You never know what kind of circumstances could suddenly land you in the job market — industry downturns, company cutbacks, lack of opportunities — so it pays to be ready to seize the day, at a moment’s notice.

Fast forward: Let’s assume your well-fashioned resume has cracked the door open to you, and your potential employer calls to schedule an interview. This is good — it’s the first hurdle you need to clear. But there are three things you need to remind yourself of, no matter what the situation:

• It’s critical you make a positive first impression (first impressions do count)
• Don’t count on being offered a job before the end of the initial interview, and
• What you do and what you say — and how you demonstrate you can think on your feet — will determine whether you’re called in for a second interview.

OK, so what should you expect — and what should you offer — during a first interview?

Here are five key points you need to know if you’re going to succeed on that first interview, and prepare to move on to the next step:

1. Your first step in preparing for the interview is to research the company you’ve targeted for new employment. You want to find out as much as you can about the company before you set foot in the door. (Who knows — what you learn might lead you to reconsider your decision to work there.) But if you go the interview with a basic knowledge of your would-be employer, it shows you’ve done a little hustling and more than standard preparation. Where to start? Punch the company’s name into Google.
2. Know what you want your potential employer to come away with when the interview is finished. What points will you make about why you and your skills are ideally suited for this job? What personal traits do you bring to the table — self starter or team player, for instance. Think about the “message” you want to deliver.
3. What you wear does matter. It’s never acceptable to show up for an important interview in casual attire. For men, that means a suit; for women, formal office attire. If you have reservations about what’s appropriate, call the reception area and ask about the standard dress code. Plan your interview attire to be one notch above that.
4. Show enthusiasm — but not desperation. Ask the interviewer some questions of your own. Make sure you shake hands firmly. Also, now is not the time to start asking about pay, vacation or benefits. You’re way ahead of the game. Stay cool, but not overly reserved.
5. Before you leave, make sure you discuss the next step — where the interview process goes from here. Some employers will choose this moment for the, “Don’t worry we’ll call you” response. If that’s the case, bow out gracefully (and don’t start asking why, or what went wrong). And if you think it’s a quality company and you might be interested in other jobs there, let the interviewer know.

One more thing: It never hurts to follow up an initial job interview with a personal thank-you note. It doesn’t have to re-cap the interview; just thank the interviewer for his or her time.

TOMORROW: What NOT to do on a job interview.

Tags: interview, job