Interviewing techniques

I do quite a bit of interviewing in my day job, and I've been interviewed a fair few times, and it never ceases to amaze me the variety of tactics that people use to control their nerves. I'm not sure whether this is a positive or negative thing, ut I have never suffered from nerves before or during an interview, afterwards is a different matter, but certainly not during. I have seen people doing simple things like taking a deep breath before answering a question (odd but effective) to clamping hands together in the lap to prevent obvious shaking (not too effective when it just transfers the shaking to the shoulders). I have always taken the view that if the interviewer is trying to catch me out at this stage then I am unlikely to want the job, and if the interviewer isnt trying to catch me out then I might as well just be myself and enjoy the opportunity to have a chat with someone who can give me a job.

The idea of getting nervous never really occurs to me, but I see it so often, and particulaly in the type of roles I am interviewing for (primarily sales roles) what I am most often looking for is confidence, the one thing that is hidden in people who are overly nervous. My best advise? Practice interviews, find someone who will role play with you, go over typical interview questions over and over again until you are certain that you can answer them easily. Make sure you feel prepared, and that you know something about the company you are interviewing for. Have a couple of questions, and use them even if they have been answered during the interview. I never mind this, and I am something of a pain for interviewees, being very good at pre-empting questions in my opening introduction to the interview.

Above all, try to let something of your personality come through at the interview. Even if you don't think you have a great personality, it is going to come out once you are working, and it is far better to know whether you will fit in or not at interview stage rather than 2 weeks into the job. Be yourself, be engaging, be polite, be punctual, and please, please, please try to relax and enjoy the interview. I'm not an ogre, honest....