Interviewing. Whether you got introduced to the company through an agency or a friend, it's the inevitable barrier between you and the position you may (or may not) want. It's the last hurdle, the last mile, the bottom of the ninth, and all the other sports analogies that I can squeeze into a blog. In short, whether it's twenty minutes or three hours, you will be questioned, judged analyzed, and dissected by a group of strangers in order to determine your future, and quite possibly where your next paycheck is coming from. You're nervous. I get it.

It's time to control some of that nervous energy, because you too have control. And that control comes in the way of preparation and research. Several days prior to your interview, you need to start preparing. Here are some things to consider in your preparation:

1. Commute. Where is the company located? What's the best way to get there - public transportation or drive? How long will it take to get there? If you're driving, take into account how long it takes to park. Does the company have a parking lot? If not, is there a parking lot nearby? Does the parking lot have pre-pay options? What are your backup options if a train isn't running, or if an accident is causing extensive traffic delays? Plan ahead!

2. Dress Code. We recruiters get asked this question a lot. It used to be a very cut and dry answer. You wear a suit to an interview. However, some companies have lessened their insistence on wearing a suit. That being said, a suit is still your best option. No one has ever not gotten hired for wearing a suit to an interview. So, make sure ahead of time that your suit isn't wrinkled, your shirt doesn't have a large, yellow stain on it from when the dog jumped on you (I speak from experience), and that your tie matches. Make sure your suit fits. We all put on or take off weight. Make sure well before the day of your interview that your clothes fit. If you can't wear a suit to an interview, make sure you communicate that with your recruiter, or with your contact at the company. Usually a heads up to let them know you're business casual because you're coming from work is fine. Don't take that to mean it's ok to wear jeans, shorts, jean shorts (jorts), sweatpants, bathing suits, or a Halloween costume. Unless you're John Cena, you probably should never wear jean shorts. Ever.

3. Dress Code for startups. I'm giving this a separate category. I still believe that a suit will not hurt you - even in a start up environment; but, you might get a few looks walking into an office where people are wearing shorts, tee shirts, and sometimes sans shoes. So, if you're interviewing at a start up, definitely ask ahead about dress code. When I worked at a startup, I would suggest people came in wearing business casual.

4. Company research. There is no excuse in 2018 not to have some basic grasp of the company you're interviewing with. If you're going on an interview through an agency, find out what you can from the recruiter. Don't go crazy with specific facts about the company's profits, stock price, and founders. I interviewed someone recently who spat back fact after fact verbatim from Wikipedia. I appreciated his effort in memorizing this information, but that's all it was - memorization. He was robotic, and had a far-off look in his eyes when he was telling me this information. It was awkward. I'd rather he spoke about something interesting he read about us, or a project he heard we were embarking on. That to me shows real interest and research. It also shows an interest level and an ability to look deeper than the "About Us" on the website. That being said, review the website, look at the open positions - both the one you're interviewing for, as well as others. Google the company and look for some recent news. Go on YouTube and see if there are any recent videos. Go on Linkedin and get a further idea about the company, including who is interviewing you, and where they came from. Is there anyone you're connected to on Linkedin who works at the company?

5. Self Research. This is the one people tend to forget about. They forget to research themselves. No, I'm not asking you to Google yourself. But make sure you sit down by yourself for an hour (at least), and think about some accomplishments you've had in your career. Think about any accolades from associates. Think about "Big wins." By "Big Wins," I'm referring to cool stuff you've done professionally - that time you brought on a new client, that time you saved a big deal, that time you initiated action... Have some of these stories ready. Also think of interesting things about yourself that you might want to bring up... things that aren't necessarily on your resume. Cool hobbies, interesting adventures etc.

6. Review your resume. Look it over. Prepare to address why you left each company where you worked. It will be asked. Don't make the first time you thought of answering those questions, when you got to the interview. Make sure you print copies of your resume ahead of time. Although it's not 1978, and the people you're interviewing with should have access to technical advances such as email and a printer, it simply looks like you're prepared by having copies of your resume. Print them out several days before the interview. Don't wait until the day of your interview to realize that you ran out of printer ink.

7. Review your social media. Luckily for you there is a delete button. Use it if there are some questionable pictures or statements. When a company hires you, you are a representative of that company. So use your delete button liberally rather than conservatively.

8. Questions. The one question I can guarantee that will be asked on an interview is if you have any questions. Have some. If you don't, than it looks like you didn't research the company. There is a fine line between having some questions, and questioning. I think having three questions is the right number, but that's not a hard and firm rule.

9. Plan ahead of time to stop speaking. This is more of a tip for during the interview, but you should mentally prepare for it ahead of time. You're nervous. You might be feeling exhilarated during the interview as you think it's going well. You may have a connection to one of the people you're interviewing with. Whatever the case, LISTEN to the question, and answer the question. Then you can stop talking. This doesn't give you permission not to have a personality, or to be robotic. However, this should be an opportunity for you to pre-plan not to speak about how much you partied last weekend, or how your wife and girlfriend almost met. I can't tell you how many times interviews are lost because people speak too much. You need to be conscious ahead of time not to keep talking.

10. Be nice... to everyone. I shouldn't really have to include this here, because if you're not nice to people, you shouldn't get a job. However, be aware for example that if you're rude to a receptionist, that receptionist has the power to end your candidacy.

11. Don't be arrogant. I once told a guy who was set to meet the company's General Counsel and one of the founders, to wear a tie for the interview. He told me that he had x many years of experience, and he doesn't need to wear a tie to prove to "some lawyer" that he knows what he's doing. I was taken aback by his response and this obvious red flag, as this was not only a very experienced person, but also someone who worked in recruiting! I talked him down a bit, and went forward with the interview since he had done very well during the phone portion of the interview. Needless to say, he came across arrogantly during the interview, and didn't get the job.

11. Weird stuff. We recruiters really try hard to prepare candidates as much as possible for the company and position they're interviewing for. But sometimes we can't foresee things that seem obvious. So, in honor of general interview weirdness that I've seen over the years, please refrain from the following:

Answering a call on bluetooth during the interview and then proceeding to have that phone call throughout the interview.
Speaking about how you didn't tell your wife about the interview, because you don't like to tell her things.
Not showing up, but continuing to say you're in the elevator.

Evan Gallahou