Job Interview Coach

How to choose a good one - and what to expect

Getting ready for a job interview can seem daunting.

Not only do you have to think about your career experience and how to answer the questions, but you've got to understand job interview etiquette and practise your job interview technique.

If you haven't had an interview for years, or if the position you're applying for is really important to you, then you'll want to work extra hard to give your best performance.

And that's what it comes down to:

It's the candidate who gives the best job interview performance who gets the job offer - not the best qualified person.

Interview Stuff is designed to give you all the information you need, to prepare for your job interview.

But sometimes it's reassuring to have the extra support of someone who knows the industry and is a professional coach, to help you work through your preparation.

How do you find a good job interview coach?

Normally you'd try to find a coach who is recommended by someone you trust.

But the snag is that few people talk openly about using a job interview coach - it's not exactly the first topic of conversation when you start a new job! So you're unlikely to find one that way.

If you seach on Google or Yahoo for "job interview coach" you get thousands of results. And the results you get back don't make it easy to choose a good coach.

So we thought you might like to know the 3 essential tips we've developed to help you choose the right coach for you.

Be clear about what you want from your coach

Unless you know what you're looking for, it's hard to find the right person.

Are you looking for someone to coach you on answering questions?

Are you looking for someone to help you with your confidence and nerves?

Or would you like more help on your career choices?

All of these require different skills from your coach.

Write down specifically what you want to achieve with your coach.

Before you contact any coaches, prepare a list of questions to ask them

This means you'll be "in control" of the conversation, rather than "receiving" a sales pitch from them.

Before you phone them, check out their website. This should give you a feel for whether they're the kind of person you would be comfortable working with.

Then phone them - don't email. It's important to check how comfortable you feel talking to them. Do it before you commit to paying them money!

Your list of questions might include:
- What are your professional qualifications? Which certification bodies do you belong to? Which professional standards do you work to?
- What is your experience (specifically in the recruitment industry)?
- How specifically will you help me with [each of the items on your list]?
- What is your fee structure?
- How many sessions do you think we'll need?
- Do you offer any kind of guarantee?
  Don't expect them to guarantee you'll get job offers. However, if they want you to pay up front for multiple sessions, they should have a policy of no-quibble refund of unused sessions.
If you don't feel they're answering your questions or it doesn't seem they'll be the right coach for you, then be honest. Don't feel obliged to work with them. They'll understand - it's important for the coach and coachee to be able to relax during the sessions.

If possible, ask them for references

A good coach won't give you the contact details of people they've worked with, unless expressly authorised. Otherwise this would be a breach of confidentiality.

Instead, they should offer to ask their referees to contact you.

Beware of a coach who offers you other people's contact details - it might indicate a lack of integrity, or they might pressurise you into giving them references at the end of your coaching.

Once you've done this, you're in a position to choose your job interview coach.

It might take a couple of hours to do, but it's worth it.

Afterall, a job interview coach is an investment. You should expect to pay up to £100 per session and you're trusting this person to help you get the job. That's why it's important to choose the right person for you.

If you still have any questions about how to choose a job interview coach, please send them to us via the contact us page.

Good luck!