I recently performed a nine-song set list of other people's songs at a karaoke bar for the very first time. This wasn't your typical karaoke -- these kids were professionals -- seriously. I'm talking Pavarotti's of the local dive bar scene. For my first attempt, I chose some song from "Grease" that I hadn't heard in years, and by the time I took to the stage I wanted to vomit. It was good that I couldn't see the crowd because I'm sure they were all gasping and clasping their hands over their ears as I failed to hit note after note. It was truly awful. My competition was starting to make me look like Britney after K-Fed -- except it would've been better if I had been lip-syncing like the much maligned "princess of pop." But like every great pop star that's fallen off the map, I reinvented myself and channeled my Brian Wilson obsession into the greatest cover of The Beach Boys classic, "God Only Knows," known to man. It was the most monumental come back since Cher, Celine Dion, The Rolling Stones, and Pink Floyd decided they just couldn't go away. It was like an amalgam of all four colliding into one super event. A supernova of a karaoke triumph!

It dawned on me that I am no stranger to that feeling of dread, that feeling of other-worldliness as every ounce of liquid you've ingested all day seems to want to escape your body rather than let you embarrass yourself in front of your peers. How many times have each of us sat in a small, sterile room on the opposite side of the desk as your prospective boss and thought to yourself, "Don't let him/her see the whites of my eyes?" In many ways, the job interview is an exact recreation of karaoke. Fluorescent lamps that create beads of sweat on your forehead, along with dry mouth, and sheer, unadulterated terror...

The trick for both is to stick to what you know. Your audience and prospective boss want to see (and hear) that you know your talents and that you can stay on key. Before you interview, you should sit down and make a list of everything you know makes you qualified for the job. Likewise, please don't get on stage and sing "Ain't No Mountain High Enough" unless you know the song. We can list that one as one of your weaknesses. That's another good thing to know -- your weaknesses. Maybe you're the best at spreadsheets and data entry, but not so good with analyzing the data. Knowing what you're good at and being able to vocalize that with conviction (even better if you can do it in song!) will help bring you to the forefront when your prospective boss is looking over resumes and reviewing applicants after the interview process. Not to mention, you'll just feel more comfortable when the lights are glaring and you've been chugging gallons of water all day to keep your voice fresh, if you know you're the person for the job before you go into the interview.

Back to just karaoke, I think that next time I'll do a song by Milli Vanilli. Because they didn't even sing the original songs, I know I've already one-upped them just by getting on the stage! Talk about concentrating on strengths...