You got the interview invite. That means your CV worked. Now the hard part: most candidates fail at this stage. Here is how not to.
An interview is not a test of whether you can do the job. You would not have been shortlisted if they did not already believe you probably can. The interview answers a different question: can they work with you, will you turn up, and will you stay? Almost everything below is about demonstrating those three things.
Before — DOs
Do take taxi time ×2. If the interview is at 9am, leave at 7am. Being 30 minutes early and waiting outside beats being 5 minutes late. Late arrival is read as a prediction of how you will arrive at work, and no explanation fully undoes it.
Do print everything in a clear folder: 2× CV, ID copy, matric copy, reference list. Even if you already emailed everything, bring paper. Interviewers regularly ask for a document at the end of a meeting, and having it ready is an easy win.
Do research in 10 minutes. What do they sell? Who are their customers? One recent news item. “I saw you opened a new store in Komani” makes you stand out. Ten minutes on their website and their LinkedIn page is enough to produce two sentences that most candidates will not have.
Do prepare for video. Around half of first rounds are now 15-minute WhatsApp video or Teams calls on your phone. Checklist: quiet room, light on your face, earphones, plain wall, enough data. Sit facing a window rather than with a window behind you, otherwise you are a silhouette. Put the phone on something steady at eye level instead of holding it, and switch off notifications.
Do dress one notch above the job. For a warehouse or retail role, clean trousers, a collared shirt and closed shoes. For an office role, smart casual is usually right. You are not being judged on expense; you are being judged on whether you made an effort.
During — DOs
Do use STAR answers: Situation – Task – Action – Result. Keep each under 90 seconds. Structure is what separates a strong answer from a ramble. Half a minute of context, a minute of what you actually did, and one sentence on how it ended.
Q: “Tell me about a time you dealt with a difficult customer.”
Bad: “We had many difficult customers.”
Good: “At Shoprite in December, a customer shouted about wrong change. I stayed calm, rechecked the till, explained the mistake, gave the correct change and apologised. She thanked me and came back the next week.”
Do ask 2 questions at the end:
- What does a good day look like in this role?
- What are the next steps?
Questions you will almost certainly be asked
“Tell me about yourself.” Not your life story. Two minutes: where you are now, how you got here, why you are sitting in front of them. Practise this one out loud until it is smooth — it sets the tone for everything after it.
“Why should we hire you?” Pick the single requirement from the advert you meet best and give evidence for it. One strong reason beats five weak ones.
“What is your weakness?” Choose a real, minor weakness and say what you do about it. The honesty is the point; nobody believes a candidate with no weaknesses.
“Where do you see yourself in five years?” They are testing whether you will stay. An answer about growing within the company or deepening a skill lands better than one about starting your own business.
“Do you have any questions?” Always have two. Not asking is widely read as not caring.
If you do not know the answer
Say so, then say how you would find out. “I have not used that system, but I learned Pastel from scratch in a few weeks last year, so I am comfortable picking up new software.” Guessing badly is worse than admitting a gap and showing you close gaps quickly.
DON’Ts that kill your chances in SA
- Do not arrive with a cap, sunglasses on your head, chewing gum, or your phone ringing.
- Do not say “I have no weakness”. Say: “I get nervous presenting, so I practise and joined a church group to speak more.”
- Do not badmouth: “My old boss was terrible”. Say: “I learned a lot and I am looking for growth.”
- Do not say “I need this job because I am desperate”. Say: “I am eager to learn and contribute.”
- Do not discuss salary in the first five minutes. If pressed: “I am looking for market-related, but keen to hear the range.”
- Do not bring a friend or family member to wait inside with you.
- Do not check your phone during the interview, even while waiting.
Salary trick: give a range, not a number. “Based on my research for a retail assistant in the Eastern Cape, R5 000–R6 500 is market, but I am flexible depending on the total package.” Ask what the range is before you name anything. If they insist you go first, name the bottom of your range and add that it depends on the full package — benefits, transport, and hours matter as much as the headline figure.
Panel interviews
If there are three or four people in the room, direct your answer to whoever asked but make eye contact with the others as you go. Note who asked what, because follow-up questions often come from someone who has been quiet. Address each person at least once if you can do it naturally.
After — the follow-up
After: send a thank-you within two hours. A short WhatsApp works: “Thanks for your time today, Ms Dlamini. I enjoyed learning about the cashier role. Please let me know if you need anything else.” Keep it to three sentences, get the spelling of their name right, and do not send a second message the next day.
If you have not heard back by the date they gave you, one polite follow-up is reasonable. Phone rather than message if you can, and keep it to: who you are, which role you interviewed for, and whether a decision has been made.
Frequently asked questions
How early should I arrive?
Aim for 15 to 30 minutes before the time. Arrive in the area earlier than that, then walk in once you are close to the slot.
What if I have no transport money to get there?
Say so early rather than cancelling. Many employers will move the interview to a video call, and some will reimburse travel. Asking is far better than not arriving.
Is it wrong to interview while employed?
No. Ask for a slot outside your working hours, and do not use your current employer’s equipment or email.
What should I wear to a video interview?
The same as in person, at least on top. Dress fully, not just the visible half — people stand up.
They asked for my ID and bank details at the interview. Is that normal?
After an offer, yes. Before one, be careful, and never send copies to a WhatsApp number you do not recognise. See our guide to spotting fake job adverts.
Download our free Interview Checklist (2026), and make sure your CV earned you the interview the right way — see our ATS CV guide.
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