What happens during the interview will determine your future. Make no mistake, you are a commodity and the most successful job hunter is the one that can close the sale. Your Goal: Convince the interviewer that you are absolutely the best person to fill the position. Remember: Ultimately, every question an interviewer asks you is related to one simple question: “Why should I hire you?”

All of your long hours of hard work with researching, networking, and writing your resume and cover letter can abruptly end if you don’t get this part right. By using your well developed verbal skills and non-verbal behaviors, you can paint a positive picture of your qualifications and land the offer. The interview is the make-or-break part of your job search. Fortunately it is a skill that can be learned by everyone.

1. Be Knowledgeable – know the career field, the company, the job, your resume and most importantly know you.
2. Be Practiced – go through some trial runs answering the key question that you will be asked with a trained career counselor.
3. Be Polished – list the top five questions you dread being asked and work on the answers.
4. Be Professional – present a “dress for success” image; feeling good about the way you look will put you more at ease.
5. Be Punctual - by arriving a few minutes early you show your interest, professionalism and commitment to the employer.
6. Be Relaxed - pretend you already have the job and this is your first day.
7. Be Prepared - bring copies of your resume, list of references and the job description; confidence comes from preparation.
8. Be Confident – project your can-do attitude; be sure about your achievements; let go of any fears.
9. Be Enthusiastic – enthusiasm about past experiences equates to positive attitudes in the future; it’s contagious.
10. Be Friendly - establish rapport as you stand, introduce yourself with a smile, excellent eye contact and a firm hand shake.
11. Be Aware – remain alert to your non-verbal behavior indicating when you should start or stop talking.
12. Be Patient - control the impulse to want to jump right in and start talking.
13. Be Receptive - follow the leader, and get him/her to describe the duties early on so you can match what you have to offer.
14. Be Flexible – the interview might not go according to plan, so just go with it.
15. Be Specific - use concrete examples in a factual manner; give evidence of your potential.
16. Be Concise – present your profile with succinct answers that are direct; avoid rambling.
17. Be Clear – think before your talk; speak slowly, clearly and articulately; leave out any filler words.
18. Be Persuasive - tell them the top five things that make you outstanding; weave past achievements into the conversation.
19. Be Polite – treat everyone you talk with in a pleasant and courteous manner; reflect an attitude of openness and caring.
20. Be Credible – demonstrate that you can do the required work well and meet or exceed expectations.
21. Be Focused – quiet all the chatter in your mind and enter a concentrated state; avoid getting distracted; turn your phone off!!!
22. Be a Storyteller – recall true stories that support your claims of relevant skills; detail how you solved specific problems.
23. Be Honest – you don’t have to reveal all your cards, but be sure you remain ethical and earnest; have integrity.
24. Be Connected – try to find a common interest (sports, friends, school, etc.) that can create a bond with the interviewer.
25. Be Committed - explain your willingness to invest the time to make real contributions; show that your future is with them.
26. Be Interesting – sell the interviewer on what makes you unique; be animated.
27. Be Interested – prove that you really want the job and are not merely going through the motions; engage them.
28. Be Creative – illustrate that you can think outside the box and look at issues from different perspective.
29. Be Decisive – about what you want, where you are going, why you want to work there and what you have to offer.
30. Be Driven – demonstrate that you know where you are going with your professional development.
31. Be Extroverted – this is the time to be outgoing even if it feels unnatural; keep smiling and the smiles will be returned.
32. Be Helpful - make the interviewer’s job easier and give him/her the information they need to know to get an offer.
33. Be Purposeful – know why you are there and what your goals are for this meeting.
34. Be Personable – an optimistic team player is valued in an organization; convey that you are one of them.
35. Be Popular – the interview is a popularity contest; get them to like you and show your fit within the organizational culture.
36. Be Positive – convey an upbeat attitude about yourself, the organization, former employers and supervisors.
37. Be a Listener – carefully hear the question; find out what the interviewer is really asking; what’s their agenda?
38. Be Articulate – think carefully about the specific message you want to make with your answer; avoid any filler words.
39. Be the Interviewer – respond from that perspective to address the match between what you offer and their needs.
40. Be Yourself – act naturally and prove that you are genuine and capable; help the interviewer find out who you are.
41. Be Organized – introduce a point, develop it, give an illustration and then stop talking!!!
42. Be Corrective – before the interview ends, clear up any mistakes or any misunderstanding you may have made
43. Be Inquisitive – ask the questions you need answered in order to accept an offer; know what you are getting yourself into.
44. Be Analytic – when the interview is over, ask yourself if you did all you could to emphasize your strengths.
45. Be Detail Oriented - finish writing down what you have learned immediately after the interview.
46. Be Persistent with Follow-up – ask, what is the next step in the process; remain persevering; reiterate your interest.