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It’s what you do before the interview that really matters. Preparation is the key. Start with the job ad and anything else you’ve learned about the role. That will give you a picture of what they are looking for. Then you need to find how to prove you’ve got those abilities and skills.

This is something you need to get a grip of. If you start missing deadlines you might be finding the door.

The first place to start is clarifying what you need to have done and by when. Identify what is important, urgent and so on. And then allocate how long the tasks are going to take. Another thing you should do is figure out where you’re losing time. Is it with people coming to your desk for a chat, is it answering irrelevant emails, is it spending time on personal phone calls? When you know what it is that’s distracting you, get it to stop.

The two year period that you’re talking about is interesting.

It’s an economic bet that companies are making that all will be well in 2011. Companies in 1929 that made the bet that all would be well 1931. They were wrong. The people who make this bet may also be wrong. So going away for 2 years on the expectation that all will be well when you get back may not be in your best interest.

The vast majority of people you’ll meet will tell you “no and stay put”. I’d say weigh up your options.

On the other hand if you’re the last in and the company isn’t doing great, you should begin to look elsewhere. There’s an odd logic to a change of job now that most people overlook; if a company is hiring in the current market it is either one of the few companies who have kept their debt levels and overheads low and are sustaining growth, or it is so grotesquely mismanaged that it is expanding its cost-base as it slides towards insolvency.

Be related to a person in a senior position in a bank. Good oul Irish nepotism is a wonderful thing. If that’s not an option you have a lot of work to do.

Start researching. Research the market. See what banks, if any, are hiring and for what positions. Your research should include your network of contacts too. Do they know of any people moving in their organization or any people that have recently left that you could fit in and solve their problem. Use the internet, your contacts diary, your ear to find if there is anything.

You've got a match at the weekend a local derby clash, one you can't lose. Pressure's on. You have to win . . . losing is not an option.

For the last couple of weeks, you've been training and preparing like a demon. The shoulder has been to the wheel. If you lose, you won't be able to show your face in the clubhouse. This is serious. You need to succeed. We know just how important good preparation is in sport but a job interview is the same.

Accept it. And count your lucky stars that it’s not a P45 they’re handing you. Over the last month or so clients have been coming to our company looking for help in finding a new job because they’ve been given two months to go in their current positions.

When accepting the pay freeze, put yourself in the shoes of your boss, it’s a difficult position to be in, the company is struggling, cuts need to be made and decisions are tough. Don’t make this request tough. They won’t forget the good will that you showed them in these difficult times. You should however make them understand that this is for the betterment and future of the company.

Not always. It really depends on the sort of position you are looking to fill and how well your people are trained in the process. Some deal with the identification and recruitment of senior or specialist staff. In that case, even with the general increase in unemployment that is predicted, there will be a small pool of suitably qualified and experienced candidates.

You’re not alone. We are seeing more companies in this position. And it’s a difficult one to be in. The first thing to remember is that the people affected are told first; that includes those let go and those staying. Sometimes information leaks out and people hear rumours from the grapevine. Or – worse – they hear the truth from media or other sources. This should never happen.

In addition, telling those left behind how the business will cope with the reduced head count is vital – they are likely to be demotivated, terrified of losing their jobs and worried about having to take on someone else’s workload. They may even have survivor’s guilt.