Job Interview Mastery is not about special tricks, super secret documents, or memorizing answers that someone else made up. It's about being prepared, being confident, and owning the interview. Being prepared is the key to controlling your nervousness and job interview fears.

It’s amazing how little effort most people make to prepare for the job interview. The quiet ride up on the elevator is the first time they have a clear enough mind to focus on what's about to happen.  But that is like putting one quarter in a vending machine and expecting to walk away with a candy bar. Input and expected output are out of whack.

I have interviewed well over 3000 people face to face. It becomes evident early in the interview who has taken time to prepare and who is using the shotgun approach, which is a real turn off.  Here are three ideas to help you come across as a pro.

1)    Figure out what the company does well. Figure out how they do it better than their competition. What resources is the company committing that other companies are not? Company websites, trade publications and Google are a good start. Contact someone inside the company through Linked-in and get the real scoop.

2)    Find out why they need you. Ask yourself, if they did not hire someone for this position, what would be the consequence? This will determine the true value of the position. If you determine you are the missing puzzle piece, then move forward with gusto.

3)    Think about career stories you can share that will crystallize how you will fulfill their needs. They are not so interested in your individual skills, but how you have been able to bundle those skills together to solve a problem, invent something new, motivate people or bring efficiencies to your past employers. Concise, compelling stories help the hiring manager “see” you being successful. Sharing three or four relevant stories in the job interview will make their hiring decision very easy.

Get your arms around what is going on in the organization and think through a handful of stories. Following these three ideas will keep you ten paces ahead of your competition.

For more insight on Job Interview Mastery click here: Interviewing to Win