key role in your last minute preparation.
- REVIEW YOUR ANSWERS
Take some time to brush up your answers on some of the common questions you have prepared for, both in the Technical and HR Round.
- RESEARCH THE PANEL
Knowing a brief background on who will be interviewing you gives a little added confidence. For this you can research online or ask your sources to find out who is on the panel. Make sure you not only know names, but also titles and department. If you have time, do a quick Google search and a little LinkedIn stalking to get a little background on what they might be working on.
- SET YOUR ALARM FOR THE MORNING
The emphasis on this cannot be highlighted enough. Whether or not you wake on time is likely to determine the outcome of the entire day.
To be on the safe side, you may choose to set the alarm on multiple devices on a 5-minute interval so that you waking up is an absolute certainty.
- PLAN FOR YOUR BREAKFAST
It is an important day, and what you eat should reflect that. Depending on the time of your interview, you may want to make sure your breakfast is full of fuel and healthy ingredients to keep your mind focused. Greens, fresh fruits and whole grains all contain the nutrients that can give you the mental and physical boost needed to ace the interview but can take a while to prepare. Try and prepare your breakfast the night before to save some crucial time in the morning. For instance, a jar of overnight oats and berries or a green protein smoothie can be easily prepared the night before and still go a long way in long-term energy and mental prowess.
- SCHEDULE YOUR RIDE
If you are availing private transport or a cab to the interview, you can save some valuable time by scheduling it beforehand. This means that you can avail the ride the moment you are ready, instead of having to endure a nerve-wracking wait for the car to arrive.
- CHALK OUT THE ROUTE
You can refer to the maps which route will take you shortest time with less traffic and plan your travel in that manner. Reaching the interview with good time to spare should be target as it allows you some time to compose yourself and use the washroom if necessary.
- HAVE A GOOD NIGHT’S SLEEP
It is imperative to have at least 7-8 hours of sound sleep before an interview as it keeps your fresh and attentive. Anything less than that probably means there is a possibility for you to yawn before or during an interview (this is a strict no-no). Make sure the lights are off by 11!
Now that you know what to do, all the best!
YLCC would like to thank Sachet Labroo for his valuable inputs in this article.
