The job interview clinches — or doesn’t — a tentative offer.  Employers want to see how you conduct and express yourself. They want to feel confident that you can do the job. They want to like you.

So give all that to them — and more. Prepare for your interview:  The more prepared you are, the more impressive (and comfortable) you’ll be.

Do Your Homework

How to prepare? Know everything you can about the outlet. Get on its website. Read the publication or watch the station for at least a week beforehand, if you haven’t already been following it.  If you’re interviewing at an outlet in another city, familiarize yourself with the region’s big stories. And know who the outlet’s audience is.

Research the business side of the operation as well. Who owns the publication, website or broadcast station? Who are the players in the organization? What are the recent hiring trends? Has the outlet had a lot of recent layoffs? Is a merger being discussed?

Find out whatever you can about the person who will be interviewing you — including his or her name, the correct pronunciation of the name and job title. (If the name is tricky and you’ve come up empty on pronunciation, it’s fine to ask the interviewer to clarify it. Shows your interest in being precise.) Check the organization’s website; do a computer search to get other clues.

Be sure you’ve stayed up to the minute on breaking news. .

Be On Time and Look Professional

Arrive early. You can always wait for 15 minutes. Showing up even a few minutes late sends a message that you don’t respect deadlines. And even if no one else in the place dresses up, you can’t go wrong by dressing professionally for your interview.  It shows respect for the organization and for the job you hope to get.

Bring Your Resume and Clips (or Reel) . . .

Pack extra copies of your resume, reference list and clips or resume tape. The interviewer might want to distribute them to others in the office, or you might meet with several people during your appointment. Also, bring a pad and pen for note-taking during and after the interview.

. . . And Even a Pitch or Two

If you really want to wow the interviewer, bring along a couple of ideas for stories.   Just make sure your pitches suit the style and resources of the publication or station.

Let the Conversation Flow

The best interview is not an interrogation; it’s more like a conversation. Don’t interrupt the recruiter. But do speak up. Respond to questions (or observations, when it makes sense) by giving animated accounts of what your experience has been, what your thoughts are about the outlet, etc. Be as specific as possible when talking about your work and your skills. And be ready to tell the stories behind your clips. Be self-confident without being self-promoting. Don’t ramble; give detailed but concise answers. And make sure you have questions of your own to ask the interviewer.

The Money Question

One thing not to ask about at an initial interview: salary. Always let the interviewer bring that up first. Usually salary discussions don’t happen until the employer is ready to make a firm job offer, typically in a second or third interview or in a followup email or phone call.

But some recruiters will bring up money in the first interview, to gauge whether you’d be willing to work for what they want to pay. So always go into the first interview with a salary amount in mind. Research salary reports and talk to alums and professors. Calculate what you’d need to live in a given region.

If you’re being asked to name a salary range, come up with one that has a $5,000 to $10,000 spread — with the bottom of the range being the lowest amount you could work for and the top of the range being higher than what you know you’ll probably get. You might also add…”But I’m happy to consider your best offer.”

Later, if a job offer comes, let the employer name a figure first. That way, if you think the offer is low, you can negotiate. Often the employer will then arrive at a figure in the middle — but not at the top — of your range.

Questions you may be asked in the interview

• Tell me about yourself. (Translation: Why are you here, and what have you done that would interest me?)
• What are your strengths? Your weaknesses?
• Why do you want to work for us?
• Why should I hire you?
• Why are you leaving your old job?
• Where would you like to be in five, 10 or 20 years?
• Tell me about a story you covered that went well (or badly).
• What did you learn from any mistakes you’ve made?
• How well do you handle deadline pressure?
• What publications do you read? What news shows do you watch?
• What do you think of our website/paper/magazine/show/station? How would you make it better?
• Would you be willing to move?
• What are your salary requirements?
• What would you like to know about us?

Follow Up

When the interview ends, repeat your strong interest in the position and ask what the next step is. Shake hands and thank the recruiter.

The minute you get home, e-mail the interviewer a brief thank-you note. Say how much you enjoyed the discussion and reiterate your enthusiasm for joining the team. Follow up immediately on any requests the interviewer made during the session — a request to send more work samples, for example.