It is typical that most applicants spend a lot of time preparing their written job application, but don't put the same time and effort into preparing for the interview. But, a candidate who prepares well and presents well at an interview will always win out over candidates with similar credentials and experience.

To help you ace your next job interview, I've turned the interview process inside out with a list of 30 ‘must do's' that will help you win over interviewers like myself.

1. Do confirm all important details such as time and location the day prior to the interview.
2. Do some background research, or review the research you have already completed. By the time you attend the interview you should be reasonably well acquainted with the organisation and the type of work they do, as well as the details of the position.
3. Do dress accordingly. While it is true that the rules of dress in the workplace have changed in recent years, in most cases you will still be expected to wear a suit and tie (if you are male) to an interview. I once heard it said that you should dress in the workplace according to where you want to be in the hierarchy, not where you currently are. This is even more important in a job interview.
4. Do arrive 15 minutes early. Not arriving early is considered being late.
5. Do give yourself plenty of time to make the journey and park the car, or if travelling by public transport allow for delays or cancellations.
6. Do stay calm, explain and apologise if you are late. The interviewer would rather hear an apology than nothing at all.
7. Do allow for double the time you are told the interview will take. It is not uncommon for interviews to start late and run overtime. While it's not reasonable for candidates to be late or ramble overtime in an interview, the same rules do not apply for the interviewer. You should therefore ensure your parking meter is taken care of, and do not schedule appointments directly following the interview.
8. Do switch off your mobile. Or better still, leave it behind.
9. Do shake hands confidently. Handshakes have a far deeper significance than most of us would credit. Never underestimate the power of first impressions.
10. Do be yourself. Don't play roles - you are selling yourself, not something you're not and can't deliver.
11. Do smile and be friendly. Try to form rapport with the interviewer. One of the basic rules of human behaviour indicates that someone is viewed more favourably if they are likeable.
12. Do make eye contact. If you are faced with an interview panel (ie two or more people interviewing you), it can be hard to know who to look at when answering the interview questions. As a rule of thumb, focus on the person who asked you the question, however try to address each member at some stage during the interview.
13. Do avoid one-word answers, unless it is obvious that this is all that the interviewer wants to hear. Introduce what you are about to say, and then expand. In my experience, not providing enough information is the biggest mistake made in interviews. If you don't say it, the interviewer may assume you don't know it, or can't do it.
14. Do keep it concise. While it may seem contradictory to the last point, it is important to keep from rambling on. Present all the relevant information while remaining as succinct as possible. Rambling is the second biggest mistake ma
    Importing from China to the United States
    Guess what? China is now the third largest trade partner of the USA. Importing from China is only going to become more and more common as China opens its arms to international trade.Here are some tips to make sure you get off to a good start!Tip #1: Before you do anything else, check up on import restrictions for the product you want to import.Tip #2: Carry out a bit of quick research on the wholesaler supplier.* Visit China Vista Yellow Pages and search for the business name. http://www.chinavista.com/business/directory/home.html* If your wholesaler is located in Wehai, you can check the Chinese Companies List:http://www.business-in-asia.com/chinese_companies_list.htmlTip #3: Ask the supplier whether they attend trade shows. If yes, it’s usually a good indication that they are legitimate. Trade shows require a monetary investment – making it unlikely that bogus operations will be present! However, if they say that they don’t attend trade shows, it doesn’t necessarily mean they are a fraud.Tip #4: Make
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    1. Do confirm all important details such as time and location the day prior to the interview.
    2. Do some background research, or review the research you have already completed. By the time you attend the interview you should be reasonably well acquainted with the organisation and the type of work they do, as well as the details of the position.
    3. Do dress accordingly. While it is true that the rules of dress in the workplace have changed in recent years, in most cases you will still be expected to wear a suit and tie (if you are male) to an interview. I once heard it said that you should dress in the workplace according to where you want to be in the hierarchy, not where you currently are. This is even more important in a job interview.
    4. Do arrive 15 minutes early. Not arriving early is considered being late.
    5. Do give yourself plenty of time to make the journey and park the car, or if travelling by public transport allow for delays or cancellations.
    6. Do stay calm, explain and apologise if you are late. The interviewer would rather hear an apology than nothing at all.
    7. Do allow for double the time you are told the interview will take. It is not uncommon for interviews to start late and run overtime. While it's not reasonable for candidates to be late or ramble overtime in an interview, the same rules do not apply for the interviewer. You should therefore ensure your parking meter is taken care of, and do not schedule appointments directly following the interview.
