Here are some quick bits of advice on how to handle interviews.

What to Bring to an Interview

• Several copies of your resume.
• Your portfolio, if applicable.
• Writing utensils (no chewed up pencils, please.)
• Notebook.
• References (name, address, and phone number.)
• Breath mints, a comb, safety pins, a barf bag - anything that will make you feel comfortable and prepared.

Taboo Subjects

• Citizenship and National Origin
• Race, Color, or Sexual Orientation
• Gender
• Love and Marriage
• Age
• Disabilities
• Economic Status
• Religious Beliefs
• Criminal Record

What Interviewers Know (The Tricks of the Trade)
Be prepared: some tools interviewers use to keep you on your toes.

• Open ended questions (More than yes or no. Used to discover qualifications through past behavior.)
• "Prove it!" (Specific questions to show you really have those skills you've listed.)
• Silence. (Do you get rattled easily?)
• Plural Questions
• Compare/Contrast Questions

Remember: Don't get too comfortable.

Major Do's and Don'ts
Do:

• Have a positive tone
• Prepare for the tough questions
• Research companies before you interview
• Focus on what you have to offer a prospective employer, not what you want
• Learn about your rights as an interviewee
• Follow up with a note or a phone call

Don't:

• Attempt to use an informational interview to land a position
• Talk about money in the first interview
• Beg for a job!
• Lie on your resume