Preparing for The Interview
Julia Vayzburd, myBigShoe.com

I Got the Interview! Now what? Your perfectly polished resume finally got you that interview. Congratulations! Great Job! Hours later, as soon as the initial excitement subsides, you realize you didn't actually get the job-yet, you still have to GO to the interview.

At this stage, there are two kinds of people: the kind by which instant panic sets in and they start thinking…"Oh My God! How am I going to pull this off? I never thought I'd even get this far"…and little by little, they start losing their confidence.

And then there are the cocky types that are thinking "Just let me in there. I've got this one in the bag. Peace of Cake. I know this stuff like the back of my hand".

One will make you WORRY about everything and the other will make you think you KNOW everything. Neither attitude will get you very far. After all, you managed to get your foot in the door, so you better put your best one forward.

Below are a few things to do and consider before and the day of the event:

Do a Company Background Check
Make sure you do some research on the company. They may not ask anything directly, but it never hurts to look prepared and be on top of things. Having information in your back pocket may even help you answer a particular question better than you expected and really impress the interviewer. It also shows you have sincere interest and enthusiasm in working for the company and not just trying to land a job. It can be a deal breaker.

Dress for Success
It is always important to look as professional and well-groomed as possible. Remember, first impressions do count. Both women and men should stick to solid color suits. Patterns on clothing can sometimes be distracting, especially so if they're bright, so your safest bets are solid colors and neutral tones. Of course, when going for more creative type jobs, sometimes it helps to show a little edge. First Impressions.

First impressions
These leave lasting opinions. Keep in mind, most people make up their minds about whether they like you or not in the first 10 seconds, so keep yourself on your best behavior. Many times it's all about whether someone likes you or not. If they do, they'll do everything in their power to give you the job, so keep that in the your back pocket!

Be Prompt
It might sound like a given to all, but not all abide by this. Being even 5 minutes late can ruin your chances of getting the job. By being late, you may already have made a BAD first impression even before your interview. Being prompt says a mouthful about your actions and your character, not to mention respect. So don't be later. If you're not sure where you're going, leave a half hour earlier than you need to. If you know there's going to be lots of traffic, leave earlier. Even if the place is 10 minutes away, give yourself ample time for any unexpected delays. Nobody is going to care about your excuses when you're 15 minutes late for an interview and if they don't seem to care, then you need to be suspicious of their ways of doing business or respecting people's time.

It's all about Body Language
Body language says a mouthful before you've even opened up your mouth.

A few helpful hints are:

• Maintain good eye contact with your interviewer. It shows confidence. However, don't "overstare", that causes a negative connotation.

• Sit up straight and show interest with your body by leaning slightly forward. Don't lean too much as it shows too much enthusiasm.

• Don't slouch or slump in the chair. It shows that you are too comfortable and you shouldn't be just yet.

• Offer a firm, but not overly firm handshake in the beginning and end of the interview and look them in the eye as you're shaking hands.

Practice
If you haven't been on an interview for a while, it's good to have a practice question and answer session with someone else or even by yourself.

Brush up on some of the standard interview questions such as the following:

• What is your biggest strength?

• What is your biggest weakness?

• How do you think you can contribute to our company?

• What is one of your most challenging work experiences?

• What did you enjoy most about your previous job?

• What did you enjoy least about your previous job?

• What gives you the most satisfaction from your job?

These are just some of the few questions which may or may not come up, but by practicing answering them to a friend or yourself will help you get in the interview state-of-mind and look more prepared.

Good Luck!