Discover the Keys to Making a Fantastic Impression with Your Next Interview

One of the most nerve-wracking experiences is going in for a job interview. In a face-to-face interview, a candidate will likely make their first personal contact with the interviewer. This "real" person could make or break your professional life. They'll decide whether to move forward with the interview process or to cut it short right here and there based on how things are going.

There is absolutely no cause for alarm. Right?

Make the most of your time with the interviewer by following these easy-going yet effective pointers.

You should hold off on the flashy colors until the first day of work.

Get the interview off to a good start by dressing the part. This will show the interviewer right away that you are calm and collected, and they will respond accordingly.

Make sure you get enough sleep the night before.

You might be thinking, "Well, duh," but many people who are looking for work are so nervous that they have trouble sleeping the night before an interview and end up exhausted. Obviously, being sick during an interview is not ideal.

Working out your muscles is one of the few surefire ways to feel better about yourself.

Schedule a rigorous workout as close to your interview as possible. You'll be able to calm your nerves and go into the interview prepared.

Take care to eat regularly.

Having a healthy breakfast has been shown to increase focus in a number of studies. The ability to focus is crucial for doing well in an interview. More importantly, there are few things more annoying than a growling stomach.

In addition to the basic tips given above, do the following to ace your interview:

Learn everything you can about the company's needs.

Forbes.com and LinkedIn.com are two business sites worth checking out. In order to prepare yourself as best you can for an interview, I recommend Googling the company name or a combination of the company name and keywords.

Think about the ways in which their current and projected patterns of growth, market standing, and other factors are related to the problems they face and the solutions they require. Consider the information provided to see if there is a place where your expertise would be useful and their needs would be met.

Get ready by thinking of at least four or five brief Challenge-Action-Result narratives that vividly illustrate how you have dealt with problems this company has encountered or will encounter. Use a drawing to show why YOU should be chosen over the other applicants and why you have the solution they need.

The interviewer may ask any number of questions, so be prepared.

You can then send them follow-up questions after you've sorted through and refined their responses.

Consider having a mock interview with a trusted friend, family member, or interview coach.

You can work on your delivery and make sure you don't stumble over your words before the big event, which will help you tremendously. The interviewer's goal is to find the best candidate for the position. You're the ideal candidate because you'll make their job simpler.

If the company didn't think they needed you, they wouldn't have called you, so it's best to be prepared.