Break down your research efforts into four broad areas. That'll make it easier to manage and also ensure you don't leave anything out.

#1: Get insights into organization

This is best place to start your research.

Obviously you should find out about organization's products and services, markets it serves and how long they have been in existence. Plus, you need to know their organization structure, who top management is, recent trends in growth, profitability and how their stock is performing.

However, to differentiate yourself, you must go beyond these basic facts.

Find out a bit about organization culture. Learn about what they look for in employees. What areas are they expanding into in near future?

What are key challenges facing company? Are these same challenges facing industry as a whole? What unique difficulties do they face?

What do people working there think about organization? Is there high staff turnover, especially within senior management? What do competitors think of company?

Based on this information, try to think of what could be done to solve some of their problems. What innovations could help them? What contributions could they value?

#2: Find out about job

In many cases, you'll have to wait for interview to get all job details. However, you need to do some digging beforehand.

Who will you be reporting to? What is his / her background and reputation?

Find out about general responsibilities in job. What are you expected to deliver on a daily basis? What results do you need to achieve every quarter, every year?

Where does your department fit in within hierarchy? Who held this job before? Why did he leave? How many people have held this job over past five years? Who are people you'll be supervising?

What are biggest obstacles to performing this job well? What kind of person do they want for this position? What personal qualities are they looking for?

If you make even one of them, you'll drastically reduce your chances of getting selected.

Interview mistake #1: Thinking like a job hunter

The only reason why an employer hires you is because they want you to achieve certain results for them. Or solve specific problems. In other words, you have something of enormous value to offer employer.

Yet, most who turn up for a job interview think that only one with anything worthwhile to offer is employer. Result -- they treat a job interview as a one-sided affair where interviewer holds all power.

To be successful at interviews, it's essential that you become a full participant in meeting, retaining equal power. Just as employer must judge if you're right person for them, you must judge if this organization offers right opportunities for you.

Go in with clear objectives of what you need to know about them, while putting your best foot forward in responding to their questions. Obviously, this does not mean being rude or arrogant. It does mean that you are proactive in directing conversation and getting information you want.

This is very different from traditional job-hunter's mentality. It's about developing an assertive, confident mindset that'll get you results. Try it.

Interview mistake #2: Getting lost in generalities

When you are asked what you do at work, does your reply sound like a dull recital of an official job description written by a committee?

If so, you're losing a big chance to score at interview.

Yes, employers do want to know what your responsibilities are. But they're more interested in hearing what results you achieved, your specific accomplishments and skills.