"Life is not a problem
to be solved,
but a mystery
to be lived."
Thomas Merton

The pressure is on.

Life has come along and said: "Let's see what you're made of." You're going to be on show and you face possible rejection.

And then people tell you you've got to blow your own trumpet..... But that always seemed a problem for you.

And they say you've got to talk about 'achievements'..... And then you start to imagine that glazed look coming back at you from across the desk.

....You've got to do this. You've got to do that.

You start to play the ideal candidate and, in so doing, forget that it's never a compliment to say: "he's got an answer for everything". Yet you can't afford to miss any opportunity.

The pressure is indeed on.

There are two distinct skills

It takes one skill to do a job well. It takes a completely different one to be able to talk about yourself in a way that - under pressure - does you justice. Without guidance it is hard to know how you, personally, should prepare and what areas you need to work on.

We meet so many people who believe they are well prepared, but they are nowhere near doing themselves justice. Without a real grasp of what you need to do, you will always leave an interview with a sense that you could have done better.

And there is nothing worse than knowing that you'll be judged on the basis that you are less capable than you know you are.

Richard Dening is probably one of the most experienced coaches in interview technique in the UK. He has proved his effectiveness through a remarkable track record of helping all kinds of people into demanding, sometimes very high profile jobs. He has received numerous unsolicited letters from appreciative clients. And now some are sending their children to him, when they leave university.

He coaches people on all types of interview - panel, one to one meetings, well planned competency based interviews, "friendly chats", and the presentations requested as part of the interview process

Before you meet, you will have sent him your CV and job application and probably discussed any particular issues you have.

If you agree, he will videotape or DVD the two hour session and give you the tape/DVD and a handout at the end, for later reflection. You may want to come back again, but most people find that one session does the trick.