You leave the interview feeling pretty good. You go home thinking you might have even landed that job. But as time goes on, you begin to wonder. Finally when enough time has passed, you conclude that you did not get the job. Then the dreaded letter, email or phone call confirms your suspicions. What happened?

More often than not, the prospective employer is not going to tell you the real reason why you were picked over for the job. They can’t tell you for liability reasons.

Most people do not take criticism well. But you have to be willing to objectively think back on every detail of the interview and self-analyze in order to figure out and correct the mistakes you are making. A lot of today’s job-seekers are very young and treat life much more casually than their older counterparts, and older job-seekers may come off too staunch and out-of-touch with today’s business environment. Do you fall into either of these categories? If so, get to work on revamping your interviewing style.

A good rule of thumb is to be conservative. No matter what kind of job you are applying for, spending time on every detail of your appearance will likely give off a good impression. Do not wear perfume or cologne. And even though we all have our own personal style and flair, you can pretty much shed anything that would be considered ostentatious, splashy or over-the-top. Cover up tattoos and do not wear low cut shirts, blouses or too much makeup or jewelry.

Give a firm handshake. Look the interviewer(s) in the eye and repeat their name back to them “Nice to meet you, Mr. Smith, Mrs. Martin.” You should bring extra copies of your resume, printed on good bond paper. Bring a leather-bound portfolio and take copious notes, asking questions of your own as you go along. If you find just the right opportunity, interject appropriate humor. After the interview, tell the interviewer that the job sounds exactly like what you’ve been looking for. Employers like it when candidates express enthusiasm and excitement for the job.

If you do not land the job, go ahead and ask the employer if they would provide you with feedback on how you could improve your interviewing skills. If they comply, take the advice with you to your next interview!

Ann Wolf is the Human Resources Manager for PRISM Title & Closing Services, Ltd. in Fort Wright, Ky. She manages all aspects of human resources for the company including recruiting, benefit administration, payroll, policies and procedures and quality assurance. Ann has over ten years in legal, administrative and HR experience including excellence in client relations, organizational and computer technology skills with a high aptitude for time management and achieving results.

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