    8. Do switch off your mobile. Or better still, leave it behind.
    9. Do shake hands confidently. Handshakes have a far deeper significance than most of us would credit. Never underestimate the power of first impressions.
    10. Do be yourself. Don't play roles - you are selling yourself, not something you're not and can't deliver.
    11. Do smile and be friendly. Try to form rapport with the interviewer. One of the basic rules of human behaviour indicates that someone is viewed more favourably if they are likeable.
    12. Do make eye contact. If you are faced with an interview panel (ie two or more people interviewing you), it can be hard to know who to look at when answering the interview questions. As a rule of thumb, focus on the person who asked you the question, however try to address each member at some stage during the interview.
    13. Do avoid one-word answers, unless it is obvious that this is all that the interviewer wants to hear. Introduce what you are about to say, and then expand. In my experience, not providing enough information is the biggest mistake made in interviews. If you don't say it, the interviewer may assume you don't know it, or can't do it.
    14. Do keep it concise. While it may seem contradictory to the last point, it is important to keep from rambling on. Present all the relevant information while remaining as succinct as possible. Rambling is the second biggest mistake ma
        A Cleaner Way To Make Money
        Are you looking to supplement your income? Looking for a new way to make money? Want to start your own business? You can start earning money almost straight away with a cleaning job and gradually build your business until you have a team of contractors working for you pulling in profits.Cleaning houses is becoming a very lucrative occupation with very little cash outlay and is a great way to earn the extra cash you need whilst building your own business. More and more women are going back into the work force creating the need for cleaners to help them maintain their homes.One of the first things to do is, know your market. Find out what cleaning companies are charging the homeowner to clean by the hour, remembering that eventually you will have to pay your contractors yet still make money yourself. Many agencies charge an agency fee to the home owner, a small fee on top of the hourly rate. Working out how long each job would take you is a simple matter of cleaning your own home and timing each room. At the end, you will have a good idea. Once
        job interview.
    15. Do arrive 15 minutes early. Not arriving early is considered being late.
    16. Do give yourself plenty of time to make the journey and park the car, or if travelling by public transport allow for delays or cancellations.
    17. Do stay calm, explain and apologise if you are late. The interviewer would rather hear an apology than nothing at all.
    18. Do allow for double the time you are told the interview will take. It is not uncommon for interviews to start late and run overtime. While it's not reasonable for candidates to be late or ramble overtime in an interview, the same rules do not apply for the interviewer. You should therefore ensure your parking meter is taken care of, and do not schedule appointments directly following the interview.
    19. Do switch off your mobile. Or better still, leave it behind.
    20. Do shake hands confidently. Handshakes have a far deeper significance than most of us would credit. Never underestimate the power of first impressions.
    21. Do be yourself. Don't play roles - you are selling yourself, not something you're not and can't deliver.
    22. Do smile and be friendly. Try to form rapport with the interviewer. One of the basic rules of human behaviour indicates that someone is viewed more favourably if they are likeable.
    23. Do make eye contact. If you are faced with an interview panel (ie two or more people interviewing you), it can be hard to know who to look at when answering the interview questions. As a rule of thumb, focus on the person who asked you the question, however try to address each member at some stage during the interview.
    24. Do avoid one-word answers, unless it is obvious that this is all that the interviewer wants to hear. Introduce what you are about to say, and then expand. In my experience, not providing enough information is the biggest mistake made in interviews. If you don't say it, the interviewer may assume you don't know it, or can't do it.
    25. Do keep it concise. While it may seem contradictory to the last point, it is important to keep from rambling on. Present all the relevant information while remaining as succinct as possible. Rambling is the second biggest mistake ma
        Profit and Loss Account Basics
        What is a profit and loss account?The profit and loss account (p&l) is usually presented as a statement and it shows the trading activity and associated expenditure of an organisation over a defined period of time. A typical p&l will contain the following:SalesThis is the turnover of the business, the main source of income from sales of products or services. This figure is always net of taxes as these are payable to the government and do not form part of the income of the business.Purchases (stock/inventory)Purchases are the items of stock you buy in order to sell on to customers. A basic accounting principle is that income is exactly matched against the cost of generating that income. In this regard the stock or inventory on hand at the end of the accounting period is always deducted from the total purchases cost. These stock items will be used to generate future sales and will be matched against those sales in the next period.Sales related expenditureThese costs are those that a
        e appointments directly following the interview.
    26. Do switch off your mobile. Or better still, leave it behind.
    27. Do shake hands confidently. Handshakes have a far deeper significance than most of us would credit. Never underestimate the power of first impressions.
