You can't learn everything in a day — but you can remove the screw-ups
Cramming a new topic the night before is pointless. What you can guarantee is that connectivity, environment, and logistics won't fail you. Those are 100% in your control.
Tech and environment
- Call link checked, camera and mic work
- Laptop charged / plugged in
- Stable internet, mobile hotspot as a backup
- If live-coding: environment open and tested (IDE, online editor, screen-share access)
- Notifications and stray tabs closed
- A quiet, interruption-free space for the slot
Logistics and materials
- Within reach: resume, job description, your question list
- You know the interviewers' names and roles
- Time confirmed across time zones
- A backup contact noted (recruiter's phone)
Content prep
- Skimmed the story bank
- Reviewed the 5-7 most likely topics from the posting
- A 30-second "about me" ready
- 3-4 questions for the employer prepared
An hour before
- Glass of water nearby
- Re-read the job description
- A short voice warm-up — say your intro out loud