And once you've proven that you have the technical chops, "it will be all about culture and fit." This is your opportunity, in other words, to decide if this is a place where you want to work.

Create a checklist of everything you want in the job, the company and the boss, she advised. This will also help structure your questions for the interviewer. "Not having questions is an easy 'no,'" Hill warned.

Finally, know why you want the position and practice how you will articulate it. "It's always surprising when someone tells a hiring manager they want the position, but they can't answer why."