Superday kit
Superday day plan
What to do from the week before to the follow-up
Before, during and after
The week before
- Confirm the detailsTime, address or video link, dress code, what to bring and who to contact on the day
- Ask for adjustments earlyIf you need extra time or other support, tell the recruitment team as soon as you can
- Re-read your applicationInterviewers may ask about anything you wrote, so know your examples well
- Prepare your storiesSix to eight examples that cover teamwork, leading, setbacks, detail and persuading people
- Know the divisionWhat it does, how it makes money and one or two recent developments
- Rehearse out loudRecord a mixed set of questions and a presentation, then watch them back
The evening before
- Lay everything outClothes, any ID you were asked to bring, the invite, a charger, a notebook and a pen
- Plan your routeAim to be nearby 30 minutes early, with a back-up route
- Choose your questionsThree questions for interviewers that you genuinely want answered
- Stop revising in good timeA short review is enough, and sleep will help more than a late night
On the morning
- Eat properlyIt's a long day, and lunch may be part of the assessment
- Skim, don't cramGlance over your stories, your division notes and the day's headlines
- Leave with time to spareDelays happen, so build in extra time
When you arrive
- Check in 10 to 15 minutes earlyMuch earlier crowds reception, and cutting it fine adds stress
- Be friendly to everyoneReception staff, other candidates and the people at lunch all notice how you behave
- Treat other candidates as colleaguesGroup exercises go better when you have already said hello
Between exercises
- Reset after each oneTreat each interview as a fresh start, and don't carry a wobble into the next room
- Note what you were askedA few words each time stops you repeating the same example
- Drink water and breatheA minute of calm helps more than rereading your notes
- Don't compare notes too muchOther candidates' accounts of their interviews rarely help you
At the end of the day
- Ask your questionsUse the ones you prepared, plus anything the day made you curious about
- Thank peopleA quick thank you to interviewers and the recruitment team is enough
Afterwards
- Write it all downQuestions, exercises and how each one felt, while it's fresh
- Keep any follow-up shortA brief thank-you email to your recruitment contact is fine if it feels right
- Plan your next stepDecide what you would practise again, whatever the outcome
An example day
Timings and exercises differ between firms and programmes
| Time | What happens |
|---|---|
| 08:45 | Arrival and welcome |
| 09:15 | Interview: competency and motivation |
| 10:00 | Interview: technical and division questions |
| 10:45 | Break |
| 11:00 | Group exercise |
| 12:00 | Lunch with junior staff |
| 13:00 | Written case or presentation |
| 14:00 | Final interview with a senior team member |
| 14:45 | Questions and close |
If your day is online
- Test everything the day beforeCamera, microphone, lighting, the link and any checks the platform offers
- Set up a quiet spaceA plain background, a note on the door and notifications switched off
- Keep water and paper nearbyCheck the rules first, because some written tasks don't allow notes
- Have a back-upA charged phone and the recruiter's contact details in case your connection drops