The best first interview tips tend to focus on logistics, not just answers. The part of a first interview that catches people out is rarely the questions. It is the hour beforehand: the wrong exit at Bank, a building with three receptions, a line part-suspended that was running fine when you checked on Sunday. Most of that is fixable days in advance, which is the whole point of preparing properly.

Key Takeaways

• Confirm the format, address and who you are meeting first; a phone screen needs different prep to an assessment day.
• Plan the exact route, including station exit and walking time, and keep a backup ready.
• Arrive in the area 20 to 30 minutes early, then announce yourself at reception five to ten minutes before.
• Prepare a 90-second “Tell me about yourself” answer and three or four questions to ask.
• If you are genuinely delayed, ring or email straight away; a calm response reflects well on you.

So here is what we would sort out before the day itself, with the London bits given the attention they deserve.

Confirm the Format Before You Prepare Anything Else

Check the invitation and reply to confirm you are attending. Is it in person, a video call, a panel, or a first-stage screen with HR? A 20 minute phone screen needs very different preparation to a two hour assessment day.

Online interviews are now routine, with online interviews now common across sectors, so do not assume a London role means a London office visit; it is worth reading up on the questions you should ask your interviewer about remote work in case the role is partly or fully remote. If it is on video, test the platform, camera and microphone the day before, not five minutes before.

If anything is vague, ask. A short email checking the address, the floor, who to ask for and how long to allow is entirely normal.

Plan the Journey, Not Just the Postcode

Put the exact address into a journey planner and note the station, the exit and the walk at the other end. A postcode in Canary Wharf, the Broadgate estate or a large City block can leave you within sight of the building and still circling it for ten minutes.

Check for planned disruption on your travel day, and have a second route in mind so a closed line does not become a crisis at 8am. The same thinking applies if the interview sits either side of a flight: travelling in from Heathrow that morning, or heading back out afterwards, leaves you working around two timetables at once, and one way to remove that uncertainty is a pre-booked fixed-fare cab with flight tracking, such as those listed at zedcarz.co.uk/minicab-to-heathrow.

How Much Time to Actually Allow

Aim to be in the area 20 to 30 minutes early, then announce yourself at reception five to ten minutes before. That covers a delayed train without leaving you waiting around for three quarters of an hour.

Peak hours change the maths. Between 8am and 9.30am, a busy interchange can add ten minutes and a full train may mean waiting for the next one, so build that in.

If you are delayed, ring or email straight away. Employers deal with signal failures constantly, and handling it calmly says more about you than a spotless arrival.

Research That Changes What You Say

Research is only useful if it shows up in your answers. Reread the job advert, pick the three things they clearly care about most, and have a STAR method answers ready for each, from work, study, volunteering or a part-time role.

Check recent news, their site and their LinkedIn posts from the last few months for something you can refer to naturally, such as a new office or an expanded service, rather than a fact to recite.

Then prepare your opener. “Tell me about yourself” is best answered in about 90 seconds: what you do now, one or two relevant things you have done, and why this role. Say it out loud a few times so it sounds like you rather than a script.

Your Own Questions Matter

Have three or four questions ready and expect one or two to be answered during the conversation. Good ones tend to be about the work itself: what the first three months look like, how the team is structured, how success is measured in the role, what the next stage of the process is.

Avoid opening with pay and holiday at a first interview unless they raise it. If they do ask about salary expectations, give a researched range for that role in London rather than a single figure.

An Interview Preparation Checklist Worth Running Through

• Date, time, format, full address and who you are meeting
• Route checked, plus a backup and any planned closures
• Outfit ready the night before, with shoes you can walk in
• Phone charged, recruiter’s number saved, printed CV
• ID or building pass details if needed on arrival
• Three examples matched to the advert, and your questions

On clothing, London varies by sector: law and finance still lean formal, while agencies, startups and much of tech are more relaxed. If you cannot tell, go smart but understated, or simply ask the recruiter what people wear.

The Mistakes We See Most Often

The common ones are small and avoidable. Relying on one route with no alternative. Turning up at the right postcode but the wrong building in a large complex. Preparing answers but no questions. Arriving so early that you spend 40 minutes getting more anxious in reception.

The other is treating a first interview as a test you either pass or fail. It is a conversation about whether the role fits both ways, and the candidates who come across best are usually the ones who have handled the logistics in advance and can therefore think about the job rather than the journey.

FAQs

Is It Worth Asking for Feedback If I Don’t Get the Job?

Yes, it is worth asking. A short, polite email a few days after being told the outcome is fine. Not every recruiter will respond in detail, but when they do, specific feedback is genuinely useful for the next round. Keep the tone neutral and grateful rather than questioning the decision.

What Should I Do If I Arrive and the Interviewer Is Running Late?

Wait without complaint and use the time to collect your thoughts. If you are left waiting more than 15 to 20 minutes with no update, it is fine to politely check with reception whether they are aware. Do not express frustration, as things run over and interviewers know when they have kept someone waiting.

How Do I Handle a Panel Interview If I Have Never Done One Before?

Address your answer to the person who asked the question, but make brief eye contact with the others as you speak. It can feel unnatural at first, but most panels are used to candidates finding it slightly awkward. If you are not sure who is leading, follow whoever is taking notes or speaking most.