You're on your way to that important job interview. You have chosen the perfect outfit, you have rehearsed your answers for the barrage of questions about to face you, your hair is right, you are feeling confident and you are calm and collected as you get called in to face the interviewing panel.

Nowwait three seconds, and you may as well pick up your things and walk straight back out again.

Within those crucial seconds of any new encounter, it has been said that our first, and lasting, impression is made, and that there is little we can do to change it. Not great news for those of us who border on the clumsy side, accidentally tripping on the unsuspecting decorative rug strategically placed in the middle of your path. Whether we like it or not, our visual and behavioural appearance, our demeanour, mannerisms and our body language are all evaluated in the space of just three tiny seconds. The interviewer(s), whether consciously or subconsciously, will have come to certain conclusions about you as a person.

Now, whether the above is treated as gospel or just something to bear in mind', by simply acting like a saint for three seconds, you are not instantly going to be offered the job. Before you can breathe a sigh of relief there is the rest of your interview to get through.

In order to give the best impression during an interview, you should always prepare for it.

• Do some background research on your prospective employer. Learn about their history, their competitors and what the requirements of the job may entail.
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• Think of some questions that you could ask. Act interested in the lives of the interviewers, asking them what their roles are within the company, if they could help with any queries you may have regarding the company or the industry as a whole, and any other relevant questions you may have along the way.

• Practice good body language. A good posture, maintaining eye contact and the pace of your answers will all contribute to making a good impression.

  Practice either with a friend or in front of a mirror to help these features come through as naturally as possible. Try not to over do it, staring while looking incredibly uncomfortable is not an attractive feature.

• Dress appropriately. Before the day of your interview, take some time to visit the premises and look at what the other employees of the company are wearing. This will give you clues as to what to wear yourself.

  Also, take note of the weather, be prepared in case it rains, you don't want to walk in looking like a drowned rat!

• Make a practice run with a pre-interview visit to the premises. Take into consideration all factors that could take place on the day, this will give you a good idea of the time it will take you to get from A to B, the last thing you want to do is be late to an interview.

  Make sure that you allow extra time for those annoying inconveniences such as the bus is late, there's a new set of road works or you come across a traffic jam.

• Take a pen and pad. Make notes during the interview. You can also use your pad as a sort of cue-card system for any questions you may have previously thought of.

When it comes to preparing your appearance on the day of the interview, pay particular attention to grooming. Don't overpower the interviewer with strong aftershaves or perfumes, make sure your nails are clean, your hair is tidy and smart (tied back if it is long enough to avoid it hanging in your face), and keep make-up to a minimum - try to be conservative until you know what the company's culture is.

When entering the premises for your interview, ensure to be friendly and polite to all of the staff you come into contact with. It is possible that you are being evaluated as much at this stage as you will be in the interview itself.

During the interview itself, if you have prepared to the best of your ability, are honest and enthusiastic and are able to express yourself clearly and accurately, then you are giving yourself the highest possible chance of being a strong contender for the job.

At the end of the interview, regardless of how you felt it might have gone, always leave on a positive note, thank them for meeting you and express interest in when the final decision might be made.

Now you are fully prepared to make that all-important first impression count. Lastly, don't forget to ask for the job, if you want it - after all, that's why you went, isn't it?

11:54am Thursday 31st January 2008

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