How to Ace Every Interview

Learn how to ace every job interview by following these tips. Good luck in your new position!

Things You'll Need

• Pen, paper and a good attitude.

Instructions

1. Dress Your Best - Though many companies have toned down the formal dress of years past, it is still recommended that you dress up for an interview. A man should wear at least a tie, and women should wear a skirt or matching suit with pants and a tailored blouse.

2. Tone Down Your Accessories - Accessories include nose rings, eyebrow piercings , tattoos and yes, you should hide them and/or remove them for the interview. While they may be okay to wear on the job eventually, depending upon your occupation, they are not the right message to leave an interviewer. Wear minimal make up for the interview.

3. Study The Company - It is so much easier than it used to be to go on the internet and find out important facts and anecdotal details about the organization you are researching. Most companies will expect you to know something about them before you walk in their door. Your competitors for the job will make you look uninformed if they have done their homework and you have not.

4. Speak Articulately - Practice with a friend when you are preparing for an interview. Answer questions thoroughly and succinctly. Try not to talk too much or go off on long tangents that may get you into trouble, by revealing undesirable facts. Don't interrupt, but answer their questions fully.

5. Plan For Typical Questions - Many interviewers use standard interview texts to develop a list of questions. They include things like, where do you see yourself in five years and what did you want to be when you were a child or what makes you the best candidate for this job. Be prepared for questions like these. The other common approach is to ask you to tell the interviewer about yourself. You need to memorize a brief sales pitch encompassing your education and experience.

6. Know Yourself - When you have a chance to practice with a friend, be sure to ask her to give you constructive feedback. Listen and learn. Most people know if they stutter, stammer or repeat themselves. Practice and insight from others will help you avoid these pitfalls. If you become momentarily stumped by a question, take a deep breath, smile and ask for a moment to think. If you still cannot find the answer in your head, go back to it later. And it is okay to say you don't know the answer. Honesty will earn you a few points.

7. The Almighty Dos - Do get there on time or even a bit early. Fill out an application for employment, but tell the interviewer that your salary is negotiable. Speak clearly and enunciate your words properly. Talk in completed sentences. Ensure that you are impeccably clean and groomed - hair, nails, make up, shoes - and that your clothes are laundered and pressed. Have a list of professional references. Be sure to contact your references and send them your resume so they can speak about you intelligently if they should be contacted.

8. The Definitive Don'ts - Don't include salary information on your resume or any application for employment. Don't chew gum or put anything in your mouth. If you are extremely nervous, you can accept water if offered during the interview, but nothing else. Don't interrupt him when he's talking. Don't dress like a freak, show too much skin or use any profanity during the interview. Don't use perfume or after shave.

9. 

   Follow-Up After the Interview - Sending a "thank you" letter to each of the people you meet with is by far the best way to reinforce a good interview or elevate you above those with similar backgrounds who did not send a note. This is not an email. This needs to be an actual letter mailed to the person and the sooner after the interview the better.

10. Get Feedback From the Interviewer - Though it is upsetting when you apply for and do not get selected for a particular position, make the effort to find out specifically why another candidate was chosen instead and listen carefully to the feedback they give you. If you can learn from this experience, it would still be worth the effort. Very soon, you will be hearing, congratulations on your new job!