The first P is really simple: be Punctual. If you're late, no matter how great the excuse, you're unlikely to be hired. How are they supposed to know that you're always on time ... except for today?

Solution: Leave wayyy early for your appointment. Arrive and check in with a receptionist no more than 10 minutes early (there is such a thing as too early). Knowing how to get there helps, which leads to the 2^nd P...

Be Prepared! Here are a few of the things you need to take care of before you go. Give yourself as much time as possible; start as soon as you're invited in. Try to avoid next-day interviews if you're totally unprepared.

• Know where you're going - check out the location the day before if you've never been there before;
• Have at least three copies of your customized resume ready to take with you
• Check your transportation the night before - if driving, make sure your battery's not dead; if taking public transportation, check for detours on your route;
• Have something to say about each and every item on your resume. Know names of supervisors, clients, and competitors; know what you did, how long you were there, what you accomplished beyond your job description and why you left.
• Know as much as you can about the job you're applying for, and the company you're interviewing with. The Internet makes this much easier than it used to be.
• Think about answers to common interview questions such as "Tell me about yourself," "What's your biggest weakness" and "Why should we hire you?" These are easy to find on line.
• Decide what to wear the night before (or earlier, if you're uncertain you have the right outfit). Be a little better dressed than the people who work there.

The third P is easy to forget when you're nervous: Be Pleasant.

Let's face it: No one wants to work with a sourpuss. You might have great qualifications on paper, but if you forget to bring your natural charm to the interview, you could sink your chances of getting hired. It's likely that at least one of your interviewers is someone who'll have to work with you every day. Make ‘em look forward to it!

Here are a few things to keep in mind:

• SMILE. This shows that you're relaxed and happy to be there. You know who doesn't smile? Gazelles in lion country, and people who are nervously anticipating failure.
• Observe common courtesies from the moment you get in your car to go to the interview, till you're at least two miles away afterwards. Treat receptionists like gold.
• Don't sit till someone invites you to. Don't interrupt the interviewer.
• Don't be afraid to show you're human. If you mess up, apologize, laugh at yourself, then drop it.
• As you step into the interview area, imagine that you're in your own home, and you've invited the interviewers over for dinner. Try to make them feel welcome, while owning your space.

If there were a fourth "P" it would be this: Make sure your bladder is empty before the meeting, so that you're comfortable no matter how long you're in there.

Good luck on your interview!