The secret to your success in an interview is your Attitude. Your experience and qualifications professionally presented in your clever resume and clever cover letter got you the interview, nut it is your attitude that will determine whether "you will make the cut" or not.  There are many competitors who are willing and able to do any given job, especially at the entry lever.  Your positive attitude in the interview is what will make you stand out among the competition.  If you have the attitude that you want to do your very best for the company, that you are focused on the company's needs, that you put yourself forth as the person who will be committed and dedicated to fulfilling their needs, you will likely be the one chosen.

You can demonstrate your positive attitude in the way you present yourself. Incorporate the words "positive attitude," "excellence," and "striving to be my best" into your interview terminology. Then use examples of how these words positively affect your life. Give examples of when and where and how you have put forth extra effort above and beyond the call of duty. Show the interviewer how you beat a deadline, how you excelled in a project, or how you made a difference by going the extra mile.

If you can convince the interviewer by words and examples, that you possess the "can do" attitude, you got the job.

Insider Information Insider Interview Technique

The best thing you can do to prepare for an interview is to interview someone who works in the company. There are two ways of finding this person. The first is to use your network. If the interview was the result of a network contact, call them to thank them for helping you set up the interview, and then ask them for further information about the company. The second alternative is to seek out an alumni. Check with the Career Center and the Alumni Office to find out if any former grads are working at the company. The ideal is an individual who went from your college to the company-the more recent, the better.

If you have located this contact, call as far in advance of the interview as possible. Make sure you have done your homework so your contact doesn't have to give you all the details you should already know. Ask about the interviewer re: Personality, Likes, Dislikes etc. Then ask them about the company. What are the primary issues of focus within the company? Profitability? Quality control and improvement? Global markets? More importantly, ask about the interview process. What are the basic steps in the process? Note that the range of questions you can ask this person is far greater than what you can ask in the course of the interview. And it will give you insider information that can make you a standout in the interview.

Insider Company Information

Obtain information from the corporate annual report. Any candidate who has read the "President's Letter To The Shareholders" will be much more ahead of the competition. You will not only have a summary of the company's operations for the past year and plans for the year ahead, but you will also have access to all of the current lingo and buzzwords of the organization. Some companies will even have yearly "themes." Know what these are and you will score an instant hit with your interviewer. You will be viewed as an ideal candidate for having access to (and using) information that less than 1 percent of the business market is reading.

Stand Out From The Competition