It’s time to put a face and personality to that resume/CV, and convince the interviewer you are the perfect person for the job. Below are a few less obvious steps you can take to help your interview be a success:

• Prepare: Make sure you review your resume/CV one final time before the interview. To this point all the employers know about you is the information off your resume/CV, so be prepared to elaborate about past work/educational experiences. They could touch on anything, so be familiar with the smallest details of your resume/CV. Don’t be caught off-guard by anything that appears on it. Also, it’s a very good idea to get to know the company you are going to interview with and the position you are trying to obtain. Try to get a general idea about who the company is, what they do, and how they do it.
• Don’t forget to listen: Treat your interview more as a formal conversation and less like a speech. Maintain a healthy dialogue with your interviewer, but don’t ramble on or interrupt. Often an interviewer might drop unintentional hints about what they are expecting from the position or the person filling the position. You can use those hints to help tailor your answers in the right direction. Try and judge your audience. If you feel like it’s appropriate, be more casual in your tone and body language. You aren’t here to just sell the bullet points of your resume/CV; selling your personality can be just as important. Above all, follow proper conversational etiquette at all times. Be firm and confident, even if you are unsure of your answers.
• Ask questions: While the main focus of the interview is for a company to learn about you, don’t be afraid to ask questions in an attempt to learn about them. The idea is to make the interviewer believe you are truly interested in the position, and not just along for the ride. Ask about such things as the office environment, or the organisational structure to gleam further knowledge about the position.
• Lasting impressions: In business, the last impression is almost as important as the first impression. Try to end your interview on a high note. Even if you feel like the interview didn’t go well, remain firm and confident right up until the final handshake. Leave with a smile and don’t ever waiver in your belief that you are the right person for the job.