Be positive - you need to go into the interview with a positive frame of mind, refer to issue 8 for more advice. You have already been successful in being invited to an interview. The employer has already seen something in your CV that has impressed them enough to invite you in and find out more about you. So relax and be positive.

Strong Body Language - last issue we ran through some basic body language principals, see issue 11 if you missed it.

Your Voice - have you ever listened to anyone who just droned on. Try to vary the tone and pitch in your voice so that you sound interesting and enthusiastic when you speak.

It is natural for most people when they are nervous to either speak too quickly or too slowly. Try to be aware of the pace that you speak at when you are nervous and adjust accordingly.

As well as the tone and pace of your voice being affected some times people can speak in a whisper when nervous. Ensure that you are speaking clearly.

Always practise out loud rehearsing your interview answers and get some feedback so you are aware of any issues and can amend accordingly.

Friendly and Polite - the interview is your opportunity to build rapport with the interviewer so you need to be courteous and friendly.

Would you benefit from some interviews skills coaching. Starting this summer I will be running some interview skills workshops where you will have a safe environment to learn and practise skills such as body language, behaviours, answering technique and building confidence etc. Click here for more information.

Next issue I will look at a simple technique for answering questions to esnure you have every chance of making a postive impression.

To help me with this and future issues email me questions you find difficulty in answering and I will cover them in future issues.

This week I wanted to talk about how to make the most of your opportunity.

How best to manage - you need to manage the task to ensure you make a good impression and give yourself every opportunity of future additional experiences.

Your time - when taking on extra jobs, it can be important to plan and prioritise your workload. Bear this in mind when agreeing to take on extra jobs. If time becomes an issue flag up sooner rather than later to avoid letting anyone down and not delivering on time.

The task - be clear about exactly what is required to ensure no confusion. Sit down with your manager and understand what the objectives are and any relevant timescales. Take up any support/training that is available, even if you are familiar with a process you might just pick up some good tips.

Your performance - keep track of your experience in brief so you can feedback your progress and have valuable evidence of your performance. Remember to ask for feedback as you are going along. This can be included in any future performance discussions.

If you would like coaching support to better manage your career contact me here

Next issue we will start to look at ways of improving your confidence in the workplace.