The interview process can feel like a marathon. If you have been on the interview circuit, you know that once you get that first call for a phone interview it's time to buckle your seatbelt for a bumpy ride. Chances are that phone interview is just a screener conducted by the HR Director, recruiter, or hiring manager. They're listening to see if you are friendly, personable, and if you could be the competent person you portrayed on your resume. The way to successfully navigate this is to take the call without any distractions in the background, have a smile on your face throughout the interview to sound friendly and professional, and ask questions to make the interview more like an interesting conversation.

If you successfully navigate that test you can look forward to the in-person interview. Typically this will be with the hiring manager, as well a potential assortment of managers, co-workers, or even the hiring manager's boss. There are several things to keep in mind at this phase. First, if you are not feeling at the top of your game (or that you couldn't get yourself geared up to the top of your game) cancel the interview. Here's what can happen if you don't. I was hiring for an Assistant Account Manager. I had been working with a client who had always seemed professional and intelligent. He was interested in the position, so we had a phone interview where I briefed him on the specifics of the position and the company. He asked a lot of good questions and was interested in the job. I invited him in to meet my boss and check out the office. However, when he came in for the in-person interview he forgot to bring his personality. He told me later that he had a very stressful day at work and was completely exhausted. The problem was that he came across as dull and incompetent in the interview with my boss. His performance was not consistent with what I had seen over the phone. My boss had to question my judgment in bringing him to the office in the first place. We all have bad days, it is to be expected, but it should not completely change your personality to the point where people question whether you are able to do the job you are interviewing for. If you are ever in that position, and you don't think that a power nap or a strong cup of coffee is going to cure you, then ask politely if it is possible to reschedule the interview. You can explain that you are not feeling well, and would appreciate it if you could reschedule for another time that is convenient for the interviewer. Rescheduling may not be an option, in which case you need to do everything possible to bring yourself up to par.

Interviewers are looking for consistent answers and performance. They will bring you back on different days and ask the same questions, and they will have different people in the organization ask you the same question. You need to make sure that your answers, attitudes, and performance are consistent to maintain your credibility in the interviewer's mind.