1. Have a strong pitch: A pitch is a 30 – 60 second overview of what you are all about and what you can do for the company you are interviewing for. Months ago, I wrote a CNBC column giving a template of a pitch so you can Google my name and find it. But make sure you make it “your own”. Make sure it’s authentic and make sure it resonates with the interviewer. Saying something unique about yourself can set you apart from others. 2. Enthusiasm: Show this during the interview because only the top 10 – 20% of candidates do. Make sure the interviewer knows you are excited to be there, and are pleased to discuss your background, your skills and abilities, and how you can bring them to bear on the company you are interviewing for. 3. Do your research: before you step into that room, make sure you have researched the company, and the opportunity, and the person you’ll be interviewing with (if possible). This pre-work will considerably lower your stress level which will enable you to perform better. Think about your strengths and weaknesses and have specific examples of both. It shows that you are self aware, mature and articulate when discussing tough topics. Remember, in the interview process, past performance is an indication of future performance, so make that strong first impression and you’ll have an edge over other candidates. 4. Demonstrate that you can think on your feet: No one will know how to answer every single interview question, but you have to be able to think and do the best you can with what you do know. Don’t make things up if you are clueless, but creatively make a comparison of how you did something that was perhaps slightly different. If you need to pause to think about a response, feel free to do so. It shows maturity, intelligence and composure. 5. Show that you can persevere: Perseverance is critical in business. We are not always going to win the client, make a profitable trade, or come in under budget. Stay tenacious and constantly strive to raise the status quo. It will pay off in the end. And don’t be afraid to ask questions and get feedback when things don’t go well. We learn so much when things don’t work out so don’t let that opportunity pass you by.

You spent years honing your career, driving your on- and offline brand, and equipping yourself with the right resume. Now, you've been invited into that all-important job interview. To succeed, there are several things you should always do, but perhaps more importantly, there are also things you should avoid at all costs. Here are 10 ways you could fail at your job interview, and ways to steer clear of them: 1. Arrive late. There is no excuse for interview tardiness. MapQuest and auto navigation systems are at your fingertips to set your on-time driving course effortlessly. Plan for traffic jams and other logistical obstacles by leaving for your interview way ahead of your appointment. The worst that can happen is you arrive early. Use the bonus time to review your prep materials. 2. Dress inappropriately or appear ungroomed. Women: Are you displaying excessive cleavage, wearing a too-short skirt or globbing on the makeup? Men: Are you arriving unshaven, sporting long hair or stifling the room with aftershave? Also keep in mind that body piercings and tattoos can be distracting to an otherwise open-minded interviewer. Consider expectations of interview process formality; often, the most flexible cultures anticipate a conservative presentation during the interview meeting. Instead of asserting your unique personal style, focus on what's important: dialogue that convinces a hiring manager that you will contribute to the company's bottom line. More: 5 Reasons Job Recruiters Aren't Calling You Back 3. Arrive unprepared. If your response to the question, "Why do you want to work for ABC Company?" is a deer-in-the-headlights stare, then you failed. This seemingly innocuous question is actually a power-packed opportunity to genuinely demonstrate why the company should be interested in you. Be specific in identifying one or two key reasons the company's culture, leadership, product, or service appealed to you and then couple that with a particular example of how YOU will fit in/add value. With today's access to deep-Web insights (via Glassdoor, LinkedIn, corporate websites, and Google searches), there is no excuse not to brush up on a company before the interview. 4. Behave disrespectfully. Whether it's the front-line receptionist greeting you in the foyer, the human resources professional pre-screening you, or another employee passing you in the hallway, mind your manners through each interaction. Everyone with whom you come in contact is a potential influencer to the decision-maker who impacts your future. 5. Chew gum or fidget. While nerves may be in check before the interview, the simple act of crossing the "threshold" into the interviewer's quarters often triggers a visceral reaction that can induce excessive gum chewing, fidgeting, and/or sweating (or all of the above). Have a plan of action to manage your nerves so that they don't manage you. Spit out your gum; practice crossing your ankles and folding your hands, and/or wear sweat-resistant clothing or special deodorant. More: Do Job Interviews Have To Be So Grueling? 6. Drone on and on. Preparing a flexible script ahead of time will help avoid rambling as you search for the right words. Typically, there is a common pool of questions from which interviewers draw upon. By preparing for 15 to 20 of those, you will be equipped, to a large degree, for many possible questions. You can pull from a combination of those practiced (but not memorized) responses to create succinct, intelligible replies. 7. Forget your resume. While it's likely you were called into the interview based on the resume that the recruiter, human resources professional, or hiring decision maker received, don't assume they won't appreciate a hard-copy resume at the time of the interview. Bring several printed copies to the interview, as you may be meeting with a series of folks. Each one deserves his or her own fresh copy. 8. Bring a bad resume. Amateurish, outdated, and non-value-add resumes can be a strike against you. Executed poorly, a sluggish, old-school, inarticulate, and unfocused resume may be just the reason to eliminate you from the running in a tight race. 9. Forget to say thank you. Demonstrating appreciation for the interviewer's time during, as well as following the interview is critical. Manners matter, always. 10. Think the interview is mostly about you. The interview, at least initially, is about the company's requirements. It is considering hiring and paying you to fill a void. You must prove you can fill the employers' particular needs; that you can remove pain, solve problems, fix customer issues, save time or money, generate more revenue, build upon profits, and/or reverse declining market share. Yes, you will be choosing a company that fits "your" needs, too, but initially at least, your primary focus is to influence them to want to know more, and ultimately, extend an offer. Many of these interview-derailing behaviors will be exacerbated by the inherent stress of employment meetings. By quashing them now, you can take necessary steps to reduce chances of failure and increase opportunities for new job success. Jacqui Barrett-Poindexter is a Glassdoor career and workplace expert, chief career writer and partner with CareerTrend, and is one of only 28 Master Resume Writers (MRW) globally. Jacqui and her husband, "Sailor Rob," host a lively careers-focused blog. Jacqui is a power Twitter user, listed on several "Best People to Follow" lists for job seekers. Don't Miss: Companies Hiring Now Join AOL Jobs on Facebook | Follow AOL Jobs on Twitter | Follow AOL Jobs on LinkedIn More From U.S.News 10 Bush-League No-Nos To Avoid On The New Job 7 Signs You Bombed Your Interview 7 Telling Signs You're Not Prepared For An Interview Looking for a job? Click here to get started. Tags: bad job interview, blow the job interview, interview mistakes, job interview tips