You’ve got a great resume, the right experience and a great job opportunity. But before you can expect an offer, you need to ace the interviews. Here’s how to make it happen.

The recruiter interview

Who: A recruiter
What: Usually a phone interview. Demonstrate you have the skills the job requires. Check that your personality is a fit for the company.

How to ace it: Be optimistic and energetic. Be honest. Don’t exaggerate your abilities. If you meet in person, dress to impress.

The HR interview

Who: HR representative
What: A phone interview. Usually an easy interview. Expect simple questions about your skills and experience. This is the resume double-check. Plus, the HR rep wants to make sure you’ll fit the company culture.

How to ace it: Be professional. Talk about your experience and qualifications in plain language (don’t use tech jargon). Don’t speak negatively about past assignments or coworkers. Don’t brag.

The hiring manager interview

Who: Your future manager
What: To make sure you’re the kind of person who will get work done. The hiring manager will ask more in-depth questions about your capabilities and work projects. May want to see how well you communicate with non-technical staff.

How to ace it: Before the interview, try to learn about the interviewer’s background, then use that information to guide your answers. When asked, “Do you prefer to work alone or on a team?” answer, “Team.” Speak positively about former employers (even if your experience was negative).

The group phone interview

Who: Hiring manager and two to three senior coworkers
What: A phone or in-person interview to evaluate how you’ll fit with the team and whether you’ll carry your weight and bring new skills. Will ask very precise questions about your experience and work projects.

How to ace it: Bring copies of your resume and give them to each participant. Use your resume to guide answers to questions. Answer specifically, giving credit to coworkers when due. Be courteous and professional. Some participants may view you as competition for promotions, so be respectful. Don’t talk about salary or benefits.

The in-person interview

Who: The hiring manager, or manager and several coworkers.
What: This is a double-check of what the company has learned about you so far. Expect to be grilled about your work experience and how your skills will help the company.

How to ace it: Dress up, now is the time to prove you’re a professional. Make eye contact. Don’t speak negatively about former employers or coworkers. Bring samples of your work. Talk about the technologies and platforms you know. Be prepared to prove it by solving a problem or writing a bit of code. As always, be courteous and professional.

Ready to take your job search to the next level?

Check out the online training resources at Pluralsight. Get started with Robbe Morris’ course, Resumes, Job Seeking and Interviews in Context, which will help you create an effective online profile and resume, learn what questions to expect during the interview process, negotiate the right salary and get ready for your first day at work.