The internet is full of interview tips, but what really works? We here at Prime Financial Recruiting take interviewing seriously, so we decided to go a step further than the average “How to Have a Great Interview” blog. We did our research, read case studies, and got advice from experts who literally wrote books on the subject:

• Go to Google.com/alerts and sign up for the latest news about the company. Be prepared to mention them during your interview.

• Take pride in your appearance. This may seem shallow, but even the most well-intentioned interviewer will respond better to an attractive candidate. Be well-dressed in clothes that fit, flatter you, and are wrinkle, scuff, and stain-free.

• Look smart. Just like we naturally respond in a positive manner to well-dressed and well-groomed candidates, we also gravitate toward people who seem intelligent, even if it just means a set of glasses or wearing the color blue.

• Again, while an interviewer may not intend to be biased, they naturally respond better to a man in a suit and a woman in a knee-length skirt and sensible heels.

• View your social media from the point of view of someone who isn’t on your friend’s list. To do this on Facebook: click the arrow in the top right corner for a drop down menu and select “Settings.” On the lefthand side, click on Timeline and Tagging. Under Review, the middle option lets you “View As.” Employers may look, so ensure that picture of you doing belly shots on spring break isn’t for public viewing.

• Interview on a Tuesday at 10:30am, or the earliest possible slot. Mondays are, well, Mondays, so avoid those, and on Fridays we all are thinking about the weekend. Tuesday gives the interviewer time to get some work out of the way and prepare for you. Early in the morning allows for the same thing, and scheduling it well before lunch means they won’t be listening to their stomach instead of you.

• Remember that you are likely not the only person they’re interviewing. If the company wants to hire someone with a degree in finance and banking experience, reciting those qualifications won’t get you the job; all candidates have the same qualifications. What makes you better than the others? What sets you apart?

• Dress professionally, but wear something oddball. Do you support autism acceptance? Were you born overseas? Wearing something small but unique like a pin on your lapel reminds the interviewer that you are more than a candidate; you are a person. You have a story. This will create an impression in their mind, and it may also serve as a conversation piece if they ask about it. If you’ve done your research on the company, it could be for a cause they support or something that is meaningful to the interviewer personally.

• Don’t get too personal. While you want to be more than a candidate, some interviewers may let their personal biases influence their decisions. Avoid politics, religion, and even whether or not you have children.

• Before you end the interview, ask, “Is there anything about me that has given you doubt that I am a good fit for this position?” This could give you the opportunity to clear up a misunderstanding that otherwise would have cost you.

As soon as your interview is over, let us know! We’ll give them a call to find out how it went and update you as soon as we know anything. If there was something about the company you didn’t care for, let us know that too! After all, you don’t just need to be a good fit for the company; the company needs to be a good fit for you. (469) 651-1208.