Yup, same here. I was born into my first job, and I knew someone that worked at my second job. No such luck since then, but I'm still on the search for a car. I just got some more money so now I can finally get one that's halfway decent.

Not a tip that will surprise anyone I'm sure, but if you give anyone anything written like your Curriculum vitae or just an email, for Darwin's sake remove spelling errors. Consistent errors are the worst, like getting a particular word or phrase wrong several times.

me?

I find rather that if i just be myself, the job i'm getting is far more suitable for me

obviously if the interviewer dislikes some egoistic irascible punk, i have no interest in working there

so just be yourself

and if you can't answer the questions, just say so

Shaking hands is really important! It shows maturity and respect.

Also babe, make sure you act confident, even if you don't feel it.

Dont rush answers when they ask you something, think it over first. Otherwise you'll say 'Ummm' and 'errrm' alot, and look a bit stupid, especially if they've asked you a relatively simple question.

Always give answers in the most positive way possible, and never insult your present/past employers. Your strengths are your strengths, and your weaknesses are also your strengths, dress them up. You're not a slow worker, you're sometimes 'too much of a perfectionist' etc.

You can never be over dressed for an interview, but you can be under dressed. No one ever got negative feedback for wearing a tie, but you can be sure that the person who didnt was spoken about as 'not giving a professional vibe'.

Speaking of professionalism, if you add your email to your CV/Resume, make sure its a sensible email address like your.name@gmail.com, and not SeXXi-BABEEE218@hotmail.com. People look at that and immediately throw your application away.

Be 'confident', which of course isnt easy if you arent. But its easy enough to fake, just hold your head high, grip their handshake firm, make good eye contact and speak clearly.

Hasn't this become more or less cliche now? I get not wanting to state actual weaknesses, but I can't help but think many interviewers would roll their eyes at this.

The two questions I absolutely hate at interviews are:

1) Why do you want to work for our company?
Unless it's a dream job (working in film or within the music industry aside), what answer do you really want to give? I'm fecking skint, my kids are badgering me for the latest X Box game. I get called every night with people wanting bills paid and I really want the new Pink Floyd boxset. This is the correct answer.

The acceptable answer is some bollocks about you admiring their company and that it has been your goal in life to sit at a desk answering the phone to goons and earning minimum wage whilst 99% of your colleagues appall you with their limited views on music, film, politics, the nature of celebrity and choice of food and I just need the money you pen pushing fuckwit.

2)What are your weaknesses?
I am not an over confident person at all but I find the process of sitting in a chair in front of a stranger and demeaning yourself rather counter productive.

I shave my head, go to music festivals and get drunk like I'm still 20. Are they weaknesses? Probably but I won't mention them so I always maintain eye contact, dress smartly and even do a little research into the company before interviews but my weaknesses should be found by said employer and then tweaked or taught if only you would give me the damn job in the first place. Even some job descriptions are spelled incorrectly in the first place and I can address that for you straight away.

I have constantly found that it's not what you know but who you know in life and I am not trying to put you off interviews at all. I have been unemployed for 9 months now and have a good employment record and references but still no work and it get's to the stage where you you cannot muster that false enthusiasm anymore.

However it seems to me that pretending to be something that you aren't is probably the best way and I am sure as you are young you will find work and don't want to put you off at all!

Good luck and I mean that sincerely with future interviews but personally I am utterly despondent with employment prospects.

Of course its cliche, but what are you going to do instead? Tell them that in fact you dont work very hard because you spend too much time chatting? That you dont want to work with anyone ethnic or gay because you're a bigot? I know from when my company is hiring, unless you say something stupid interviewers dont actually listen to a thing you say, and the people why do get hired always get reviewed as being 'really nice people to talk to'. All the cliches are expected really, its about how you dress them up in terms of your appearance, attitude and personality.

Although I work in retail, where the required qualifications are 'do you have the ability to breathe with your mouth closed'.

I shook the managers hand. As it turned out he was interviewing me (something my centre doesn't do) but he uses our pool regularly and his son swims for my club so he knows of my existence anyway. I think I done extremely well considering it was my first interview.

But then again I don't have any past experiences to compare it with. I shall just hope for the best and the worst thing that can happen is I'll still be in this same predicament.

Let's all cross our fingers now.

Don't be too disheartened if you don't get it Kay, but if you feel you did well then theres a very good chance you did.

I say don't be disheartened because I used to have a very good record when it came to job interviews. A perfect record actually. I was very confident in my ability to interview well. I think I walked the line between typical business bullshit, like what Jackhammer mentioned, basically lying through your teeth, and being rather grounded and genuine. Sure I'm gonna make up some crap about why I wanna work here, but I'm damn sure gonna say I'm here to for the money too, and that I'll work hard to earn it. But then that 100% record was shattered after two years of unemployment and having interview after interview with no success.

Basically what I mean is that I'm sure you did well and I'll keep my fingers crossed for you, but this is such a difficult time to get a job and you have to remain confident in yourself no matter what. There are just too many people out there exactly like you, looking for the same thing. It's easy to start believing things about yourself that aren't true.

Oh and for fuiture reference. Take a tip from Leon/Larry.