Each year, millions of people go job hunting in an effort to find better and higher-paying jobs. And each year, millions of people fail to land those jobs.

Only a select few ever get the job of their dreams - the rest are stuck in their same-old, same-old jobs (yes, even executive and management-level positions can get boring after a spell).

The sad thing about the entire situation is that most of the people who "lost out" didn't have to. Many of them have the skills, the experience, and the discipline to do well in the jobs they were aiming for. What they did lack, however, was personal preparation in the job hunting process.

Most people think that the only skill needed in trying to find a job is writing a good resume. Indeed, many people go to great lengths trying to write an excellent one - they apply various resume writing tips, and even hire resume writing services. Then they email resumes to prospective employers en masse, and use distribution services like ResumeMachine.com. Every now and then, they will receive an interview request, which can be likened to a final screening. And this is where most people falter.

The main thing you need to do before an interview is to know as much as you can about the company that you wish to join. This may sound very basic, but most job applicants don't bother to do it. The average applicant is more concerned about what s/he will get from the company than what s/he can give to it.

Once you've done your research, you should know what the company needs in order for it to grow. It's like one of those B-school SWOT analysis situations:

1. Can you identify the company's strengths, and how you'd complement them?

2. Can you say how you'd help shore up their perceived weaknesses?

3. Can you show them opportunities they may be missing?

4. Can you help them defeat their threats?

Or put more simply, ask yourself whether you can provide what the company needs. If so, then start to formulate a plan, however basic, to present to your interviewer.

And failing this, you can always fall back on asking these kinds of informational questions outright in the interview. Once you've shown interest in the company's interests, the rest of the interview will flow naturally. And your chances of success will be greatly improved.

Allen Voivod is the Chief Blogger for ResumeMachine.com, the leading resume distribution resource for managers, executives, and professionals looking to accelerate their job search results.