    28. Do be yourself. Don't play roles - you are selling yourself, not something you're not and can't deliver.
    29. Do smile and be friendly. Try to form rapport with the interviewer. One of the basic rules of human behaviour indicates that someone is viewed more favourably if they are likeable.
    30. Do make eye contact. If you are faced with an interview panel (ie two or more people interviewing you), it can be hard to know who to look at when answering the interview questions. As a rule of thumb, focus on the person who asked you the question, however try to address each member at some stage during the interview.
    31. Do avoid one-word answers, unless it is obvious that this is all that the interviewer wants to hear. Introduce what you are about to say, and then expand. In my experience, not providing enough information is the biggest mistake made in interviews. If you don't say it, the interviewer may assume you don't know it, or can't do it.
    32. Do keep it concise. While it may seem contradictory to the last point, it is important to keep from rambling on. Present all the relevant information while remaining as succinct as possible. Rambling is the second biggest mistake ma
        What Is Customer Relationship Management?
        Customer relationship management, or CRM, refers to reliable systems, processes, and procedures that allow companies to better manage customer relationships. It is a corporate level strategy that focuses on creating and maintaining effective communication with its customers. Ideally, a sound CRM strategy should develop an end-to-end process that encompasses sales, customer service, and marketing.A successful customer relationship plan can manage all business-related operations and interactions with customers simultaneously. It often includes special software programs, called CRM programs, which aid companies in tracking and organizing their customer base.Customer relationship management is just that: learning ways to manage the happiness of your customers by giving them what they want, increasing the effectiveness and profitability of your product or service by adapting them to customer preferences, and creating communication channels between sales reps, sales managers, and the customers they serve.What are some ideas for successfully i
        to look at when answering the interview questions. As a rule of thumb, focus on the person who asked you the question, however try to address each member at some stage during the interview.
    33. Do avoid one-word answers, unless it is obvious that this is all that the interviewer wants to hear. Introduce what you are about to say, and then expand. In my experience, not providing enough information is the biggest mistake made in interviews. If you don't say it, the interviewer may assume you don't know it, or can't do it.
    34. Do keep it concise. While it may seem contradictory to the last point, it is important to keep from rambling on. Present all the relevant information while remaining as succinct as possible. Rambling is the second biggest mistake made in an interview. To overcome this, really listen to the question, and answer the question, and answer it concisely. So many applicants get this wrong. They are asked a question, and they go off on a tangent. They might think they are saying what the interviewer wanted to hear, but they didn't answer the question.
    35. Do stay positive. Making negative or derogatory comments about your past employers or colleagues will not make you look any better. In fact it will have the opposite effect!
    36. Do agree with the interviewer even if you know they are wrong. An interview is not the place to participate in an argument, and in most cases will fast track your application on the bottom of the pile.
    37. Do tell the truth. If you're caught out lying or embellishing you will ruin all future chances with this employer, and may face disciplinary action for fraud if you are already working for this organisation.
    38. Do use the word "I". Always use "I" when describing the work you have done in the past. Using "we" gives the impression that you may not have done the work independently, or that you weren't even involved in the first place. Hearing "we" rings alarm bells for interviewers.
    39. Do use examples. It is one thing to say you can do something, but it is much better to provide an example of where you have done it.
    40. Do ask for clarification if you are unsure about what a question means, or what the interviewer is looking for.
    41. Do ask questions about the role early on if it is appropriate. Then fit your responses to what you have learned.
    42. Do take a copy of your application and the job specification (if you have one) with you and keep a copy in front of you during the interview. Knowing what the interview question is aimed at will help you frame your responses correctly.
    43. Do pause to reflect before answering the question. This will avoid an interview full of "umms" and "ahhs". If you have been given a glass of water, sit, think, reflect and have a drink before launching into your response.
    44. Do reflect the interviewer's communication style. Allow the interviewer to set the tone of conversation. Mirroring their style can vastly improve your chances of making a favourable impression.
    45. Do stick to the topic. Don't get off track.
    46. Do put together a portfolio of your work to present at an interview. It may not always be looked at during an interview, but presenting examples of your work can strengthen your claims for a position, and it also demonstrates your initiative and innovation. Things to put in a portfolio include reports you have written, screen dumps of computer applications you use, certificates, awards, letters of recommendation, performance appraisals and so on. (Be sure that you are not breaching any copyright, security restrictions or intellectual property before including something in your portfolio).
    47. DO ASK A QUESTION! If you are asked at the