In this struggling economy, it has certainly become much more difficult to land a job. Companies have fewer positions open and have raised their standards for people whom they are going to hire, only looking at those who seem most qualified during the test and job interview, and are going to be worth the salary that they are going to be paid. So in looking for a job, here are some essential dos and don'ts to follow:

-- Image is everything. When you are scheduled for an interview, do a little research on the company that you will be meeting with. Take note of the type of atmosphere that they have there, and make sure to dress accordingly. The safest choices of clothing would be polo shirts and slacks, but if you think that the company is more on the casual side, sticking to just dressy tops and shoes may be appropriate.

-- Arrive before your scheduled time. As the old adage goes, "time is money." Companies won't want to hire someone who will only waste their time, hence wasting their money. Arrive at least 15 minutes before your interview so as to show that you are conscientious about how important their time is. This will also give you time to pull yourself together and be mentally ready for your job interview.

-- Upon meeting your interviewer, greet them by name and make sure to pronounce it properly. Have a good, firm handshake; don't make them feel like they are shaking hands with a dead fish, but don't try to cut off their circulation either. Wait until you are offered a chair before sitting down, and only scan the room once before concentrating all your attention on the interviewer, especially once the interview has started. Look alert and interested. Conduct yourself professionally, no matter what happens, but remember to still have a sense of humor and do not take yourself too seriously.

-- When answering questions, do not just answer with a yes or no, but do stick to below 60 seconds. Be as concise as you can in your answers.

-- Never ever complain about your current or past employers. How you regard them in your job interview will give your interviewer a look at how you will treat them, also.

-- It is considered bad form to raise salary questions during the first interview; this is usually done after you have been short listed or called to a second interview. Only do this if the interviewer mentions it or if they ask you what your preferred salary is.

These are only a few tips and tricks that you should know once you are going to go in for a job interview. There are a lot more things that you can do to prepare for it, so do your proper research. But above all this, remember to always smile. You're not going in for an execution, so smiling to the people around you will only say good things about you.