Know before you go
Before your interview, take time to learn about the organization, the role, and even the person interviewing you if possible. Why? Because strong research helps you tailor your answers, ask informed questions, and show genuine interest—qualities that employers will notice. Understanding the company’s mission, culture, and recent projects helps you stand out from other applicants. It’s one of the most powerful steps you can take to feel confident and make a great first impression.
Check out our Tips for Researching Before an Interview guide to get started.
What questions will I be asked?
Prepare a list of potential questions you could be asked based on the job description. Brainstorm positive examples of the skills they could ask about. Faculty and peers in the industry can be a great source of information.
Some interview questions will be industry and job specific. Review the job posting to remind yourself of the requirements and think about examples of your past experiences that show those requirements. Other questions may be more generic. Here are some tip sheets to help you prepare:
Common questions and tips on how to answer them.
A guide to the Ontario Public Service (OPS) interview process
Boost your interview confidence with practice
Practice in front of a mirror or phone to see your posture, body language and the way you respond to interview questions. Have a friend or family member ask you questions out loud and ask for feedback. You can also use Yoodli — a free AI-powered interviewer — that will ask you interview questions and provide feedback to help you identify areas for improvement and boost your confidence.
To practice and receive feedback in person, book an appointment with one of our Career Educators.
What should I wear?
Present yourself as a strong fit for the organization—its culture, industry, and values. Consider what you would typically wear in this job, then elevate it one step. For example, if the work attire is jeans and a t-shirt, choose dress pants and a collared shirt for the interview. If you’re meeting on-site and may need safety gear or Personal Protective Equipment (PPE), be sure to bring it with you.
Check out this visual guide to Dress the Part for your interview.
Curious about how body language plays a role? Recent studies show that an upright posture improves confidence and concentration while helping with stress management (Journal of Psychology and Neuroscience, 2024).
How do I respond if I am asked an illegal question?
The Ontario Human Rights Code prohibits actions that discriminate against people based on protected grounds in five social areas. Employment is one of them. Within Employment, there are 15 prohibited grounds: race, colour, ancestry, creed (religion), place of origin, ethnic origin, citizenship, sex (including pregnancy, gender identity), sexual orientation, age, marital status, family status, disability and receipt of public assistance.
Some illegal questions are asked by employers who are not aware of the code; other times, the employer is aware but asks anyway. If you are asked a question that you feel violates your rights, you have options about how to answer:
- You can refuse to answer the question
If you refuse to answer a question, you can explain why (i.e. you don’t think that the question was appropriate/relevant to the work). This may bring a negative tone to the interview but it doesn’t allow the employer to make a decision based on illegal grounds. - You can ask for context
You may ask the employer to explain how the information they have requested relates to your ability to do the job. This gives you more information about the employer’s motivation and allows you time to process. Then, you can choose whether to answer or not, and whether to answer the question in part or in full, based on your comfort level. The employer may make a decision based on illegal grounds with this option. - You can choose to answer the question
Decide how you want to answer and how much information you want to give. Reflect back to the employer that the area they have asked about will not affect your ability to do the job (i.e. My family background will not have any impact on my ability to successfully complete this duties of the job). The employer may make a decision based on illegal grounds with this option.
Regardless of how you handle the question, the Human Rights Legal Support Centre assists the public with human rights violations in Ontario. If you have more specific questions about illegal questions, you can also meet with one of our Career Educators.
ADDITIONAL RESOURCES:
Would like more help in preparing for your job interview?
Connect with our online Employment Advisor or book an appointment with a Career Educator today!