An interview can generate a lot of stress for job seekers. It may help to take some of the stress out of an interview if you keep in mind that an interview is a two-way street. An interview gives you and the interviewer an opportunity to exchange information related to the job opening. Your goal as a candidate is to present yourself in the best possible light, so that you stand out as the ideal person for the job. The interviewer, on the other hand, will focus on three areas:

Most interviewers can talk comfortably about qualifications and expertise. They are less comfortable talking about more abstract topics such as motivation and fit, but the truth is, job interviews very often revolve around chemistry-the chemistry between you and the interviewer. Job interviews are about finding the best person for the job and vice versa. Once you've reached the interview stage you have to assume that your competition is just as qualified as you are, so you must distinguish yourself from the other candidates here.

You can refine your interview skills to positively affect the outcome of your interviews so let's review the interview process in general.

The first step is to conduct a self-assessment in order to determine your values and needs, if you have not already done so. You are a product to be marketed and you need to know that product well.

One reason why job seekers don't interview successfully is they don't take the time to prepare. Advance preparation is essential if you are serious about receiving a job offer. If you've been out of the job market for a while, you might be tempted to view an interview as a "practice opportunity." Don't. If a company has taken the step of bringing you in for an interview, it's only courteous to take the opportunity seriously. You must spend some time researching the company and the industry because almost certainly the interviewer will ask if you have any questions. This opportunity is your invitation to demonstrate that you have done your homework on the company. It also will help you understand the responsibilities of the position and clarify your feelings about whether you want the job. Do not ask a question just for the sake of asking one; an astute interviewer may ask why you are interested in that information and what it has to do with whether or not you will take the job.

Similarly, you need to plan for questions that the interviewer will ask you. If you're a new graduate, you may be asked why you chose chemistry as a major, if you worked on any group projects, or whether your career plans have changed since you began your studies. If you're an experienced candidate, you have a track record for interviewers to evaluate. Therefore, you'll likely be asked more in-depth questions about what you liked (or disliked) about your last job, your accomplishments in your current job, or what you are looking for in a new job. While it's important to think about how you would answer these types of questions in an interview, don't memorize to the point where your answers sound canned. You need to think about specific situations so you can provide examples in your response.

Immediately after the interview, write a thank-you letter to each interviewer. It helps to collect business cards to remember the correct spelling of their names and their titles. This is not your opportunity to rehash the interview but to thank the interviewer for taking the time to talk with you about the job and to express your confidence in your ability to meet the challenge of doing the job well. Be enthusiastic but don't overdo it.

Before you formally accept a job offer, there is the question of compensation. If you are an entry-level candidate, the salary probably is not negotiable. If you are accepting a high-level position, however, you may have some room to bargain. Either way, you will need to consider your salary requirements in advance of the interview. You need to think about what you have achieved, what you have to offer, and what you are worth to an employer. As you think about what would be an acceptable salary for you, keep in mind that many factors affect how much the company might offer. If the company has had a difficult time finding the right candidate, for example, chances are that the perfect candidate could negotiate a higher salary than originally offered. However, if the company knows that other qualified candidates are available and willing to take the offered salary, the company may not be willing to budge from a lower offer. Other considerations that affect the salary negotiation are:

Take a win-win approach to the negotiations; your attitude can affect the outcome.

For a more in-depth review of the interview process, read The Interview Handbook by the ACS Department of Career Services. It's filled with tips and suggestions, do's and don'ts for interviewing successfully.