Interview Tips

Interview Advice

Jon Finkel is the author of The Three Dollar Scholar: Awesome Advice for Acing Life’s Major Decisions and Mindless Debates. He has written for GQ, Men’s Health, ComedyCentral.com, and The New York Times, among other publications. Follow him on Twitter @3dollarscholar.

“Think of it as a first date.”

“It’s just like dancing with a new partner. Follow their lead.”

“It’s a negotiation. Like buying a car.”

These are just a few of the worst pieces of advice I’ve ever been given prior to a job interview. I’m sure you’ve heard hundreds of others, and as you know, none of these analogies are correct. A job interview is, simply put, an interview. For a job. Trying to compare it to anything else is a waste of time. Assuming you need a job, there’s nothing like it because no other interaction has, as the major undercurrent throughout your time with another person, the following fact: if you don’t hire me, I can’t pay my bills and provide for myself and my family.

That being said, there really is no secret to getting a job if the following things are at play: a) You’re qualified for the position. b) You’re confident that you could do the job. c) You are comfortable talking to strangers.

For most people with common sense, ‘a’ and ‘b’ are no-brainers. Maybe you’ll apply for something a little over your head and talk yourself into it, but for the most part, if you’re sitting across from someone doing the hiring, you’re close to worthy of being hired. ‘C’ is where most people run into trouble. Unfortunately, not everybody is effortlessly charming, witty, funny, knowledgeable and/or attractive enough to make a lights-out first impression.

Keeping that in mind, here are three very simple things anyone can do to impress the person in charge of your future paychecks.

1. Research. Research. Research.

Research the company and research the person you may be interviewing with. You might not know the latter, but if you know the former,...