Are you preparing for an executive interview and are seriously concerned that you won’t be ready when you sit across from the interviewer? These concerns are typical across all stages of a career, and many executives have their doubts regardless of how familiar they are with the interview environment.

You’ve probably heard a ton of advice about ways to prepare for an interview, but just when you think you’ve heard it all, something jumps out that could actually work for you. The tips below are a good place to start if you think you've heard every job interview tip in the book--some of these suggestions may leave you scratching your head, but they're all helpful interview tips.

Prepare in an Office Space

While preparing for your interview, it doesn’t hurt to do so in a space that reminds you of a serious, office environment. For instance, if you have an office in your home, it’s good to organize your thoughts in this space. Occasionally, there's nothing wrong with practicing for your interview with a TV blasting or your family vying for your attention, but a bit of practice in a more subdued, interview-like setting can get your mind prepared for an interview much more quickly.

Rehearse in Front of a Mirror

Another quirky, yet helpful, preparation tip is to consider rehearsing in front of a mirror. Most executives are fairly adept at verbal conversation, but your body language can be an incredibly important element that shouldn't be overlooked. Often times, we don’t know what type of message we’re sending by the way we sit, hold our arms, or look at others. Practice in front of the mirror helps you reign in your facial expressions and get rid of the nervous tics that might make an interviewer nervous or uncomfortable.

Talk in Front of Your Kids

A large aspect of interviewing at the executive level is being able to tell a good story about who you are and what you’ve accomplished while keeping the attention of everyone in the room. Children have terrible attention spans, which makes them good substitutes for executives--try telling your story with some minor modifications to compensate for the audience difference, and if school-aged kids begin to ignore you, you'll know that you need to spend some more time on your delivery and word choice.

Don’t Rely On Your Resume

While you want to know what’s in your resume, executive biography and any other documents you’ve submitted, you don’t want the interviewer to feel as though you’re reading from them as you answer questions in your interview. If you do, the interviewer will probably feel uncomfortable, which isn't good. So as you practice, think about who you are, what you’ve accomplished, and what you’d like to accomplish on the job. A bit of confidence and honesty will help you a lot more in answering interview questions than a piece of paper.

You know the basics of preparing for your interview, so it’s always good to learn about those tips that may be a bit more quirky but could still work. Considering the above tips is a great way to get a step ahead of the competition in your job interview.