Once you get a call, feel free to ask questions in order to help you get betterprepared. Here are a few questions you may want to ask:

• Can you tell me with whom I’ll speak?
• Will it be a panel interview, one-to-one or a small group discussion?
• How long will the interview take?
• What information should I bring to make the interview more productive?

Now that you have all the basic info, you can use that data while you prepare. Below are some tips to help you out:

Research the company.View its website and social media sites to know how the company is doing. You can learn about product launches, mergers, acquisitions and other information by using a news search engine.

Do not expect to learn these things during the interview since it is definitely rude to come in without knowing something about the company you are applying for.

Learn about the people you’ll be speaking with. You can use LinkedIn to check the interviewer’s profile. Find out if you have some areas of commonality, including the mutual colleagues you might have. It is best to start the interview by starting a connection with a casual remark.

Get all dressed up. Your appearance is still important, even if the company has a casual dress code. Don’t forget to check your outfit beforehand for any rips, creases and stains. Shine your shoes, take your suit to the dry cleaner and iron your shirt. Don’t forget to keep your hair neat and avoid wearing statement pieces that are over the top.

Prepare your materials ahead of time. Bring letter-perfect copies of your resume together with your business cards. Don’t forget your samples, portfolios and PowerPoint slides (if you have them)so you have something to present if the opportunity comes your way.

Map it out. Know the directions to the company before the actual interview day. You may want to make a practice run to help you remember the route. Being late for the interview is definitely something you want to avoid.

These tips should help you enjoy a smooth-sailing job interview process.