After applying to what may seem like an endless array of job openings, you finally receive a call for an interview. Waiting until the night before to “do your homework” will almost guarantee an interview nightmare the next day. The key to a successful interview, one that could potentially land you a job, is preparation.

Begin preparing two to three days in advance. You should begin preparing for an interview at least two to three days before the date you plan to meet with an employer. This gives you plenty of time to select the appropriate attire, research the company, and go over practice questions. You also have a chance to familiarize yourself with the office location in case you are unfamiliar with area. Preparing a route ahead of time will let you know how much time to allow in order to get to your destination promptly.

Dress to impress. Every jobseeker should have at least one business suit to wear to job interviews. Appearance is everything - look clean, neat and professional. Choosing your attire before the interview will give you time to iron it and have any alterations that may need to be handled well in advance of your interview.

Research the company. Now that you know what you are wearing to the interview, it is time to learn more about the company. Knowing about a potential employer gives you a slight edge over other candidates. Familiarize yourself with the company’s profile - How long they have been in operation? What services do they offer? What is required of the position you are applying for? This not only shows that you did your homework, but it also proves to an employer that you are genuinely interested in the company. Also, becoming well-versed in the duties of the position for which you are applying will allow you to relate your skills to the job.

Make sure your resume is up-to-date. If you have been asked to provide a resume, make sure that yours is up-to-date, printed on resume paper, and that you have at least five copies with you the day of your interview. You may not always need extra copies, but it is always better to be safe than sorry.

Practice job interview questions before your interview. It is a great way to prepare your responses so that you can answer your interviewer confidently and quickly. Preparing your answers ahead of time will put your mind at ease because you will know exactly what to say.

With adequate preparation and research, you will get through your job interview with ease and grace. Waiting until the last minute to try to pull it all together is a big mistake often made by headstrong jobseekers who think they can “wing it” during an interview. Prepare today with these interview tips and you just might have a job tomorrow.

Most job candidates think their interview begins when they are introduced to the interviewer at the start of the question-and-answer session. If you wait until then to display your “best interview behavior,” you may lose the job before you answer the first question!

This is a rather extreme example, but one of the nation’s leading airlines often flies job candidates to their headquarters for job interviews. The airline provides the round-trip airfares. What the lucky candidates don’t realize is that their tickets are “tagged” to identify them as job applicants on their way to an interview with the airline. Those candidates are being evaluated from the moment they enter the airport!

If candidate Mary Smith is inconsiderate to fellow passengers or rude to a flight attendant, for example, this information is reported to the hiring manager before Mary arrives for her interview. She’ll go through the interview, may do a great job answering the questions, and will be totally mystified about why she is NOT selected for the position.

Here are more typical situations where your interactions with people prior to your interview may affect the hiring decision:

· When you talk to someone from HR on the telephone to schedule your interview;
· When you exchange small talk while riding in the elevator with someone;
· When you talk to the receptionist while waiting for your interview to begin;
· When someone walks by while you’re waiting and starts a brief conversation with you.

Those are just a few examples.

Imagine Joe the candidate arriving at an office building for an interview which is being held on the 18th floor. Joe gets into the elevator and says “Good morning” to a woman who is already in it. The woman responds with “Good morning. Are you here to see Mr. Jones?” Joe says “Yes. I’m interviewing with him for an engineering position.” Because Joe is nervous, he says a bit too much. “I’m really dreading this. I hear Jones is a grouchy old bastard.” The elevator arrives at the 18th floor and they both step out. Mr. Jones is there to greet Joe, and says, “Good morning. I see you’ve already met my daughter.” (There’s a TV commercial similar to this.)

I’m not trying to make you paranoid, but if you suspect that every person associated with the company is a spy for the hiring manager, do you think you’ll be more aware of your behavior while in their presence? You bet!

Don’t wait until you meet the interviewer to turn on the charm. Your interview may begin–and be over–long before you realize it!

Bonnie Lowe is author of the popular Job Interview Success System and free information-packed ezine, “Career-Life Times.” Find those and other powerful career-building resources and tips at her website: http://www.Best-Interview-Strategies.com

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