I Fall To Pieces

Today I had a job interview ... I HATE job interviews.  No matter how much I try and coach myself beforehand and think about the types of questions they may ask and the types of answers I can give, my mind goes blank and I get that deer-caught-in-headlights expression on my face.  And then I start to babble ... today's examples were my use of the euphemisms 'what happens in Vegas stays in Vegas' and 'the whole enchilada' <cringe> .  You would think the more interviews you do the better you would get at them but this hasn't been the case in my experience thus far and over the years I would guesstimate I have attended at least 30+ interviews.  I also start waving my hands around a lot when answering the questions like I may be able to better convey my answer in some obscure form of sign language.  I inexplicably lose my ability to string a sentence together and I struggle about when to end answering the question, have I said enough?  Did I explain that clearly?  Hang on, maybe I should have another go at answering that question?   The worst questions are always the case scenario questions of which they were all practically case scenario questions today especially as I haven't been in the kind of case scenarios they were asking about for about 8 years on reckoning.  I've spent the last 8 years cloistered in my comfortable little typing pool positions hidden away from the general public where I've not had to man reception desks and/or take telephone calls or assist staff chasing paperwork all at the same time.  Nor have I had to be concerned with prying eyes.  I am aware of the Privacy Act but when put on the spot and asked to answer a specific case scenario question when I've not been in the case scenario, nor have even considered the case scenario is not easy.  Yes its all just basic common sense but mine appears to fly out the window when under pressure!  I know I can do the job blind-folded and in written form I can sell myself but when I have to verbalise it to an audience, well in the words of Patsy Cline ... I fall to pieces.  Thankfully I am not in NEED of a job at the moment so if I've tanked it's not the end of my world!