Interviews are never easy, but some can be much worse than others. Being scrutinised and assessed is rarely going to feel comfortable, but if you've never had a truly dreadful job interview, you haven't lived. If you have, don't let it dent your confidence. Thinking about what you can learn will help you to move on.

Caught unawares
The very worst interviews are those that show you and the interviewer that you're not cut out for the post. It's most likely to happen when you've not bothered to do your research properly or if you're not particularly keen on the job. Julia, a 34-year-old public relations executive still feels embarrassed when she recalls an interview she messed up earlier this year.

'The timing was really bad. I'd been too busy to find out all I should have. I spoke to a couple of people who knew the agency and thought that was enough. What I'd missed was details of the latest account they'd landed. They were really proud of it, and their website - which I'm ashamed to say I hadn't even looked at before the interview - was full of press releases about it. They were incredulous that I should know so little. It was obvious they thought I was a total waste of time. After that, they weren't interested in finding out more about me and I can't blame them. I still cringe every time I hear their name mentioned.'

The wicked witch of the west
More common are interviews made difficult by the fact that the person doing the interviewing is not up to it. Some interviewers mistakenly believe that a confrontational style will reveal the real person, while others can be unbearably rude or ask questions that are irrelevant. If you're in a situation like this don't feel you have to play their game. Would you really want to work for an organisation that revelled in making people feel uncomfortable?

You can always deflect a question by turning it round. If you feel cornered and unhappy try saying something like, 'Could you explain why you're asking me that - I don't understand its relevance to the job I'm applying for.' Any employer who's offended by this response to unreasonable questioning is likely to be a nightmare to work for. Your ultimate weapon, of course, is to terminate the interview. It won't get you the job - in most cases - but it will leave you feeling better about yourself.

ivillage uk

The nightmare interview