A job interview can be a daunting experience. There is pressure to land the job, potential speaking fears, and plenty of other elements that contribute to stress about the process. However, there are several tips to help you enter your interview with the confidence you need and an awareness of how to present yourself as a great candidate.

The first, and perhaps most important tip relates to the “halo” effect. This psychological phenomenon occurs when your interviewer allows a single fact or observation to dominate his or her perception of you. For instance, applicant A may have ample education but does not demonstrate a strong work ethic and appears to be cocky; whereas candidate B may not have the formal education but has plenty of experience and does demonstrate a strong work ethic. The latter is far more likely to land the job than the former. The interviewer may make conclusions about you and your abilities simply based on these instinctual, subconscious observations.

What this all means is that one important observation during your job interview could be “the difference.” Thus, taking careful note of the dos and don’ts of interviewing will go a long way to your success.

Here are the 12 additional pointers to help you ace your job interview.

The “Dos” of Interviews

1. Read the company’s website to know everything you can about them
2. Learn everything you can about the job you’re interviewing for
3. Identify why you are qualified for this job and determine how can you highlight your strengths
4. Know how to answer difficult questions about your history (e.g. large gaps between jobs)
5. Tailor your resume to the specific job at hand, highlighting the qualities that the company is looking for
6. Contact your references to let them know they could be contacted, helping them prepare (Strong references could be the tiebreaker between you and an otherwise equal candidate)

The “Don’ts” of Interviews

7. Bring a poorly written or formatted resume
8. Underdress, fail to make eye contact or slouch (These could give off negative impressions about your work ethic)
9. Speak negatively about previous employers (Be open and honest, but understand that you must be careful about how you speak of your past employers)
10. Fail to show interest in the position you’re interviewing for
11. Be cocky or make yourself sound overqualified
12. Focus on what the company has to offer you (Instead, focus on what you can offer them)

If you take the time to prepare and pay close attention to the less obvious (but impactful) aspects of the conversation, you will put yourself in a great position to succeed. And remember, if they’ve brought you in for a job interview, they already believe you are a good candidate for the job. Now is the time to prove them right and give them the confidence that you are the best candidate for the job.

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