The truth is that you can never be too prepared coming in for an interview. You need to go the extra mile to give yourself a better shot at landing the job. Here are four tips to help you get the edge in your interview preparation.

Know as much as you can about the company - Browsing through a company website is good, but it’s definitely not enough. You want to know more than what meets the eye. Do your research on the company’s history, employees, owner, products or services, and even recent news. What does this do? It gives you an opportunity to build rapport with the interviewer because you’ll have a topic that he’ll be interested in. That way, you won’t need use hit-or-miss tactics anymore by trying to make conversation with current news, sports or events.

If you can find out who will be interviewing you, take it to the next level by researching the interviewer, too. Look for career highlights that you can use as a conversation starter. When you have the information you need, bring it up during the interview.

Use your network to your advantage – What got you interested in the company was a friend telling you about his or her work. When the opportunity came up, you applied and got an interview. What now? Ask your friend about insider tips. What kind of interview should expect? What skills should you focus on?

In case you don’t have a direct contact, find a way in with available resources. You may be connected through your alma mater or have a friend who may know someone in the company. Either way, what’s important is that you have someone who can help.

Make a visit to the company – Anytime we’re in uncharted territory, it produces anxiety or stress. Visiting the company will help you to familiarize yourself with the surroundings. Get additional information by observing how employees move and interact with each other; this can ultimately help you find out if this is a company where you’ll fit in.

Make follow-up plans – Usually this is something that you don’t bother with until the end of the interview, but planning gives you a direction. Then you won’t need to figure what to do anymore, because by the end of your interview, you’ll already know what to do.

Preparation is key before an interview. It will help you know what to do during your interview, and will show how valuable you will be when you join their company. So prepare now... or feel the regret later.