If your application (cover letter and resume) is impressive you might get a call from the company just to check if you would take up the job if you get. Are you prepared to aptly answer the questions they might ask - such as "What is the salary you are expecting?", "Do you require a notice period and if yes how long?","How would you commute/ would you relocate (if the job is at a distant place)?","Why do you have a break in your career (if you have one)? If yes, what have you done during this break to improve your skills?"
Once you have passed the initial screening the next step may be to take up a test or some kind of assessment - you will often get to know of this in advance. In some companies regardless of the position you have applied for, you are expected to take up test(s) before being selected for an interview. You may be asked to come down to their office or will be sent link to the tests to take up from home in the next say 3 days. The test often involves some kind of numeracy test/psychometric test/aptitude test. You do not have the time to start practicing once the links to the tests are sent. You need to have prior practice to have the speed and accuracy to finish the test successfully. Once you are through screening you will then face interviews which require other skills and etiquette.
Think of it this way: someone needs to give you money, quite a bit of it, and therefore they will be thorough to find out if you are worth it, so be prepared to show that you are. We'll have more coming in the blog on typical tests and interviews.
Here is a link to an article in ‘The New York Times’ that has a checklist and may help you in your job search.
http://www.nytimes.com/2010/01/03/jobs/03search.html?ref=jobs
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