Good news, job seekers! Hiring is up, and unemployment is down (unless you're in the public sector, which cut 12,000 jobs in December. If this is your situation, sorry if we raised your hopes).

If there's an interview on the horizon, we offer our best wishes for success - and three simple, obvious tips that for some unexplained reason frequently are forgotten. 

1. Allow time for Mr. Murphy
   Everyone's been sidelined by Murphy's Law at one time or another. Don't let your job interview be ruined by something that could have been prevented by careful planning.
   
   Don't allow "extra" time - operate on "airport time." Think of your interview as your airline ticket to a new job. Your interviewer doesn't want to hear about how you got a flat tire, or the bus didn't show up, or the train was late. Make plans to get there with almost too much time to spare. You may have a stretch of downtime, but you'll be ready - instead of sweating at the security checkpoint while your plane takes off without you.
   
2. Tell the truth
   Pretty obvious, right? Yet everyone knows an interview horror story about getting caught in a lie. Even the most seemingly innocuous untruths can boomerang. If you're familiar with a type of software, say you're familiar with it - don't say you're an expert. Every time you even think about lying, remember George Costanza's reference from Vandelay Industries.
   
3. Do the Research
   Before shaking hands with your possible future boss, wouldn't it be helpful to know if they're a hand shaker or not? While this is a random exception, rather than a rule, you never know. You do know that every employer has policies, beliefs, facts, departments, rules and foibles. Information is everywhere - don't destroy a chance for new job joy by not knowing as much as you can about your hopefully-soon-to-be-new-company. You wouldn't wear a Red Sox hat to a Yankees interview, would you (unless you're this guy)?

Good luck in your job search, seekers! And if you plan and prepare properly, hopefully luck is all you'll need to help ace that interview.