Going to an interview can be very nerve racking. The nerves can get so bad, that you say things without thinking about them first. I remember I once went to an interview at a retail store. The woman interviewing me asked what kinds of clothes I liked to wear and I started off saying ‘Everything, really… Except not surfy clothes. I used to wear them a lot but I got a bit sick of them’. Maybe something I should point out here, was that the company I was interviewing for was one of the largest retail surf shops in Australia. Immediately realizing my mistake, I started back tracking to save myself. All I ended up doing was dig myself deeper and deeper into my little hole – And it wasn’t a comfortable hole, I can assure you.

That was the first interview that I had ever gone to, where I wasn’t successful. But I also don’t blame them in the slightest.

When going into an interview, the most important things to remember are: Be prepared. Dress appropriately. Know the company you are interviewing for. Relax.

You will most likely have heard people say that you should research the company you are interviewing for. They are right. You may be faced with questions like ‘What interests you about this job?’, ‘What could you contribute to this company?’, and ‘What do you know about this company?’. If you have looked into the company at all, you will come across in a better light than someone who hasn’t. It can look like you don’t care enough about the job to know about the company. And how do you know that you would be a great candidate for the job if you don’t even know anything about the company?

People form an opinion of you in the first 7 seconds. That is why you need to dress smart. Sit up straight. Smile. Exude confidence. It is very easy to make a first impression, but it is extremely difficult to make a second. During the interview, try to look the interviewer in the eye whilst you are speaking – not in a crazy stalker type way. You can blink, glance off to the side briefly if you’re thinking about your answer, but always return your gaze to the person interviewing you.

One question that seems to be quite popular in interviews is ‘What are your weaknesses?’ A lot of the time, this stumps the interviewee. We never think to point out our flaws to people. The trick to answering this question is to take your weakness and try to turn it into a positive. If like me, you aren’t overly organized, you don’t want people to remember that about you. Try to say something like ‘I used to be quite unorganized, but last year I developed a time management system which has allowed me to improve my organizational skills.’ Or I used one once where I said ‘I tend to talk a lot, but when I have work to do I always make sure it gets done. I think it could also be seen as a good thing though, as I am easy to get along with and can hold a conversation.’

There can be all sorts of questions thrown at you in an interview (the following website has a list of questions and examples of answers: http://jobsearch.about.com/od/interviewquestionsanswers/a/interviewquest.htm). Some questions will be expected, others will just sound strange. Just try to relax and use the interview as a learning exercise. Make the most of it! Keep breathing and think about your answers before you speak. Who knows – if I had of taken my own advice, I could possibly be the owner of a mega-million dollar retail surf company by now! (I’ve often get told that I have a very creative imagination!!)