Check Off These 15 Tips Before Every Interview

When I was job hunting, I felt like a superhero. By day, I was a mild-mannered employee, dutifully getting my assignments done as normal. By night, I was Application Girl, able to send out five cover letters in a single day, willing to scale tall building to get a better salary. When I interviewed at Refinery29, I even had to change into my superhero outfit (okay, just a new dress I felt really confident in) and then back into my regular office attire.

Leading a double life can be exhausting. Hell, even job hunting while being unemployed can be exhausting. But when it comes to interviews, you want to be on your A Game (or your A+ game if you can swing it). And while there are lots of tips out there on what questions you should be ready to answer, what you do before and after can be just as important. Things like showing up on time, sending a thank-you note immediately, and not having your cell ring mid-interview can affect whether you get the job as much as your answer to the question "Where do you see yourself in five years?"

Sounds scary, right? But it doesn’t have to be. As long as you’re planning ahead, there are lots of easy ways to start off on the right foot — and end on a high note. Ahead, 15 easy tips to take your interview game from great to outstanding in no time. (Cape not included.)