*  Treat the interviewer as you would as your most valuable client.  You're selling yourself.  

*  You will not get a second chance to make a good first impression.  Be positive, concise, and specific.

*  Know as much about the company and the person(s) you will be interviewing with.  Understand and review the agenda in advance.

*  Do your homework, visit the website, use search engines, research the industry and any pertinent news.

*  You must be able to successfully differentiate yourself from the other candidates. 

*  A major factor in the hiring process is driven by chemistry. 

*  The salary you will be offered is determined, in part, by how well you handle yourself during the interview process.

*   Be well prepared to clearly state your experience in terms of what you have been doing, how well, and over what length of time.

*  Talk about your biggest achievements and focus on how you can apply your expertise, skills and knowledge to adding value to the company; not how they can help you. 

*  Answer the question that is asked.  Don’t ramble or oversell yourself.  If you are not sure, then ask “Have I answered your question?”

*  Be prepared to ask good relevant questions of the individuals you are interviewing with.  The more senior up the interviewer, the more strategic and “big picture” the questions should be.

*  Most importantly, CLOSE the interview:   Thank them for the opportunity to speak with them
    -  Tell them that you are interested in moving on to the next step in the process.
    -  Ask if there is anything in your background that could keep you from proceeding to next steps
    -  Send a thank-you note.  Email or handwritten is acceptable.