By Chris Palmer and Peter Kimball

In this tough economy, even getting called in for a job interview can feel like a major victory. And it is – it means your resumé was impressive enough to put you in the running and that you’re now that much closer to getting the job. Now all you have to do is confidently and concisely demonstrate that you would be the perfect candidate – exceptionally experienced and skilled, committed to the company, and a pleasure to work with. All in just a few minutes. Doesn’t sound too hard, right?

The most important thing you can do in preparing for an interview is not to freak out. An interview can be extremely stressful and it can feel like your whole life depends on how you perform. However, it is essential that you go into the interview with enthusiasm and a smile on your face. Sit up straight, dress well, and speak with confidence. It doesn’t matter who else is applying for the job; all that matters is whether you can confidently and clearly describe who you are and why that’s a perfect fit for the position.

In order to convey your confidence effectively, you must first of all know exactly what the company does and what its needs are. For instance, someone interviewing for a job as a camera operator for a production company would be wise to know what kind of projects this company normally does, what kind of clients they work with, what kind of equipment they generally use, etc. If your experience is in reality television and this company makes videos for museums, you might still be the perfect person for the job, but it will be important to explain why your experience will help you meet their needs.

Read more: http://realscreen.com/2011/03/01/best-practices-acing-a-job-interview/#ixzz1W6OY1uLC

Professor Chris PalmerAuthor of Shooting in the Wild: An Insider's Account of Making Movies in the Animal Kingdom  (Sierra Club Books, 2010)Distinguished Film Producer in ResidenceDirector, Center for Environmental FilmmakingSchool of Communication, American Universitycell 202-716-6160; office 202-885-3408Center website: www.environmentalfilm.org SOC profile: http://www.american.edu/soc/faculty/palmer.cfm Shooting in the Wild on Facebook: http://on.fb.me/gOTUlc Shooting in the Wild website: http://bit.ly/a4L3LU Chris’s Facebook site: http://www.facebook.com/#!/chrispalmer47 Follow me on Twitter @chrispalmer_au Chris’s blog: http://soc-palmer.blogs.american.edu/  President, One World One Ocean FoundationPresident, MacGillivray Freeman Films Educational Foundationcpalmer@mffeducation.orgwww.mffeducation.org Chief Executive Officer, VideoTakes, Inc.chris@videotakes.comwww.videotakes.com