The job interview will be the most important factor in an employer's decision to hire. Employers are most interested in job candidates who communicate well, have a professional attitude and who have researched their organizations. There are different types of interviews and several people may interview you. Be prepared with extra copies of your resume, cover letter, and references and find out in advance the names and titles of the people who will conduct the interview.

One-on-One Interview. Your great cover letter and resume landed you a one-on-one interview. Congratulations! It was established that you likely have the skills and abilities necessary for the position. The interviewer wants to know more about you in order to decide whether your personality and skills will complement the rest of the company. Your goal is to establish rapport with the interviewer and elaborate about your qualifications.

Screening Interview. Screening interviews are sometimes conducted over the telephone, or with other candidates, and are meant to weed out unqualified candidates. Providing specific information and facts about your skills is most important. Interviewers typically work from an outline of points they want to cover asking about qualifications. Provide direct answers to their questions. Do not volunteer additional information that is not relevant.

Lunch Interview. The same rules apply in lunch interviews as those held in more formal settings. Use the interview to build the foundation on both personality and skills. Follow his or her lead in both etiquette, selection of food, and price range.

Committee or Group Interview. Group interviews conducted by several people are a common practice. The top three candidates are often selected for a second interview. When answering questions, speak directly to the person asking the question but make brief, solid eye contact with the other people. You may be asked to share an example about how you dealt with a problem, demonstrate your problem-solving skills and/or asked to formulate a plan dealing with a theoretical problem. You don't have to come up with the perfect solution. The goal of the group interview is to see how you interact with others, use your knowledge and problem-solving powers, and how you apply your skills to a real situation.

Telephone Interview. You might be called out of the blue for a telephone interview, which are often meant to eliminate poorly qualified candidates. Reschedule unexpected interviews if you feel unprepared by saying something like: "I have a scheduling conflict at this time. May I call you back tomorrow, say 10:00 AM or another time that will work for you?" Anticipate the dialogue. Write a general script with answers to questions you might be asked (Refer to Chapter 20, "Job Interview" for specific questions and answers). Focus on skills, experiences, and accomplishments. Practice until you are comfortable and keep cue cards by the telephone to sound prepared. Have a notepad and pen so you can jot down notes and ask questions at the end of the interview.

Salary. Do not discuss salary matters on the telephone. If you are asked to discuss salary, a good response is, "I would be happy to discuss the subject of salary, but before we do, perhaps we can talk more about the job responsibilities and my qualifications to determine whether we are potentially a good fit."

You can't know an appropriate salary until the job responsibilities are defined (Refer to Chapter 21, "Negotiating Salary and Job Offers" in Linda Rolie's book titled, Catch Me When I Fall: Smooth Landings for Job Seekers for a complete treatment of salary consideration).

Push for a face-to-face meeting. The goal is to get a personal interview. Sell yourself by closing with something like, "I am very interested in exploring the possibility of working in your company and would appreciate an opportunity to meet with you in person."