Answer: You obviously know that the first step toward having a successful interview is to learn about the company with which you're interviewing. Anything and everything you can learn about an organization and its employees, customers, products or services and internal atmosphere and functions can help during an interview.

Most of us already know to check company pages on the World Wide Web, review business directories such as Hoover's Online and check stock reports and other financial data you can find on such sites as 411 Stocks and Market Guide.

If you haven't done this kind of research before or never done online research, you may want to start with Debbie Flanagan's tutorial "Researching Companies Online". Ms. Flanagan, a Houston, Texas, training manager, walks you through the process and points you towards several good online sources.

However, to gain the edge you want in an interview, visiting two sites can be especially helpful. Both Vault Reports and WetFeet.com offer "insider reports" on more than 1,000 U.S.-based companies and law firms, both for profit and nonprofit. The information in these reports is gathered through traditional research. In addition, company researchers interview current and former employees to gain first-hand "insider" information about each company. For job seekers, this detailed information is a gold mine about a firm's working environment, interview tactics and even the way it handles an employment application.

Vault Reports offers "company snapshots" you can search or browse by company name for all companies and law firms in its database, and sells 10- to 15-page "profiles" for about 100 organization. The price per report varies, but you can preview what you're buying at the web site, then order one if you want to know more about a particular employer. Vault Reports also offers free industry reports describing the industry, listing its occupational profiles and naming companies it has profiled.

The site also hosts a group of employee message boards that allow current and past employees of various companies to chat and exchange messages about working for that company. The messages are open for anyone to read.

WetFeet.com offers three types of insider reports for job hunters.

• The Company Quicks provide basic descriptions and financial data on various companies, along with a list of distinguishing factors that help the company stand out from its competitors.
• The Insider Guides are 10- to 15-page reports that can be purchased, but here again, you can sample the products before buying.
• Company Q&As are perhaps the most interesting. These interviews with corporate representatives cover important issues prospective hires should know, such as how interviews are handled, typical benefits and a description of the corporate culture.

Receiving this type of information before interviewing can provide hints about questions you should ask and alert you to potential problems you might encounter.

Answer: Yes, interviews have changed greatly in the past ten years. Learning about the changes and how to handle them can improve your interview performance and chances for advancing in the selection process. Many online sites provide guidance about various interview techniques, prepare you for interviews and even help you gain a little advance practice.

A good starting place is the interviewing section of WorkSearch, a site developed by Gary Will, a Waterloo, Ontario, consultant, author and speaker. This page provides links to articles from many other Internet sites, including several on new techniques, such as behavior-based interviews and the use of hypothetical questions.

Some of these articles have been written by officials at college career centers, but they're still relevant to job seekers generally. You'll find something interesting and helpful in each. Mr. Will has rated and summarized the articles so visitors are more informed about which to choose.

Another good source of information on interviewing and handling difficult questions is David G. Jensen, managing partner of Search Masters International, a Sedona, Ariz., recruiting firm. His articles are posted at the Bio Online Career Center.

Scroll down the list to the section called "Job Search" to review his many articles, especially "The Right Answers to Tough Interview Questions" and "15 Minutes to a Better Interview," a concise list of dos and don'ts. Many of his articles are written for pharmaceutical or life sciences professionals, but all except a select few are useful to most job hunters.

Robert Half International also provides interviewing information at its online Consulting Career Center. This resource offers a list of questions candidates should be prepared to answer and ask. The firm stresses that "a lack of questions may be mistaken as a lack of interest," which could dismiss you from further consideration.

Finally, take a few minutes at various other online sites to work through "mock interviews" that can give you an idea of the questions you might be asked and how to best answer them. While online rehearsals aren't as effective as practicing with a friend or colleague, they can alert you to potential pitfalls and develop strategies to survive them.

The Interview and Network area (click on zones) of Monster.com offers a "Virtual Interview." Select an answer for each question and you'll be told if it was the best choice or if another answer would have been better and why.

You also can take the Practice Interview at JobOptions, found in the Interviewing section of its Career Tools. This exercise resembles Monster.com's because you choose, then learn the best answer for each question. However, these questions may be more relevant to your personal situation. In addition to the practice seminars, both sites offer articles and advice that can help you prepare for interviews and walk away with an offer.

Answer: Negotiating a compensation package rather than salary alone is definitely the right approach. Salary is only part of a total compensation package, and it's possible that an employer that can't raise its base salary rate to meet your expectations can offer other incentives, such as increased vacation or stock options. The article "How Small Companies Lure Top Executives" by Laura Lorber outlines benefits and perquisites small companies are offering in lieu of pay to draw executives. So how do you get the best deal for your talent?

The first step is to learn what is or isn't negotiable in a compensation package. Murro Consulting Inc., a career service and outplacement consulting firm in Phoenix, Ariz., offers tips on salary negotiation, including types of direct and indirect compensation that can be added to a base salary. Use this as a checklist for your personal package, noting what you'd desire or find useful. Next, prioritize items you'd like to negotiate. If an employer can't grant your first request for, say, additional vacation time, move on to your next item (for instance, travel expenses for your spouse or partner) and see if you can win a point there.

After developing a list, concentrate on your strategy. Mr. Jenson's article "Job Offer Negotiation Strategies" is essential reading on this issue. He outlines the classic negotiation scenario and notes what you should be aware of before you start negotiating, attitudes you may encounter when discussing pay and how best to approach the process.

Another source of advice are the FAQs, or frequently-asked interview questions, from Career Services Group Inc., a career guidance firm in Washington state. The questions cover issues such as determining the right time to begin the discussion, two basic approaches the conversation may take and basic rules to remember while negotiating.

And should the fortunate (or unfortunate) occur, the firm also provides suggestions on how to keep an employer interested while you're waiting to hear from another prospect and on how to handle a counter-offer from your current firm.