Job interviews are hardly anyone's favourite pastime. In fact many career changers find the interview process boring, nerve wrecking and challenging to say the least. However, with the right attitude job interviews can be a creative and rewarding experience. The following powerful pointers can help you excel at traditional job interviews and make the career changes you desire.

1. Know who you're – It is all too simple to lose one's individuality in the cut throat corporate world. Before embarking on a job interview, take the time to find out who you really are. Self discovery can be achieved through mental reflection, constructive feedback and specialist guidance. Your identity does not consist of material acquisitions and social status, rather your essence, beliefs and values. Enhance your self awareness and your confidence will shine through at job interviews.

2. Know where you're from – To get to where you want to be, you must first evaluate where you're coming from. Whilst preparing for your job interview, it is important to reflect on your career history and general life experience. For instance, if you're unhappy at your current job, map out two separate sections on blank paper. In the first section, list the specific things you're unhappy about and in the second section list what you're happy about (if any). When you've finished, evaluate the results. Are there more negatives than positives or vice versa? When you encounter appealing job vacancies, you should likewise list the positives and negatives of each job role and make dispassionate comparisons. This will ensure that you make progressive career changes rather than go from bad to worse.

3. Know where you’re going – Few people set long and short term goals and fewer people know what their life's purpose really is. However, the world respects people who know where they're going in life. Get the edge over other interviewees by defining what career success means to you and outlining the specific steps you can take to reach your career goals. It's also a good idea to ask yourself how each new job fits in with your life goals. With better clarity and focus you'll progress steadily career wise.

4. Find the right job – Not all jobs warrant the hassle of interview preparation, so before squandering precious hours, first find job vacancies worth applying for. The ideal job is of course one that'll utilise your greatest talents and give you the kind of fulfilment money can’t purchase. However, you'll also need to consider factors such as pay, commute time, scope for career progression, organisational values, company stability and so on. Rather than applying for work in a random fashion, take time to define your career wants and look out for jobs that meet those stipulations in order of priority. When you focus your efforts on suitable job roles, your chances of interview success and career happiness will be significantly improved.

5. Find your talents – Job interviews are a two way process; they're not just about what you can gain from the employer but about what you can offer the latter too. Thankfully job ads are filled with clues as to the specific talents and behaviours employers find desirable. It's a great idea to read the ad at least five times, then to map out three separate columns on blank paper. In the first column, write down all the skills and talents required to perform your best job successfully (e.g. personal, supervisory and organisational talents), in the second column write down the typical behaviours required of you (e.g. career minded, self starter and team player) and in the third column list the ethos and values of the organisation (e.g. creative, puts the customer first etc.). Next, ask yourself which of the desired attributes you possess and tick those off the list. If in doubt ask family and friends what your greatest talents are and how those talents match the job description. It is wise to take the time to discover and develop hidden talents and assets because they can significantly increase your perceived organisational value.

Well prepared candidates usually succeed at job interviews. Keep the above pointers in mind and you too can outshine your competitors, secure your dream job and enjoy lasting career happiness.

�Ogo Ogbata is the founder of leading lifestyle and career design website CreativityandSense.Com.

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