The first interview: a full preparation checklist for Rwanda

Preparation is mostly about removing surprises. Every question below has been asked in a Rwandan hiring process, and none of them require experience to answer well.

The week before

• Research the employer. What they do, who leads them, what clients or sectors they serve, what has happened recently, and what you can genuinely comment on. Noticing something specific about their work is the cheapest way to sound prepared.
• Re-read the advert line by line. Every requirement listed is a likely question. If the advert says "strong Excel", assume they will ask what you have done in Excel.
• Prepare three stories. One problem you solved, one time you worked under pressure, one mistake and what you did about it. Write them out in full so you can retell them in two minutes without sounding rehearsed.
• Prepare two questions to ask them. You will be asked. Coming with none is the most common avoidable mistake.
• Sort out logistics. Route, time, parking, who to ask for, what to carry. Arriving ten minutes early is not optional.

What to bring

Two printed CVs, in case they need to look at one while you talk. Your national ID. Copies of your diploma and any certificates listed in your CV. A notebook and two pens, which signal that you take notes seriously. A charged phone, but silent.

Bring the documents they asked for. Bringing extra unsolicited personal documents, especially an ID copy or bank details, is not a strength. See the guide on fake job adverts for why.

On the day

• Arrive ten to fifteen minutes early. Early reads as reliable.
• Turn your phone fully off, not just on silent.
• When greeted, greet back, offer a handshake if offered, and use a clear, audible voice.
• Sit when invited. Keep your phone and bag on your lap or on the floor beside you, never on the table.

Handling nerves

Nerves are normal and interviewers in Rwanda know you are nervous. The things that make it worse are avoidable: arriving late, not knowing where you are, and having no idea what the company does. Preparation fixes all three.

Physically: slow your breathing before you go in, four seconds in, six seconds out, a few times. Sit with both feet on the floor. Hold something, a pen or a notebook. If you blank, say so: "Let me think for a moment" is a completely acceptable thing to say and is far better than filling the silence with filler.

If your Kinyarwanda is stronger than your English, it is completely normal and entirely acceptable to ask the interviewer to conduct the interview in Kinyarwanda, or to switch. Many interviews start in one language and move to the other.

Questions to ask them

Pick two or three, and make them specific to the role:

• What does success look like in the first three months for this role?
• How is performance measured, and how often?
• What is the team structure, and who would I work with most directly?
• What has changed about this role in the last year?
• Is there a probation period, and what does it involve?

After the interview

Send a short thank-you message the same day, referencing something specific from the discussion. It is a small differentiator and most candidates do not do it.

Then follow up once, around one week later, if you have heard nothing. One message, polite, no follow-up if there is no reply. After that, move on.