As the festive period commences, a large percentage of us spend a considerable amount of time mulling over the past year’s events. Coming to the conclusion that those three hundred and sixty five days haven’t been exactly what we’d have liked, we’re inclined to make changes for the new year.

Applying for a new job, or perhaps a promotion in your current company, always feature on “New Year’s Resolutions” lists. Whether you want to leave your current job due to your boss channelling Cruella De Ville or you fancy a new challenge, here are some sure-fire ways to prepare you and ultimately bag yourself that dream position you’ve spent the year lusting after.

Join A Gym

Nobody feels confident or motivated, especially to perform their best in a job interview, by keeping the excess holiday weight they may have gained. Joining a gym will not only help shed those pounds but it will release the “happy hormones” Psychologists love to talk about; endorphins! These little gems help us to feel good, happy and confident; all three things we need to come across as a friendly and capable employee, who the interviewers would be crazy not to hire. With Christmas burning a hole in your pockets, we have provided a solution for joining a gym on a budget here.

Buy Some New Clothes

Never underestimate the saying “out with the old, in with the new.” Your old work clothes hold negative memories you would probably rather forget; 6am wake-ups, a boss who shouts at their own shadow, making coffee for the entire office and then having to make repeated trips back to the kitchen because people keep asking for more sugar or a drop more milk.

You need to make an impression on your interviewers and want them to think you are a confident person, who is 100% sure they have the capability to do the job to the very best of their ability. If you are a woman, nothing says this more than bold colours such as red or purple. If you’re a man, splash out on an expensive-looking suit and shoes to go with it.

Practice Your Interview Answers

Whilst nobody can mind read, you can be sure the interviewers will ask you questions about your experience, capability and likeability. Instead of stuttering in the interview room and blabbing on about nothing of great sense, rehearse your answers. Even if it means sitting Coco the cat down and pretending she is Alan Sugar, it definitely helps.

Think original, well-structured interview responses and don’t forget to research the company you are working for because nothing screams disorganisation and being unprepared than a lack of knowledge about the people hiring you.

Laugh More

I know this sounds a little strange and it definitely wouldn’t benefit you to start manically laughing wherever you went but opening yourself up to more enjoyable experiences and spending more time with your friends is a good way to emanate a happy and confident aura.

Whether this entails taking up a new hobby or setting aside an evening where you get together with your friends for a nice meal, laughter equals those “happy hormones!” and we already know that “happy hormones” work to your advantage in a job interview.