Proven job interview tips help you stand out and get hired

We are currently facing one of the toughest job markets ever, and competition for the few jobs available is fierce! There is no margin for error when going on job interviews, and getting hired comes down to performing at near perfection.

A job interview is the first and most important step to secure a bright career in your life.  There are certain things you will want to plan and prepare in advance to make your interview a success.

The following tips will guide you through in preparing and presenting yourself for a job interview.  Just bear in mind that you will never get a second chance to make a first impression; therefore, it’s to be noted that you will want to do your best on preparing for your interview in advance.

1.    What you wear on your interview is most crucial, the appearance how you dress up to face your interviewer is very important.  Once you have selected your outfit, ensure it’s cleaned and pressed in addition to selecting appropriate shoes to match with your outfit – just wear them and see yourself or ask for the opinion of your friends.

2.    Read your resume once again for any missing points and add them at once.  Your skills and work experience are the important part that you should never miss to project in the resume.  They may pick things out from it and ask you to elaborate. Even though you may have a previous job experience listed, the interviewer may ask you to explain to test your actual knowledge at that job - and you’re responsible for providing an answer.

3.    You should always greet your interviewer with a smile and firm handshake. If you do this right, you will set off the right energy and the chances of the interview going well will increase.

4.    Be well prepared and get enough practice answering to the most common interview questions. If you don't know what these are, do your research.  You'll want to have your answers ready and practice them to make your interview a great success.

5.    Don't completely memorize your answers so they come out rehearsed, but have a clear idea of what you are going to say. When you are asked, you want your answer to come out intelligently and natural. Be open to other questions as well and really know what you can offer to the company.

6.    Research the company and the job position you are applying for. Write down any questions you may have about either so you can ask during the interview. If there any requirement of the job that you are unsure of, you should definitely ask during the interview. It always looks nice when you go into an interview with intelligent questions. It shows you put effort in preparing for the interview. However, never ask questions just to ask questions. The interviewer will see right through that. Your questions should be genuine and relevant.

7.    Find out the type of interview you will be going on. There are several common types of interviews such as one on one, group, and behavioral. You shouldn't assume you will get a certain one. Don't be afraid to ask your recruiter what kind of interview will have if you don't know. The interview will be more beneficial to both parties if you are prepared.

8.    Print out the directions to the interview and be on time. Allow enough time to get there and anticipate traffic. It's ok to be up to 10 minutes early, but no more than that. Otherwise, the interviewer may not be ready for you. Bring the phone number of your interviewer just in case you get lost or are going to be late. If you are going to be late, call to let the interviewer know.

Your job interview is the most important step of the job hiring process and you don't want to mess it up. Follow these tips and you will successfully know how to prepare for a job interview. Interviewers can tell whether or not a candidate has prepared for it or not and they will appreciate it if you did.