Five tips you would give your friend to prepare for the job interview.

1. Do research on the actual company you are applying at. Get a good sense of their corporate values, the field they operate in, their history, etc. It shows the interviewer you have a vested interested in your new potential employer. If also gives you an opportunity to figure out how your current skill set, past projects, and previous job experience directly fits into the position you are applying for. 2. Practice, practice, practice. Look up what typical questions you might expect to be asked during the interview, and practice alone in the best way to answer those questions, until it becomes second nature. 3. Bring extra copies of your resume, your cover letter, and any letters of recommendation. Make sure to print them out on nice looking stationary. 4. Dress the part! If you are going for a bank job, make sure to wear a jacket, tie, and good slacks. If the company culture is more casual and relaxed, it might be okay to dress down. As a personal rule of thumb, I find it infinitely better to potentially overdress than to be underdressed; at the very least, it shows that you have a professional demeanor and can be taken seriously. 5. Head out earlier than you normally would. Don't necessarily check in with the HR department early; wait in the parking lot if you must. But sometimes unavoidable things happen: traffic backs up, tires go flat, etc. Better to have too much time when you arrive than to show up late, no matter your excuse.