If you think about the answers carefully enough and practice through a mock interview with a friend or family member, you are more likely to breeze through that first interview in a confident manner.

Sit down with your best friend and have her fire some questions at you. Ask for her feedback. Do you sound assured and confident or are your answers rambling and off-the-mark? Would she hire the person answering the questions? If not, you have some work to do.

Study the tough questions at the back of the book. Not all of those questions will be asked, but many will — they are basic to what your prospective employer will want to know about you. You should also be aware of questions specific to the type of job you are interviewing for. For example, if it's a position in human resources, you may be asked questions about your most successful recruitment effort and — the other side of the coin — your least successful. Be prepared to answer both.

Have your friend tape you with a video camera. You'll get a look at yourself through the interviewer's eyes. Make sure to keep an eye on your body language, as it can tell a great deal about you. Do you slouch in your chair, or do you sit up straight and attentively? Are you able to maintain eye contact without staring? Your body language should show the interviewer that you're alert and focused — no folded arms, no crossed legs. Your hands can work against you in an interview — if you're used to talking with them, don't. Your hands belong on your lap; let your mouth do the talking.

If there's no one available to help you test out your interviewing skills, enlist the help of a tape recorder and a mirror. Look and listen carefully. When you answer a question, do you look straight ahead in a confident manner? Is the pitch of your voice and the tone pleasant? Do you slur your words, or do you speak clearly and distinctly? All these things will give you plenty to work on before that eventful day when you have your first interview.