In 2025, many job candidate interviews are hosted through video conferencing apps to begin with, and then second interviews are held in person. Perhaps the job you’re applying for works a little differently. However, one truth is mostly applicable to any position – a company will want to see you in-person at some point during the life of your career with them, and usually before they take you on full-time.
To begin with, they want to make sure you’re as capable up front as you are online, where anyone can misrepresent their competency. But of course, many people hope to just know who they’re hiring as well, and sometimes taking you out to a business lunch can be just as informative, especially for higher-level positions where you intend to lead teams.
Traveling for a job interview isn’t always easy, however, especially if you have many hundreds of miles to go before you arrive. It will cost you money, time and effort. Yet doing so, especially for a dream job or for a confident position in a field you care about can be more than worthwhile. For example, you may be happy working where you are now, but the chance to work for a much bigger company with more career advancement in a major city could be ideal.
Regardless, in this post, we intend to help you travel and develop for a job interview in the best light, as this in itself takes care and attention to achieve. Without further ado, please consider:
Planning Your Journey Time With Parameters
Nobody wants to walk into an interview looking frazzled and stressed, but who comes from a huge commute looking their best? Not us, that’s for sure, but if you do, then more power to you!
However, it’s harder when you’re delayed or when you realize you didn’t have enough time to plan to begin with. The train might take three hours, but city traffic and finding the right building always take longer than expected, and that can lead us to stress a little.
Plenty of people try to rush it all on the same day, but arriving the day before tends to work out much better if you can afford it. If you’re going to a city in the morning, using luggage storage Edinburgh services and checking in later can help, as it lets you take a walk around the area. That helps spot any confusing junctions or building entrances that might cause panic later when it counts. There’s a huge benefit to feeling settled and getting a proper night’s sleep, rather than worrying about delayed trains or morning traffic.
Managing Your Interview Outfit
Unless you’re interviewing for a fashion magazine or designer, then you don’t have to look perfect. But of course, a professional outfit is going to help you feel more confident and professional, even if it can take a real beating during travel. Now, mostpeople know the basics of keeping formal clothes neat, but there’s always one stubborn wrinkle that appears from nowhere or you may find yourself a little disheveled if you’re come a long way.
As such, traveling in comfortable clothes and changing closer to the interview time makes life much easier for you, so we’d recommend that instead. Moreover, packing a spare shirt or blouse might seem paranoid, but spilling coffee right before an interview happens more often than anyone likes to admit, and you don’t want to have to apologize for the stain upon your first meeting, even if it wasn’t your fault.
Some candidates even pack their interview shoes separately and wear comfortable ones for walking around, since blisters and aching feet rarely help anyone perform their best during important meetings, especially if you have to stand and give a presentation.
Preparing Your Documents
Now, digital documents might rule most of our lives now, and so coming with your laptop may be all you need, but paper still has its place. Having spare copies of everything often saves the day when technology decides not to cooperate, like if your presentation just doesn’t load on their systems, or if your CV is corrupted. A simple folder keeps everything neat and you can hand out that paper if needed, which is much better than fishing crumpled papers out of a bag while trying to look professional.
We’d recommend putting together a one-page summary of your biggest achievements too, which comes in really handy when meeting several interviewers through the day.
Local Knowledge Matters
You don’t have to be an expert in the city just for a job interview, perhaps you’ll have muchmore time for this later. That said, knowing a bit about the area shows you’ve put real thought into the move. Nobody expects you to know every street and restaurant of course, but understanding basics like transport links or local business news gives you something genuine to talk about, or even knowing about the local sports team if you follow it.
Actually seeing the area often answers questions about whether you’d enjoy living there, especially if you’ve had time to take it in that morning. Taking time to walk around different neighborhoods or trying local cafes gives a much better feel for the place than any website ever could, and this could be the thing that tips you over the edge in a second interview.
Recover Before & After
Long journeys take more out of you than most people expect. You’re not a worse professional or any less skilled at the job because that four-hour train journey has made you feel a little tired, but unfortunately, it can affect how you come across and your performance.
So, building in proper rest time means you’re not yawning through important conversations. That extra time lets you think through everything too, as good interviews often bring up points worth noting down while they’re still fresh in mind. You might also find breathing space after the interview helpful for sending follow-up emails or planning next steps without feeling rushed about it either. Some interviews might invite you to come in the next day to meet the team and have a tour, which is usually a good sign.
With this advice, we hope you can travel for a job interview and feel confident in doing so!
