How to make the most of this important meeting.

You should be proud that you were asked to interview, but remember that your end goal is to be offered a job.

If I can just get my foot in the door, I can get the job. This is a common thought as you go through the job search and application process. Getting called for an interview is a big step forward and one you should certainly be proud of, as it means you’ve gotten further than the majority of candidates. However, an interview is not the end goal of your job search – the job is the end goal.

When you go in for an interview, maintain the mindset that you are still being considered for the job. There is no guarantee that you will go further in the interview process or receive an offer until you actually get one. You should be well prepared and put your best foot forward.

1. Tap into your network. You’ve all heard that you should do your research before an interview, and truly, you should do that even before you write a cover letter for a company you’re really interested in. While it’s great to search on Google and the company’s website, you should attempt to dig deeper. Do you know someone who is friends with or a former colleague of a person at that company? Ask for an introduction, and then ask that person to have a brief conversation. Try to find out what you can about the company culture and the types of people who work there, as well as the person’s overall experience there overall.

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