The key to succeeding at a job interview is preparation. And a very important part of getting prepared is to conduct research. First, visit the company’s website and read media coverage to see what projects they are currently working on and to find out about any recent developments. If the company has a career website, be sure to also inform yourself about their corporate culture, about how they see themselves, and about what they look for in new recruits. Often they even have put up some information about the recruitment process or the type of interviews you will be facing. In addition: browse the Web! If you search for 'interview preparation' – or the respective term in your language – and the company name you should find blog or forum entries from people who have already done interviews at the respective employer.

It’s also important to network and ideally find someone who has worked for the company and has experience of how it operates. In addition to this, it’s a good idea to research the industry to which you are applying in order to understand the latest trends because showing that you have knowledge of the wider industry not only demonstrates your commitment to the job but will also help you to back up your ideas and show why you deserve the job over other candidates.

This preparation should give you better insight into, among other things:

• The job
• The business the organization is in
• Its hiring process
• Its corporate culture
• Its general organizational structure
• The career paths it can offer you
• The current state of the industry
• The number of employees it has
• Any subsidiary companies involved in this company
• Its major competitors
• Your direct supervisor

Showing that you have done some research into the company and its industry shows that you are genuinely interested in working for them and also enables you to ask some relevant questions in the interview. As a second part of your research, look at your CV from an employer’s point of view and think about questions they may ask and prepare some responses, focusing on both your CV and the skills the employer is looking for. Some points to consider are:

• Leadership
• Self-confidence
• Commitment and determination
• Enthusiasm and Stamina
• Competitiveness
• Good judgment and decision making
• Responsibility
• Initiative and creativity
• Organization

In addition, you should think about areas for concern in your CV and how you can explain these:

• Gaps in your CV – talk about volunteer work, study, travel, freelance employment that you undertook during this time
• Insufficient experience – you need to show the employer that you have the confidence, will, skills and ability to take on more responsibility. While the employer may argue that you don’t have experience in one area of the job you can agree but add that your experience in other areas and gained through other jobs and certain elements of your personal background, education, and personality give you a strong basis on which you can build the necessary skills for the job. Add something like “besides, it’s a challenge and I’m motivated to rise to it”.
• Inadequate or inappropriate educational background – some jobs do require a specific degree or training but many don’t and so you can sell yourself. You can do one of 3 things to prove your suitability:

1. Present the strengths and practical experience you have
2. Say that you are eager to pursue the required qualification if the company will support you. Showing the employer you have considered your own development needs demonstrates personal drive and commitment
3. In a polite tone you could ask the exact benefit of a qualification in this field and focus on the practical experience you have and how you feel that will help you instead

• Poor career progression – if you took a pay-cut or accepted a job with less responsibility then be positive for your reasons for doing so – a chance to relocate or the fact that you wanted to stay in the company, for example
• Previous lay off – it’s often the case that a company downsizes and therefore reduces the number of staff. However, if you were fired be honest about it but remain positive and ensure them whatever happened won’t happen again and that you have learned from the experience
• Several jobs – if you have had several jobs then this is definitely something the employer will ask about, after all recruitment is an expensive process. Don’t focus on the fact the jobs may have been boring or you had personal problems but instead, talk about that fact that you wanted to accumulate as much first-hand experience and knowledge as possible, and wanted to explore a number of job opportunities. Now, you’re sure where you want to be and that’s with the company you’re having the interview with!
• Over-qualification – this means that the employer thinks you have too much experience or too much education to 'fit into' the position. They therefore assume that you will become bored with the job and leave. Tell the employer why you think the job would be a challenge for you. Assure them that the job excites you and you intend to commit to it

If you are a graduate, consider the various experiences – both inside and outside work – that have helped you acquire the skills, knowledge, and attitudes you have today and how you can promote the most relevant experiences to the job application and your planned career.

Moreover, follow below-listed tips to further prepare for your interview:

• Be sure you know the time, date, and location of the interview and the name of the interviewer(s) and if in doubt, ring the company in advance
• Decide how you will get there and when you need to leave home in order to be early, anticipating any delays
• If you look good, you tend to feel good too. Avoid any last minute stress by preparing what you’re going to wear the night before
• Google yourself and delete public party pictures on Facebook and other social networks that should better be kept private
• If you are asked to bring certificates, references, etc. get them ready well in advance to avoid having to run around on the day of the interview
• Re-read the job description and think about examples that show you have the required skills for the job
• Have a practice interview with a friend using the common interview questions you’re likely to face
• If you have an interview in a different country then prepare by learning about the most important cultural and business customs in that country.