Because people do not interview every day, most job seekers are pretty rusty when faced with the prospect. The job seeker needs to prepare and practice for each interview with enthusiasm and confidence.

Here are a few suggestions on how to approach the interview process:

• Research the company thoroughly. The more you know about the organization, the position and the person who may be your boss, the better off you are. Match your skills and experience to the position you are seeking.

• Give careful thought to your appearance. It is claimed that people form first impressions in seven seconds and those impressions can be permanent. Projecting a confident and professional image is essential.

• Know the location of the interview and the time it will take you to get there in advance. Rushing around trying to find the facility will only increase your nervousness.

• Know your resume. Be prepared to explain and defend every aspect of your educational and career experience.

• Focus all efforts on building a strong case for being invited back. Refrain from internal discussion evaluating the job and whether you want it. This will divert your attention and dampen your enthusiasm as the interview unfolds. You’ll have plenty of time to decide if you want the job if--and only if-- you are asked to return.

• Develop concrete examples about your contributions to your previous employer. Most employers want to know how you made a difference. You must convince the hiring manager that you’re the answer to the company’s needs.

• Look for opportunities to sell yourself in the interview. If you don’t tell the prospective employer how good you are, who will do it for you?

• Be concise and do not talk too much. Most people only retain 20% of what they hear. Carefully select words and examples for the greatest impact.

• Inoculate yourself against the fear of the interview by visualizing the experience in advance. What will you be wearing? What materials do you plan to bring with you? Think about the physical presentation, including eye contact, body language and facial expressions.

• Polish your listening skills. Pause briefly after each question before responding. Answer questions directly and concisely. Ask for clarification if necessary. Avoid stepping on the ends of sentences.

• Develop your own questions. Remember, you are interviewing the company too. You will want to know if this is a job that you can do. Are these the kinds of people with whom you would enjoy working? How will this position help you meet your short-term and long-term career goals? Start with questions about the organization, not compensation.

• Make sure you record, with correct spelling, all the names and titles of the people with whom you interview.

• Ask for annual reports, product information and other pertinent information.

• Follow up immediately with a letter or note thanking the interviewer for the opportunity to discuss your qualifications. Give examples of how you can solve problems that were discussed during the interview.

• Be available after the interview. If you are going to be out of town or unavailable, make sure you can be reached. If you do not have an answering machine, get one.

2. Know your strengths and skills.

Make a list of career highlights that you’re especially proud of before the interview so if you’re asked the open-ended, "Tell me about yourself" question, you’ll know what to say. Instead of rambling about school experiences, you can start off with career achievements. The need to sell yourself early on in the interview process by demonstrating how you can contribute to meeting company objectives shouldn’t be underestimated.

3. Know the interviewing process.

If you understand the four stages of the interviewing process, you’ll know what to focus on at each point.

I. An introduction, which includes general greetings and "small talk". Remember that the interviewer is forming his or her first--and possibly most lasting--impression of you. Come across as polished and well-prepared by mastering such "learned" skills as dressing well, making eye contact, shaking hands firmly, showing confidence and engaging in small talk. The interview starts when the two of you see each other, not with the actual questions.

II. Questions about you. The most critical part of the process occurs after you sit down, possibly with an innocent-sounding question like, "So, tell me a little about yourself." Now you’re on the stage where you need to shine most. If you’ve listed your specific accomplishments in advance, your replies will be on target and substantial.

III. Describing the company. How much you’re told about the company may indicate the degree of interest it has in you. If the interviewer rushes through the description, however, don’t assume the job is lost. You still have an opportunity to shine.

IV. Asking questions. Use this opportunity to show you’re smart, interested and hard working. Queries such as, "What are you looking for in a candidate?" allow you to compare your earlier answers with the interviewer’s requirements. If you fell short in certain areas, you can reinforce them now. Other questions that can help you assess whether you should amend earlier answers include:

• What are the backgrounds of people you’ve hired in the past? • What skills are critical to succeeding here? • Could you tell me a little about how you got to where you are?

4. Know what they want to see.

Don’t bare your soul during a first meeting. Project the energy, interest, enthusiasm, people skills and experience you’ll bring to the job, but don’t reveal your deepest fears. Even if you’ve been unemployed for an extended period, don’t come across as insecure, desperate or depressed. Act like a confident, high-energy professional. You want to look, feel and be spontaneous, but deliver a prepared message verbally and through body language. Studies show that candidates are rejected for many reasons, including being poorly dressed, passive, unenthusiastic, uninformed or for failing to make eye contact. Communicating badly, not showing confidence or shaking hands limply also are interview "knock-outs".

After working so hard to gain an entree, you owe it to yourself to understand and master the nuances of your first personal contact with an employer. Even if you don’t accept the position, the career benefits of gaining control over this potentially stressful situation are worth the effort.

Telephone Interviews

When speaking on the telephone sit up and concentrate. In a telephone interview, you don’t have the benefit of the interviewer seeing your enthusiasm--it has to come across in your voice.

Smile. Believe it or not, smiling as you talk makes your voice sound much more friendly and enthusiastic.

Hold the mouthpiece one-inch away, keep non-words (ahh, umm) to a minimum, enunciate well, take notes, use your resume as a reference and speak in a professional tone voice.

Stay focused. It's easy to get distracted by background noises.

Write down the person’s name and use it during the interview.