Interviews affect people in different ways. Remember that your interviewer may be as nervous as you are. Bad interviewers are a hazard: they will not know how to put you at your ease, and they will not allow you to show yourself at your best. There is nothing you can do about it, except to be fully prepared for every eventuality.

You should find out everything you can about the company. Look up its Web site, or look in Moody's Register of Companies, Hoover's Handbook, Fortune 500, and other directories that list companies and their important characteristics. If you are able to show that you have taken the time to learn about the company, it will demonstrate that you are serious about the job.

Dress smartly. In the USA dress codes are more casual, but men should never go to an interview without a jacket and tie, and women should never wear trousers unless they are part of a suit, or very tailored. Use your common sense: an interview in a bank will call for a smarter turnout than one in a newspaper office. If you find your interviewer in a T-shirt, that is no problem: if you get the job you can moderate your dress accordingly. If you had turned up in jeans it would have looked as if you didn't care enough to make an effort.

Don't show that you are nervous. Any interviewer will expect you to be slightly apprehensive, and will make allowances. Remember, however, that the purpose of the interview is really to find out if you are the kind of person that will fit in: sweating and stammering too much will not bode well for future meetings. It is unnecessary to advise against smoking: lighting up in most American companies would get you thrown out before you got past the security guard.

The interview should start with simple questions, designed to put you at your ease. The answer to the question 'How was your journey?' is 'Fine', not a diatribe on the frightfulness of the subway system.

During the interview concentrate on what you are being asked. If the interviewer launches into a long piece about the company, beware of the unexpected question thrown in to see if you are listening or not.

Try to set your own agenda. To be invited to 'say something about yourself' is a gift: you can put your strengths to the fore. It is impossible here to go into all the sorts of questions you may be asked. Some seem easy: 'Tell me five of your weaknesses But trying to tell an interviewer one weakness that does not make you sound like a bad bet is difficult enough. Mention things that can be easily corrected: `I need to improve my typing', for example. Don't say one of your faults is that you're a bit of a perfectionist - it's been heard before. If you are asked about your strengths, be honest, but be modest as well. Be prepared for the unexpected. You may be asked to complete aptitude tests, or other written tests.

An interview does not have to be an ordeal. One of the most important things to remember is that it is a tedious business for your interviewer, taking up time that could be better spent. If you can make the hour pass quickly and enjoyably, you will be remembered as good company. Try to turn the interview into a conversation, rather than a question and answer session. Most Americans like to deal straightforwardly with people, and are uncomfortable with ambiguity. Don't try to be clever, answer questions as honestly as you can, maintain eye contact, give a firm handshake, and look as if you are the sort of person it would be a treat to work with.