First Job Interview: How to Prepare in 48 Hours

Interviewers don't expect a fresher to know everything. They want to see that you understand the job, can explain what you've done clearly, and would be easy to work with. Two focused days of preparation are enough for that.

Day one: the company and the role

• Read the job description twice and list the five skills it mentions most.
• Look at the company's website and recent news: what they sell and who to.
• For each skill on your list, prepare one example from a project, internship or college work.

Day two: practise answers out loud

"Tell me about yourself" is almost always first. Keep it to about a minute: what you studied, one or two things you've built or done that relate to this job, and why you want this role. Practise it out loud until it sounds natural, not memorised.

Other common questions for freshers:

• Walk me through a project you're proud of.
• What was hard about it, and what would you do differently?
• Why this company, and why this role?
• Where do you see yourself in a few years?
• Are you comfortable relocating or working shifts? (Know your honest answer beforehand.)

Practise with questions written for the exact job: on any JobSpri listing, open "Prepare for the interview" for ten likely questions and a coaching tip.

On the day

• For video interviews, test your camera, microphone and internet 30 minutes early.
• Keep a copy of your resume and the job description in front of you.
• If you don't know an answer, say how you'd find out. That's often a good answer in itself.

Questions to ask at the end

• What would a good first three months look like in this role?
• How is the team structured, and who would I learn from?
• What are the next steps in the process?

• Find fresher jobs