Want to know the key to a good interview?

We've all seen the headlines and likely know some good people now out of work. Having been through it myself, I can say first hand it's one of the most difficult things to go through. No matter how confident you are, hearing that your role is being eliminated shakes you to your core.

With interviews on the horizon for so many, here’s what I have learned along the way: Preparation is key. Every interview is going to include a few standard questions. Be prepared for questions like:

Tell us a little about yourself…

This is usually the opening question and often sets the tone. Don’t ramble. Figure out the most important points of your personal and professional life and share those, not a play by play of your entire life. If your answer is too verbose, you may get cut-off and miss the opportunity to share your most important points.

Let’s talk about your last role…

Don’t use this time to list the key responsibilities of the role. Most people can find that online. This is your opportunity to talk about what you accomplished in that role – this is your chance to brag! Don’t be shy about how awesome are! Use numbers and metrics wherever possible as objective proof of your accomplishments.

What interests you about this role?

The person interviewing you wants to know that you want this job, not any job. Be prepared to share what excites you about this particular role at this particular company. Spend some time on the hiring company’s website. Research to see what's been in the news lately about them. Review your Linked IN network to see if you any of your connections have connections to this company.

At the end of the interview, you'll likely have a chance to ask questions. It always amazes me when candidates don’t have questions – there’s so much I would want to know! You could ask more about the role – is it a new role, what skills do they think are most important, what do they see as the biggest challenges. You could also ask them about themselves - what do they like about this company, how would they describe the company culture. You could even ask for feedback on how you stand up against the competition so far. Don’t miss opportunity to learn something.

And remember it's normal to be nervous when you're in an interview. Control what you can by being prepared – and trust that there are good things in store for you. There is. You’ll see!