As someone who’s attempting to launch herself back into the City after a year on the periphery, at this point it seems to me that the main change wrought by the financial crisis is on the interview process.

No longer is it enough to expect two interviews to do the trick: interview one with the hiring manager; interview two with the hiring manager’s boss (and, in the old days, interview two was often skipped because the big boss couldn’t really be bothered to get involved so low down the food chain – interestingly, this continued to be true no matter how senior you got which explains how a lot of people ended up on various boards). These days, it appears that everyone needs to be involved.

As a result, the skills required for the successful completion of the interview cycle have changed.

First of all, you need to be expert at Name Drop Bingo. This is where, by mentioning names of people you have worked with or for in the past, both interviewer and interviewee get a better idea of you really are.

It’s a more difficult game than it appears at first glance. In early rounds you have to mention names carefully, in an entirely neutral tone, neither approving nor disapproving, hopefully provoking a response from across the table that will let you know where you stand and whether you should wax lyrical or pretend that “actually, you weren’t that close, and anyway he worked on another desk”.

This technique can be equally useful when picking an employer: there is nothing better when it comes to foretelling your new working conditions than listening to your future boss praising someone who you know should only be allowed out of his house on a choke chain.

Get past interview bingo, and you’ll be playing spot the cliché as you’re asked a variety of standard interview questions. It’s important to take these seriously and, for example, to answer the question “What would you bring to the role?” using phrases such as, “huge P&L,” “loyal client base,” “ambition and experience,” rather than, “My own shoes”. Equally, when asked what motivates you, try not to say “My salary” or, even worse, “I need a warm place to go during the day so I don’t have to have the heating on at home”. As you will, apparently, be forced to go to many interviews, you will have plenty of chance to perfect your responses.

I’m currently waiting for a date to be set for my fifth interview with the seventh and eighth individuals involved at a particular bank and therefore have my script down pat. There has been mention of video conferences and, at this point, I really wouldn’t be surprised to be asked to come back in to meet the Canteen Manager or the Head of the Security Team, except, of course, that they may be too busy running the business while everyone else is stuck playing bingo.