If you are like most people, you probably don't particularly enjoy job interviews. Unless you are ready a job interview will certainly be among the most stressful things you'll have to do in your life. Are there any tips that'll help? Of course there are!

The five tips below, if taken to heart and acted upon, will give you an advantage over about 80% of all job applicants who do little or no preparation for the same job interview. Actually that might be the biggest tip in itself - and a theme that runs through all five tips below - PREPARATION.

The more you prepare beforehand, the more confident you'll be going in to the interview, and the more confident you'll appear during the interview.

So, without further delay, here are the five tips that'll put you ahead of the competition at your next job interview:

1. Have all of the basic facts about yourself properly rehearsed in your mind. These include education, hobbies, interests and previous work experience. Try to slant what you say about your education, your interests and the roles you've had in your jobs to date to show why you would be the ideal candidate for this job.

Reinforce your job application with real evidence of what you've done in previous jobs. Don't just give a basic one or two word description of your role - elaborate on it. Give specific descriptions of individual aspects of the work you did. Again, try to emphasize examples of tasks you performed that would make you perfect for the job you've applied for.

3. Make sure you demonstrate enthusiasm for the job you're being interviewed for. Remember, the interviewer is looking for someone they feel will be ideally suited to the role advertised. If you come across as having very little interest in the position, do you think you'll be offered it? Make sure you do your research on the company offering the job and the job role itself so that you give a good impression of your knowledge at the interview.

4. Before you get to the interview work out the kinds of skills and qualities you feel you would need to carry out the job you're applying for and think of as many good examples as you can of how you've demonstrated these in your work and private life to date.

5. Make an effort with your appearance. Remember, first impressions are the only impressions the interviewer is going to have of you, so go all out to make those first impressions count. Think about the kind of character qualities and personality qualities you think someone good at the job you've applied for would demonstrate, and try to come across at the interview as having those qualities.

Okay, there you have it... five tips that will put you ahead of most of your competition at any job interview. Be prepared, be enthused, look good, have the knowledge you need, and be confident... you will land the job of your dreams in no time!