There is far more available to you about a job past just salary, location and qualifications. This additional information will give you a serious upper hand during the hiring process. You just need to know where to look and what questions to ask before going into the interview.

Most managers will admit that there isn't a big difference between the resumes of the people they hire vs the people they pass on during the interview process. These candidates all usually have the same qualifications. So why does one candidate get the job over the other? Because they have the inside scoop on how to get the job!

Everyone knows to ask about the corporate culture and team dynamics. But here are a few things you may not have thought to ask about or research ahead of time. Follow these tips and get the inside scoop on....

...the manager
Google your manager. Go to the company website and read his/ her bio. Go to sites like Zoominfo.com or Linkedin.com to see if they have a professional bio. What will you learn? LOTS! The details of their professional background, where they live, what school they went to, what training they have been through, what awards or acknowledgments they have received, have they been published, what associations/clubs do they belong to, what their hobbies are, what sports they are into, whether not they have a blog, etc. You may find you have something in common with them like having worked at the same company, attended the same school, blog about the same topic, run marathons, fly fishing...whatever. This allows you to make an immediate connection with the line manager.

...why the job is open
Ask your recruiter or the internal HR person at that company why this job is open. Is it a replacement spot or new position? It's perfectly OK to ask why the last person didn't work out and use that to your advantage to steer towards (or away from) certain topics. If it is a growth position, find out what the specific drivers are that are causing the need for this new position (sales are up, new VC funding). This is usually good news that you can reference during the interview.

...why the other candidates weren't a fit
Ask your recruiter or the internal HR person at that company if there have already been interviews that have taken place for this position. If so, what was the feedback. You can be completely upfront about why you are asking this. Understanding where other candidates fell short will give you an indication of what to focus in on more during the interview. Most recruiters make a habit of doing this, but if they have forgotten, remind them you'd like to know the detailed feedback of the last batch of people who went out for this job.