An interview is your opportunity to demonstrate your abilities to the hiring official, and for you to determine if your career will be enhanced by accepting employment there. Don't leave the interview uninformed. You should carry a list of questions (placed in a folder) to the interview. The interviewer will be impressed that you came so well prepared. Premeditated questions can be grouped into four different categories:

1. Company questions deal with the organization, direction, policies, stability, growth, market share, and new products or services of the company or department;
2. Industry questions deal with the health, growth, change, technological advancement, and personnel of the industry as a whole;
3. Position questions deal with the scope, responsibilities, travel, compensation policies, and reporting structure of the position you're interviewing for; and
4. Opportunity questions deal with your potential for growth or advancement within the company or its divisions.

Questions should always be slanted in such a way as to show interest, or an understanding of the employers' needs. Example: "What's the most important issue facing your department?" No self-serving questions, i.e...time off, vacation, paydays etc.

Familiarize yourself with the company and the position. Again, the interviewer will be very impressed by the time you've spent researching the company before coming for the interview. You should be able to tell the interviewer exactly why you selected this particular company.

Expect to fill out an application. Bring your resume so you can put the correct dates down. Conflicting dates always raise concerns. If references are requested, you should put them down. Never volunteer references. Plan to arrive ten minutes early, not much sooner. This will give you time to check your appearance and go over your notes. Go into the interview with confidence. Carry a portfolio and open it at the beginning so you can jot down notes and refer to the questions you have prepared.

Those who have the best interviewing skills generally land the jobs they interview for, regardless of whether they are the most technically qualified applicants! Regardless of the company's dress code, males should wear a conservative suit, white shirt and conservative tie. Females should wear a nice suit or a skirt with a conservative blouse and a jacket. Perfume should be used sparingly.

As the interview is ending, be sure you make it very clear that you are interested in the job. Find out what the next step in the hiring process will be and ask for an appointment. Say, "Ms. Hiring Official, I feel I would really be an asset to you and XYZ Company. What is the next step in your hiring process?.... I could be available...."

Lastly, send thank-you notes to the primary players in the interview, making a pitch for yourself, using an asset that addresses one of their "hot buttons".