How to Know You Are Ready for an Interview

You have gotten your foot in the door with your winning cover letter and resume. But are you ready for the interview? Do not find false security in the notion that the interview is just a formality. It is actually the game changer that starts with highly focused job interview preparation and ends with you becoming either a top contender or a cast-away candidate for the position.

According to the University of Southern California's Career Center a majority of interviewers will make a decision about hiring you within the first 30 seconds of meeting you. That means that your job interview preparation really starts the day before you walk through the door.

Heed these five tips from USC's Career Center to make your job interview preparation go as seamlessly as possible:

Be Well Rested

Avoid drinking alcohol or staying up late the night before your interview. This often overlooked part of the job interview preparation process can make you look unprofessional even if you nail every other facet of the interview.

Dress Conservatively

Wear conservative, comfortable clothing. If you are a woman, wear a dark-colored suit, natural-looking makeup, minimal jewelry and tasteful nail polish. If you are a man, wear a freshly pressed jacket and tie with nice slacks and shined shoes.

Know the Interview Location

Do not wait until the last minute to learn the route to the interview site. Drive or take public transportation there the day before the interview, if possible, to assure yourself of the exact location and commute time.

Expect Something to Go Wrong

Utilize first-rate job interview preparation recommendations by packing an extra tie or pair of stockings in your portfolio the night before your interview. It is better to be prepared for a clothing mishap than to arrive in sub-standard attire.

Have Something to Say

The first few minutes of the interview are usually spent on small talk. Scan the news the day before the interview to have something light and engaging to talk about during the ice-breaking session of the interview.

Another often overlooked aspect of the job interview preparation process is the mastering of the top job interview questions employers use to determine if you are qualified for the position. While these questions might be worded a little differently, expect to give the interviewer a short biography of yourself, an honest account of your strengths and weaknesses, a list of your short- and long-term goals and an explanation as to why you want to leave your current job, if applicable, to take the position.

Take time to practice different answers to each of the top job interview questions to give yourself the opportunity to perfect each one before your meeting. After the interview, take note of the job interview preparation techniques you utilized that made the biggest impact during the conversation. Write down how you would do it differently, if given the chance, to make your next interview go off without a hitch.

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