Although you need to be well-prepared for meeting us (we want you to come across as well as you can so that we can present your credentials with confidence), we're talking here about your job interview. Bear these pointers in mind and you stand a good chance of making that all-important 'lasting impression'.

Before the big day
Do your homework. Use your initiative and source information not immediately available with your application/information pack. On a company's website, important insights can be gleaned from annual reports, press releases and more. Be prepared to refer directly to some of this surveillance data in your interview. Then give us a ring and ask questions. Your consultant will have built up a relationship with the company - often over several years - and can offer insights you may not be able to glean yourself.

Don't assume your interviewer is accomplished at assessing candidates, or that they even enjoy the experience. Prepare your answers and questions as if your biggest selling points will not come to light unless you find a way of bringing them into the conversation.

On the big day
Please be on time. However, if something entirely unforeseeable does hold you up, adopt a suitable level of humility and phone as soon as you can to explain your situation with an estimated time of arrival that you're more than likely able to beat. Remember that your own nerves can be echoed on the other side of the table in the form of impatience, interview inexperience, or downright dislike of the interview process. So be ready to take the initiative. With your positive input, you can turn an okay interview into a special one. Remember to be personable, direct and professional. Declare your interest in the position with a suite of questions you will have prepared beforehand. Don't forget that interviews are a two way street - even though the interviewer has right of way. Don't get caught out by those open-ended questions, like, "Tell me about yourself," or "Why should we hire you?" To avoid waffling for hours, prepare replies that answer such questions within a minute or two at most. Perhaps pose clarifying questions of your own that make sure you're telling the interviewer what they really want to hear. Do not be blinkered by your own self awareness - just because you're excited by a panoramic vision of what you can do for their company, your interviewer may be just as interested in your character traits and your life experiences (your soul as well as your skills and work experience). Prepare to make connections on several different levels. Please do not talk about money. We'll have done all that for you, so all you have to do is refer them to us, or mention the figure that you discussed with us beforehand. Getting the maths wrong during a great interview can lead to an immediate and irretrievable closure on a golden opportunity.

At the end of your interview - if you're still keen on the post - make sure you extend a warm handshake, give eye contact and say something akin to, "Thank you very much for today. Your organisation has made quite an impression on me and I'd be very interested in taking discussions further."

After the event
Call your consultant to let us know how things went for you while it's still fresh in your mind. We'll be talking to your interviewers soon after your interview, so your feedback could be invaluable. Tell us both pluses and minuses; full and frank information helps us to help you.