The interview is in three days. You have reread the job posting four times, and you still feel that you are missing something. That feeling is normal: a lot depends on the next hour. Knowing how to prepare for a job interview turns that vague worry into a list you can work through: research done, an introduction practised, stories written down, the logistics settled the day before.
This checklist covers the preparation. For the questions themselves and sample answers, see our guide to common job interview questions in Canada.
1. Research the company, the role and the people
Start with the job posting. Highlight the four or five main requirements and, next to each one, write an example from your experience that shows you can do it. That list becomes the backbone of your answers.
Then research the company: its website, what it sells or does, its clients, its recent news and its LinkedIn page. If you can name a challenge it is likely facing and suggest how you would help, you show interest and initiative at the same time.
If the invitation names the people you will meet, look them up on LinkedIn: their role, how long they have been there, what they post about. You are not preparing small talk; you are working out what each person will care about. A future manager wants to know if you can do the work, an HR advisor whether you will fit the team.
Finally, know your salary range before anyone asks. Our guide to evaluating your market value shows how to find it.
2. Prepare how you introduce yourself
The first question is almost always some version of "Tell me about yourself". The employer has already seen your resume and probably your LinkedIn profile, so don't recite them. Aim for about two minutes: your background in one sentence, your main roles and what each one taught you, then why you came to Canada and why this role interests you now. Our guide to the elevator pitch helps you find the core of it.
3. Write down five or six stories
Canadian interviewers often ask behavioural questions: "Tell me about a time when you...". The BC Public Service, for example, advises candidates to review the competencies in the job profile and prepare an example for each one.
List five or six situations from your work: a success, a conflict, a mistake, a tight deadline, a difficult client. For each one, write down what happened, what you did and what changed because of it. Choose stories that match the requirements you highlighted in step 1. Sample answers built from stories like these are in the questions guide linked above.
Then say them out loud. A story that reads well on paper often runs four minutes when spoken. If you want someone to time you and tell you which stories land, a mock interview with a career expert uses your resume and the real job posting.
4. Settle the logistics
Confirm the format
Reply to the invitation and confirm the date, the time and the format: phone, video or in person, one interviewer or a panel, and how long it will last. It is normal to ask "Who will I be meeting?" and "Is there anything I should prepare?" Some employers add a short test or a presentation, and you want to know in advance. For remote formats, see our guides to phone interviews and video interviews.
Decide what to wear
Dress codes in Canada vary widely by sector. A good rule is to dress one step more formal than the people who work there do every day: a suit for a bank or a law firm, business casual (trousers or a skirt, a shirt or blouse, no jeans) for most offices, clean and neat for a warehouse or a restaurant. If you are unsure, ask the recruiter; it is a normal question. Go light on perfume or cologne: many Canadian workplaces have scent-free policies because of sensitivities to scented products (CCOHS).
Pack what to bring
- Two or three printed copies of your resume, the version you sent.
- The job posting, your notes and your questions for the employer.
- A list of two or three references with their phone numbers and emails, in case you are asked.
- A portfolio or work samples if your field uses them.
- A notebook and a pen, and photo ID in case the building asks visitors to sign in.
Plan the trip
Check the route the day before, at the same time of day if you can, and allow for transit delays. Aim to arrive about ten minutes early: much earlier puts pressure on the person who has to come and get you. If you are going to be late despite everything, call or email before the start time.
5. Prepare your questions for the end
An interview is also your chance to decide whether this job fits you: the team, the management style, the room to grow. Prepare three or four questions about the things that matter to you. Our interview questions guide has a list to start from.
The day before: your checklist
- The time, the address or the link, and the interviewers' names are confirmed.
- Your outfit is ready, and your route is planned.
- For a video interview, the app is installed and tested on the computer you will use.
- Your resume copies, the posting, your references and your notes are in your bag.
- You have said your introduction and your stories out loud once more.
- Your questions for the employer are written down.
- Your phone is charged, and you have a phone number to call if something goes wrong.
Then stop preparing and get some sleep. After the interview, send a short thank-you email within 24 hours; our guide to writing follow-up emails has templates.
From a vague worry to a finished list
That feeling of missing something, three days out, usually means the preparation hasn't been written down yet. Work through the five steps, tick off the checklist the night before, and you walk in knowing what you will say and how you will get there. To test it all before the real one, book a mock interview with our career advisors and get feedback on your answers.
