identified client needs
A client was referred to Interview Coaching Solutions for help with the final interview phase of a great job opportunity. The client requested specific coaching in the following areas:
Sharpen his “core selling argument.” Make it even more impactful, engaging, and persuasive.
Refine the employment stories he was using.
Better understand the “why” behind each of the interviewer’s questions.
Determine his best closing question and practice different versions of this question.
Reduce doubt and nerves from his level of experience compared to the other candidates.
Increase his confidence.
Action Steps
With just a handful of days before his next interview, we created a customized curriculum that included:
A healthy dose of feedback regarding his answers to different types of interview questions asked during our practice sessions. Repeated questioning followed by feedback during our practice time led to more confidence during actual interview questioning.
Due to tight timeline, our sessions were completed over the weekend via Skype and phone.
The client was sent multiple texts over the weekend asking for video responses to different interview questions then immediate coaching feedback was given via text.
My wife participated in his Mock Interview Simulation to give him an idea of what a panel interview would feel like.
Different interviewer personalities were demonstrated during the sessions to prepare the client for any adversarial interviewers and how to respond.
Coaching observations
The client’s professional stories needed more details to connect emotionally with the interview team. Connecting emotionally helped him become more memorable in the interviewers’ minds.
The client had a tendency to skim the surface in certain critical moments of a story. This tendency could lead to confusion in the interviewers’ minds. Clarity of the client’s points was paramount.
His voice inflection and body language were helpful in bringing his stories to life.
His hand gestures were very appropriate.
What did the client learn?
The client’s biggest learning after the first session was the realization that there were elements of his professional stories he was not properly highlighting. After our customized coaching sessions, new opportunities for highlighting these stories were achieved. While he had performed very well during the previous interview rounds, he realized the necessity to be more specific, providing additional descriptive details and adding emotion to his professional stories in order to stand out from the competition.
Mock Interview Results
We conducted a mock interview via Skype in order to simulate circumstances and questions that would take place in the final interview panel. Here were the results:
The client successfully demonstrated his ability to implement what he had been working on from our previous coaching sessions.
His persuasion level increased dramatically, particularly his ability to give more descriptive details with his professional stories.
He asked for the job in a wonderful way. As we mention here, this is arguably the most important part of the job interview.
Client Results
The following week, the client went to the final interview panel where he was interviewed by several people for a two-hour period. Here were the results:
He included all the “little things” ensuring that he separated and distinguished himself from the other candidates.
He utilized stories that were engaging and persuasive, telling his story in an interesting manner.
He used an impactful core argument that highlighted his TALENTS.
In our debriefing call, he indicated that he felt he had done his absolute best. His post interview learning was to not worry about things he could not control (i.e. other candidates who had more experience).
His excellent close was impactful. The hiring manager loved him and had the Human Resources Department generate an offer - which he accepted!
“Tom is hands down the best at his craft. It’s not only his experience that makes him great, but more so his drive to help his clients achieve their goals. Finding an individual who genuinely cares about making a lasting impact on others is rare to find. He takes pride in what he does and makes each and every client feel like they are his only one. My experience with him was one in which he took my skills to the next level in just two brief sessions through creative thinking, repetition, and relentless coaching. I highly recommend Tom as an interview coach and believe he is an essential piece when it comes to interview preparation.”