You don't get a second chance to create a good first impression

Some schools only provide education up to GCSE level, after which students have to travel to a Sixth Form college (or another school with an integrated sixth form) if they want to do 'A' levels. The application to a college is often accompanied by an interview. Even for students who stay in the same school, their application for work experience in late Year 10 or early Year 11 will often involve an interview. Doing a little preparation will go a long way to improving your chances of success.

The first two minutes of an interview are often the most crucial. The interviewer will often form an impression of you in this time and then spend the rest of the interview seeking to confirm that first impression.

Our school runs mock interviews, to give students some practise. These are the common points that I feed back to those students:

• before you leave home, make sure your shirt has been ironed, your shoes are polished, your jacket and trousers/skirt have been brushed, your tie goes all the way down to your belt, and you've looked in the mirror (hair/face/teeth all okay?)
• check your appearance when you arrive. The easiest way is to give yourself 5-10 minutes before the interview and ask to use the toilet. Hair tidy / top button done up / tie straight / shirt tucked in?
• while you're waiting for the interview, if your hands are clammy, now's the time to dry them casually on your trousers/skirt
• knock (loudly enough to be heard), wait to be called in, and enter cautiously if there is no reply (your interviewer could be on the phone, so watch for their signal to carry on entering or wait outside until they've finished)
• walk positively, holding yourself upright. Smile and offer your hand to them
• a firm handshake, not a bone-crusher, and not too limp. This can be difficult for girls, so practise at home or with friends. Boys have no excuse - it must be firm! No one likes a limp, clammy handshake.
• you may have said nothing up to this point, but the interviewer will already have formed an impression based on what they've seen
• now be prepared to talk about the weather or your journey for a minute. It's small talk time. This allows you both to settle, for them to pour you a glass of water etc (always accept water if it is offered, just in case you dry up). But the interviewer is also looking to see if you're relaxed and can hold a polite conversation. Smile. Look at them. Listen to what they say. Reply courteously.

And that's two minutes. You haven't even started talking about the college, the business or what you've applied for. But unless they're a professional interviewer (and most people aren't), they've formed an impression that will positively shape the rest of the interview.

Appearance. Handshake. Smile. Small talk.

And a little practise.