Dress the part

In some fields this tip is completely obvious. If you’re going to work at a law firm, you need to wear a suit regardless of whether you’re male or female. But what if the office is more laidback? Typically, you still want to dress well. That means slacks and a button-down shirt for guys and a dress or blouse and slacks or skirt for women.

But here’s the thing: if you want to stick out among the applicant pool, consider going more formal anyway. It can help convey just how seriously you take the interview.

Bring an extra outfit

It may sound paranoid, but you’d be surprised by how often spilled coffee or a hot day can turn your sharp outfit into a mess. Store a backup set of clothes in your car.
Write a thank you note – by hand

In the digital age, you can be sure that most applicants will be emailing it in, so take the time to write out your thank you note. You can even deliver it in person if you have the time.

Be early

Don’t be on time; that’s what everyone else is doing. Show up at least 15 minutes early. If you’re nervous about traffic, plan to get there a half hour early. You can always sit in your car for a bit if you end up getting there way earlier than you anticipated.
Research the interviewer

Many people know to research the company, but before you head in, ask who you will be meeting with, and then head to Google to see what you can learn. LinkedIn pages, the company’s website, and even social networks like Twitter and Facebook can reveal personal details that you can use to your advantage, such as what hobbies they like and what school they attended.

Remain positive

Even if you’re asked about why you left your last position or what you didn’t like about a past boss, don’t get bogged down in complaints and criticisms. Instead, talk about it in terms of challenges you encountered and also explain how you worked to overcome them.

Prepare Questions to Ask Your Interviewer

When it comes to the end of the interview, they’ll almost always ask if you have anything you’d like to ask them. The answer is always yes! Sometimes the questions you plan to ask get answered during the course of the interview, so be prepared with more than you think you need.

Ask about performance

Don’t just focus on the company when coming up with those questions; learn more about what they want from the person in this position. Showing that you care what they need can go a long way.

Prepare anecdotes

When practicing for your interview, don’t just think up the same canned answers that everyone else will give for the usual questions. Instead come up with stories that illustrate the points you want to make. Providing interesting, entertaining, but still relevant anecdotes can help make you more memorable.

Turn off your cell phone

There’s nothing more embarrassing than having your interview interrupted by a ringing phone, so think ahead.

Explain why you want the job

Even if they don’t ask. You can always find a way to bring it up during that question section at the end. Showing your passion for the position can help you stand out from other applicants, and even sometimes make up for any lack of experience you may have.

Be nice to the receptionist

They often have more sway than you realize, and other people nearby will also take note of how you treat him or her. That can affect their opinion of how well you’ll work with others if you got the job.

Don’t be afraid to show your personality

Crack a joke – as long as it’s appropriate! Share a bit about your hobbies. Let them get to see a bit of the real you. If they like you, they’re more likely to hire you.