1. Research your company thoroughly by whatever means possible

• Suggested methods are through the prospective employer himself, or at least his company. Contact them and ask for their product literature and company background information. If there is a local branch, call in, speak to the people and ask for the information you feel would be necessary. More likely is via the extensive use of the internet and through the organisation's own website. These sources should provide most of the information you will need to ensure the interview is successful.
• If an agency has organised your interview, pick the agency's brains for whatever information they can provide.
• You must try to create as clear a picture as possible about the company that you are approaching, the products they sell, the markets they deal with and as much as you can about the particular job for which you are applying. Not only will this enable you to participate more fully in the interview with your prospective employer, but, if nothing else, it will help you to decide whether you are interested in the company and the job.

2. Prepare a list of questions you would like to ask the prospective employer

• During the interview you are under pressure, trying hard to please and to impress. Quite frequently this has a counter-productive result. What generally happens is that your mind goes blank and you remember all the questions that you want to ask as you are about to leave the interview or, indeed, after you have left.
• A list of example questions and answers are on the Questions and Answers page. The reason you need the questions is to ensure that by the time you have left the interview, you understand as much about the job and about the company as a prospective employer has found out about you. This should equip you to make an objective decision at the end of the interview session.

• It also prevents those awful pregnant pauses when the interviewer says "and do you have any questions?" and you cannot answer. An interview should be a two-way process.

3. Prepare a list of your selling benefits

• In order to do this, ask yourself one basic question - "Why should that employer offer me that job?", then write down all the reasons.
• If you have been thorough in your questioning of the prospective employer then you will have a good idea of what he is looking for. You can then match your own capabilities, experience and ambitions against his criteria.

• When listing out your selling benefits also bear in mind if you have what we call a 'glory file' or 'brag-bag', i.e. any written documentation or league tables or memos from your boss that say “what a wonderful person you are and how well you undertook you duties” - make sure that you take that with you. It saves a lot of unnecessary time in the question and answer session and proves you can do what you say. Written documentation actually proves this and enables you to move to a more constructive area in the interview.