Tuesday, March 2, 2010

Interview Coaching - An Outline


Hi Jill,

I'm interested in your interview coaching services. I am a product management professional and have recently started my job search. I feel that my interview skills could use a lot of work. I'm curious about how we'd get started.

Best, Hannah


Dear Hannah,


Interview coaching can be scaled to fit your needs, budget and timeline. The feedback I have received from clients is that an initial session of 1.5 - 2 hours with a follow up session 1-2 weeks later is most helpful. I conduct the coaching sessions in a mock interview format where I will act as the hiring manager and ask questions. You will respond as you normally would and I will provide feedback on your answers. My goal is to help you convey your skills and personality in the most appealing way possible, so that the hiring team will feel you are smart, accomplished and fun to be around.


I am a strong believer in incorporating stories – examples of greatness – into interview answers. Stories are much more interesting and memorable than laundry lists of things you know how to do, and they can illustrate much more about your strategic perspective and enthusiasm. Part of what you would be doing in the interim between appointments is practicing your stories. I will give you guidelines and we will come up with 3-4 stories in the first meeting. By the second meeting, you will have a list of about 8-10 stories that can be used interchangeably to answer many interview questions and you will know what the interviewer is “really” asking when they ask a certain question.


If there are additional issues such as anxiety or lack of confidence, or if you just want more practice, additional coaching sessions can be scheduled. For local folks finding my Seattle office the most convenient, we will meet there. For others, we will meet in a mutually convenient coffee shop (I live in Bellevue). I provide phone coaching for people living outside the Puget Sound area.


Cheers,


Jill