Confirm you'll be attending. Ring up and use this as an opportunity to check practical stuff like parking or directions and any questions you have about the interview.

Find out if you can claim your travel expenses, and if so, what you need to do so you can follow the company procedure such as keeping tickets and note of mileage.

Find out what type of interview it will be. Who'll be interviewing you? Get the interviewers' names and job titles. Find out if there are any additional tests or exercises as part of the interview that you could prepare for now.

Look at your application again. Pick out points interviewers are likely to want to talk about - likely areas are your choice of degree, last job or skills you've noted on your CV and make sure you can explain if there are any gaps - you will be asked about them. Think about how you'll deal with any weaknesses in qualifications or experience.

Do more research. The research you did for your application will always need updating. Revisit the same resources and check for new developments. Be aware of any current news stories that affect this employment sector and have an opinion on them.

Anticipate questions you're likely to be asked. Most are predictable. Fix in your mind the points you want to cover, but don't try and stick to a script.

Take our typical questions and ask a friend or member of the family to interview you. Ask them to treat it seriously and then ask for feedback on how they think you did. Make sure they know you want honest feedback - it's no good if they tell you all good things and they can't hear a word you say because you speak too quietly.

Plan what to wear. Make sure what you wear fits with the culture of the company. Check your clothes fit and there are no buttons missing or hems flapping. If you know you look good, you'll feel more confident. Clean, smart and simple is best, whatever the job. You need to look like you've made an effort, even if the style of the company is not formal.

If using public transport allow plenty of time - get the bus or train that schedules to get you there at least ¾ hour before your appointment. You can easily explain why you are early - it is not so easy when you are late.

We have put together checklists to help you make sure that you have every aspect of your preparation covered.
Pre Interview checklist
Post Interview checklist

I am not sure why, but most of us tend not to think about preparing mentally. That said, if you worry and imagine your interview going badly then you are already accomplished at mental preparation – but not in a way that serves you.

How much more beneficial would it be to put your mind to work in a more positive way and prepare more consciously for your interview?

Jack Nicklaus (golfer) attributes 10% of his success to his set-up, 40% stance and swing and 50% to mental imagery he uses before making a stroke. Nicklaus is one of many world class athletes, sports and business personalities who use visualisation techniques for creating and controlling mental images, to prepare for pressure situations.

Visualisation works for more than just sports. It is extremely effective in increasing confidence and preparing for any type of situation, mental or physical. It is perfect preparation for your interview or assessment centre.

We recommend that you explore with each of these techniques to find what works for you.(click on images to launch)