Interviews: During

• Stop, look and listen. Listen carefully to all the questions your interviewer asks and maintain eye contact. Think carefully before answering and try not to stammer or blather on at length. It’s better to pause and consider your answer instead of rushing right through it.

• The interviewer will usually start with a few general questions asking about you. This is not the time to tell them that you can fart the national anthem. They’re looking for a BRIEF and concise summation of what you’ve done, what you can do and how it might fit in with their company. Think about what you’ve rehearsed and keep it short and simple.

• They will also ask you about what you think your strengths and achievements are. Earning a gold in horse jumping when you were eight is a accomplishment, sure, but probably not useful when you’re applying for an IT job. Keep the job in focus and give a few short examples about the strengths you feel relate to it. Or tell them about a difficult situation that you feel you handled successfully.

• Examples are good. Use them particularly to answer the interviewers questions that deal with overcoming adversity or working under pressure. If you have to demonstrate your people skills, for instance, and you worked in a shop and had to deal with a particularly difficult customer, describe how you solved the situation.

• Prepare for the Dreaded Interview Question: Where do you see yourself in five or 10 years time? This question is not to determine the fact that you want to be King or Queen of the World, but rather a test to see if you’re serious about the position. Your answer to this should illustrate the fact that you’re motivated, willing to learn new things and how you’d like to develop your job-related skills.

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