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The interview is the most important aspect of any job hunt. The impression you make on an employer will likely be the reason you do or do not get a job offer. Preparing in advance can help lower your stress level and help you perform better during the process.

Read the section  preparing for the interview as well.

Upon arrival
• Be on time. This means not only don't be late, but don't be too early for the interview. Check how to get there and allow plenty of time. Always make sure you allow extra time if you are unfamiliar with the location. Plan your route carefully.
• Greetings. Greet the interviewer with a smile and a firm handshake.

• Follow the lead. Interviewers frequently use "small talk" to break the ice. Follow the interviewers lead on this, but don't initiate a lot of small talk yourself. This could set the wrong tone.

At the Interview

• Think about your style. No two styles of interviewing are the same. Go with the flow, but remember that interviewers value such qualities as:

• warmth and rapport;
• brevity and clear communication;
• honesty (never lie);
• energy and enthusiasm..

• Think about the positive factors you want to convey. During the interview the employer will be evaluating your total performance. The following will usually produce a positive response

• Interested balanced approach to work and life
• Ability to express thoughts clearly
• Career planning and objectives
• Confidence
• Informative replies
• Tact, maturity, courtesy
• Maintenance of eye contact

• Listen carefully. Listen carefully to what the interviewer is saying. You will be able to better understand their specific needs and objectives and frame your answers in direct response to these identified needs. Focus on what you can offer the interviewer to address their problems. Don't talk about how the job can help you solve your problems.

• Answer the question. Be very careful to answer the question you are asked. Guard against going off at a tangent. Ask the interviewer to repeat the question if you missed it, or didn't catch it all if the question is long. speak succinctly and avoid rambling on. Keep to the point. If in doubt, ask "Is that what you wanted to know or would you like more detail here?" Be brief but thorough in your responses. Do not waffle as you will lose the interest of the interviewer and avoid yes or no answers. Relate your experience to the question being asked. If you do not understand a question ask the interviewer to explain.

• Be yourself as much as possible . Be positive and enthusiastic. (Never put anyone down or speak negatively about anyone or anything).

• Think about your body language. Make good eye contact with the interviewer(s) and sit up straight. If there is more than one person ensure you talk to them as well.

• Nervousness. If you feel your body language is conveying anxiety, it is usually best to verbalise it. (For example, "I haven't interviewed in years and I'm a little surprised to find myself nervous"). Verbalising your nervousness often reduces it and interviewers are usually empathetic. But don’t continually apologise for it.
Remember the comments about going off on tangents – many people tend to be overly talkative when nervous. You will control your nervousness more effectively if you have taken the time to practise answering questions before the interview.

• If necessary take notes. Consider bringing a notepad and pen to take notes of answers to your questions and pertinent facts and figures. It shows you have come prepared and are taking the opportunity seriously.

• Don't complain. Avoid making negative judgements and criticisms of past employers and companies — even if encouraged — unless you want interviewers to make the following judgements:

• you're a "know-all";
• you're a "buck-passer" who refuses to accept responsibility for your own performance;
• you'd criticise this school and its members when applying for a future job.

• Answer honestly and completely. Answer questions honestly. Avoid the temptation to overly embellish your experience, qualifications and abilities. If you're questioned deeply about a fact that you've creatively enhanced, your credibility could disappear. On the other hand, try to avoid giving blunt "yes" or "no" answers. They reveal nothing. Certainly, a "closed" question ("Do you perform well under pressure?"), generally indicates an unskilled interviewer. You could simply answer "yes" but this doesn't help you. If you get a closed question, give a brief but comprehensive response. Use it as an opportunity to sell yourself. "Yes, it gets the adrenalin going and I get a real sense of achievement. But I also like to plan and manage my time so as to avoid crises when possible." As a general rule of thumb, try not to speak longer than two minutes at a time and never dominate the conversation. The recruiter must feel in control.

• Be positive. Don't be afraid to strongly communicate your desire for the job. Acting cool won't get you anywhere. An interested candidate always gets the offer over the non-interested candidate. Here is an example of how you might phrase it - "I'm very interested in what you're doing here. The working environment appears pleasant and the people I've met seem knowledgeable. It's a very interesting opportunity and I believe with my background I could make a significant contribution."

• Prepare a few questions to ask -- three to five is a good number. Probing, intelligent questions can help the employer to evaluate your professional and personal needs, and sets you apart from the rest of the pack. Questions demonstrate that you've done your homework about the school. It also demonstrates that you are as interested in finding out how you'll fit in and achieve your career goals as they are in learning if you're the right person for the job. You may not have as much time as you'd like to ask all your questions, so plan to ask the most important questions first, in case the interviewer closes the interview before you've had time to ask them all.

• Examples of questions
• What are the responsibilities and priorities?
• What are the reporting relationships?
• What resources are accessible to the position?
• What is the criteria for measuring success?
• What is the process after the interview has been completed.

• Positive ending. Remember, the point of the interview is to communicate what you have to offer the employer, not the other way around. Have a couple of positive comments to make that recap some of the highlights of the conversation. Reiterate your strengths. If you are genuinely interested, say so. Leave the interviewer with a good impression — smile

• Next steps. Ask when you can expect to hear whether you have been successful or not?