I'm not sure if this is a procedural knowledge gap, but I figure it's close--and instrumentally important--enough to warrant some mention here. Basically, I've never really had to formally interview (whether for a job, or something similar), and I'm sure there are some things I should know that I currently do not. There are plenty of sites that purport to offer this information, but often they are neither as precise/specific nor as extensive as I'd like--given this community's focus and high standards, I think we can do better.
Any tips to maximize the chances of winning an interview? Anecdotes are welcome, from either end of the interview process.
As RomeoStevens said, practice is your best bet, but even better is to practice with people who have a decent grasp of what prospective employers and HR people will be thinking while interviewing you.
There are surprisingly many community centers that offer direct training programs for finding good jobs and winning interviews, and they almost always include at least a little bit of interview practice. Up here in Canada, they're almost always free thanks to government funding, but for U.S. it'll depend on the local specifics, I'd wager. However, you want to...
With Alicorn's permission, I'm resurrecting this thread.
I'll start off with one of my own: What kinds of exercise can I do at home (I do have 5- and 20-pound weights), and what are good ways to get motivation to do so regularly?