A: The old adage that "first impressions count" certainly seems to hold true for job interviews. A recent Accountemps survey reveals that it takes only 16 minutes on average for today's executives to determine whether a candidate may be a good match for a position.

The survey results underscore the importance of thorough preparation in advance of an interview. It's important to be able to present a summary of your qualifications in a concise, enthusiastic and poised manner when meeting with a hiring manager, or you may lose your relatively short window of opportunity.

During the initial minutes of an interview, prospective employers will be assessing whether you should move on to the next step in the hiring process, which may include additional interviews and skills tests as well as a reference check. You should be ready to answer such questions as, "Tell me a little about yourself," "Why do you want to work for our company?" and "What background or experience do you have that is relevant to our industry?"

It's also important to research each potential employer before an interview so you are better informed and can target your responses to both the company and the open position. Also, remember to bring clean copies of your resume with you to the interview, especially if you initially applied for the position online.