The Following was taken from The Connecticuit Department of Labor

INTERVIEWING STRATEGIES

The interview strategies discussed below can be used effectively in any type of interview you may encounter.

Before the Interview

Prepare in advance. The better prepared you are, the less anxious you will be and the greater your chances for success.

• Assess your interviewing skills. What are your strengths and weaknesses? Work on correcting your weaknesses, such as speaking rapidly, talking too loudly or softly and nervous habits such as shaking hands or inappropriate facial expressions.
• Learn the questions that are commonly asked and prepare answers to them. Practice giving answers which are brief but thorough.
• Decide what questions you would like to ask and practice politely interjecting them at different points in the interview.
• Evaluate your strengths. Evaluate your skills, abilities, and education as they relate to the type of job you are seeking.
• Practice tailoring your answers to show how you meet the company's needs, if you have details about the specific job before the interview.
• Assess your over-all appearance. Find out what clothing is appropriate for your industry. Although some industries such as fashion and advertising are more stylish, acceptable attire for most industries is conservative.
• Research the company. The more you know about the company and the job you are applying for, the better you will do in the interview. Get as much information as you can before the interview.
• Have extra copies of your résumé available to take on the interview. The interviewer may ask you for extra copies.
• Arrive early at the interview. Plan to arrive 10 to 15 minutes early. Give yourself time to find a rest room so you can check your appearance.

It's important to make a good impression from the moment you enter the reception area. Greet the receptionist cordially and try to appear confident. You never know what influence the receptionist has with your interviewer. With a little small talk, you may get some helpful information about the interviewer and the job opening. If you are asked to fill out an application while you're waiting, be sure to fill it out completely.