It can be fairly intimidating to sit down at a table with four other people and have them drill you with questions. Unless you took a course showing you how a typical interview is done, we figured you could use the help. Jobs are hard to come by right now and anything to stand out in a large unemployed crowd is necessary.
Resume
This should be something you have multiple copies of and ready to hand out at any moment. Having a copy at the interview will show you are professional and ahead of the game at the same time. Never assume they have the original one you sent online or by fax.
Research
Before you go to the interview, do some research about the company you're interested in. It doesn't have to be what last months quarterly earnings were. You can search for upcoming projects that may have been publicized. When the opportunity presents itself, add a comment about what you've learned. Show initiative.
Practice
As cliche as this may sound, try doing it. If you're nervous when your friends or parents start asking you interview questions, think about how bad it you'll be at the interview. The more times you hear the same basic questions the better you'll become at responding to them without hesitation.
Confidence
Like anything repeated over and over it becomes second nature. Building a little confidence after practicing will be good when it comes time for the interview. You don't want to be over confident, just enough to show you have what it takes to become the newest company employee. Acting like it's a casual meeting will be a quick way to let your interviewers know you're not serious.
Patience
Take everything in. Try not to get too excited and answer questions out of turn. Wait for them to ask questions and finish speaking before you give a response. Interrupting will make everyone uncomfortable and put at bad vibe in the room.
Honesty
Tell them the truth and nothing but the truth. If you don't know how to do something they ask, then say you don't know instead of making up a random story. They don't expect you to know everything. If they check your resources and find out you're telling false information, you might as well stay home.
Interest
This goes with doing research on the company. Showing interest in them will give the impression you aren't out hunting for any job you can get. Be enthusiastic about what they are offering.
Questions
This is your chance at the end of the interview to ask them questions. It's in your best interest to not ask about salary unless they mention it to you. Wait this question out until you get a phone call saying you have the position. Anything else asked should be simple and relevant to the position itself.
There are several other things you should take into consideration such as dressing accordingly, good eye contact, avoid fidgeting, and good etiquette. The rest should be your natural and respectful self. Make sure everything on your resume is up to date and be sure to treat the interview seriously and you'll do fine.