Written for Malachain: the essentials, without the noise.
One evening is enough if it is spent well. Read the job description and write a short story for each requirement: the situation, what you did and what happened. Five or six stories cover nearly every question. Then look at the organisation's recent news so you can ask one genuinely curious question of your own at the end.
Practise the stories out loud, not in your head; they shrink to a comfortable length after the third telling. Plan the journey and the clothes the night before, and bring a printed copy of your application. On the day, listen fully to each question before answering, and it is fine to pause. Afterwards send a brief thank-you that mentions something specific from the conversation.
The most useful step is usually the first one. Pick a single suggestion, try it for a couple of weeks, and then decide whether it is worth keeping. Small, steady improvements last longer than ambitious plans that are hard to maintain once everyday life gets busy again.
It also helps to talk the subject through with friends or colleagues who have tried something similar. Their experience points out the details that guides leave out: how long things really take, which costs were unexpected, and which shortcuts turned out to be a mistake.
There is more to learn on this subject, and the linked website goes into greater depth. Treat this article as an introduction rather than the final word, and check any important decision against up-to-date, reliable sources before relying on it.