THERE comes a moment in the first week of the new year when you look at your towering in-tray, ponder the myriad of mistakes made during your current spell of employment and realise that the only possible thing for it is to pack up your belongings and start again.

However, it's tough out there in the job market and you'd better get your dance moves sorted. Apparently a group of job applicants were recently asked to strut to The Jackson Five's Blame it On the Boogie in an interview environment. Which would be fine if it were for a job as a holiday rep or an aerobics teacher rather than, as was the case, a van driver for a DIY store.

It is difficult to envisage how the ability to throw some shapes to cheesy disco hits might come in handy while driving a van, though as least the additional request to pull a funny face might come in handy if you've just taken someone's parking space.

Apparently the session was meant to relax the candidates before the interview proper, so if you are looking for a new job this year do remain alert for other such ice-breakers as having pinchers clamped to your private parts and being asked to deliver a high energy rendition of Chirpie Chirpie Cheep Cheep.

Other things to look out for in an interview: subliminal sartorial messages. Since interviewers are more likely to remember what you wore than the nonsense you spouted, choosing the right outfit is top priority. Remember; black and smart says responsible; brown and chord says non-stressed; a pair of shiny pants and a Homer Simpson tie says, "I live with mother."

Then there's your CV, where a little creative tinkering is probably in order. For instance, instead of saying you left all your previous jobs because your colleagues were "out to get you", why not suggest you were hungry for a challenge? Similarly, once in the interview, commenting that your previous boss had a face like a flannel hanging off a stick is probably not the most judicious of moves.

Then there's your attitude. Do you want to convey that you are cool, confident and the company would be lucky to have you? If so, try not to bray with laughter at everything your prospective employer says, especially if it's only, "would you like tea or coffee?" Likewise, if you want to convey that you are an enthusiastic, innovative and free-thinking sort, it is generally a good idea to take off your anorak.

And then there is the pivotal moment once the interview has finished, as the job of your dreams is hanging in the balance. You've told them your strengths, you've told them your weaknesses (you're a perfectionist, naturally) and now comes the final challenge: "So, do you have any questions?"

I once heard that the perfect thing to say at this moment is "Are there any reasons why you think I couldn't do this job?" But unless you are ready to hear "Well your CV has more holes than a golf course, you laughed when I mentioned my heart bypass and frankly I can't stick your anorak," I really shouldn't bother.