Going for an interview is stressful as it is, don’t make it any harder on yourself by not preparing properly. The preparation is not just about coming up with clever answers to potential questions, but also to make sure you have done your research on the company, the people and you know exactly where you are going. Here goes the 5 hot interview preparation tips:

1. Briefing on the job and company
Have you got the full briefing of the job including tasks, reporting lines, location, travel requirements, salary range etc? If not, get it immediately. The more information you have, the more you can tailor your questions and sound like you know what you are talking about. What do you know about the company? Again, make sure you have information on the company and familiarize yourself with their website, check press releases and stock quotes to get an idea of what is happening at the moment. A candidate who is updated on the company and the industry will impress.

2. Research the people
Who are the interviewers, how do they fit into the organization, what type of people are they? This is where your online sleuthing skills come very handy. The interviewers will have full information on you courtesy of your resume so it’s only fair you do some digging as well. Scour any resources including LinkedIn, Facebook and other social networking sites for information.

3. What to wear
Do you know what the dress code is? You would be surprised how many candidates assume they know this and get it horribly wrong. Find out what your interviewers are likely to wear, so that you can wear something similar, only a touch more formal. Ways of finding this out would be calling the company reception/HR/line manager and asking. This also gives you an opportunity to further acquaint yourself with the people.

4. Directions
Do you have the route description and have you called the company reception to double check everything? Don’t just rely on the SatNav in your car, bring a map in case strikes. The worst thing that could happen is you arriving late; avoid this by giving yourself plenty of time to reach your destination.

5. Arriving at the office
Act confident and courteous. Strike up a conversation with the receptionist; make sure you leave a good impression with everyone in that office. When the interviewer picks you up, offer a firm handshake and crack on with some small talk before the meeting starts. By mirroring the interviewers body language, you will make him or her feel comfortable with you from the outset.

The interview will now start and you will do your best as your preparation was immaculate and you got off the best possible start. Good luck!