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Congratulations, you have landed yourself a job interview. Clearly, your dazzling resume or portfolio caught a prospective employer's eye, and now all you have left to do is make a good impression when you meet with your interviewers. That's easier said than done, of course. Even the most calm of individuals can become nervous wrecks in high-stress situations, as job interviews tend to be. Impressing a room full of strangers is never on anyone's list of favorite things to do, but that is just what needs to be done if you want a company to extend you a job offer.

Landing a job interview does not mean that you have got the job. Most, if not all, companies interview several candidates before making their final decision. Interviewers need to meet all of their prospects face to face and an interview is a great way to help them make a hiring decision. After all, a person may look great on resume, but if they are a mumbling incompetent idiot in person, it is a safe bet to say that they will not be getting that job offer. No one wants to hire an idiot.

While there is no simple formula or a rule that will help you land a job one hundred percent of the time, there are guidelines to follow and an interview etiquette of which you need to be aware. An interview is your chance to shine and show why you stand out and rise above the rest of the candidates. If you can't show that you are a valuable commodity to the company, they will move on to the next candidate without as much as giving you a second look.

First impressions, without a doubt, last the longest and make the most impact on an interviewer. You only have thirty minutes to an hour at most interviews to prove that your skills are indispensable to a company, so make the most out of the time given to you.

Review your resume before your scheduled interview to make sure that your mind is fresh and you are able to speak with some intelligence about all the skills and jobs you have listed. A big turn off for an interviewer is when his or her questions are met with in cohesive mumbling or lack of enthusiasm. You need to be able to talk, if not with passion than at least with some conviction, about previous projects you have worked on and job positions you have held. By showing excitement about your work, you will demonstrate that you are not just looking for a job, you are looking for a rewarding career.

Dress to impress. Even if your interview setting is a casual one, like a coffee shop, you need to dress in professional attire.

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