Many candidates express confidence that they can interview well. Many employers express sentiments otherwise! Surveys show that candidates frequently overestimate their effectiveness in interview situations. This is probably because they don't get the opportunity to listen to themselves or listen to their competition.

Job interviewing is a high-stakes activity. Do it well, and an offer of employment is a likely outcome. Do it poorly, and you are rejected. The importance of an excellent resume and cover letter, notwithstanding, it is the job interview that ultimately determines every hiring decision. Therefore, I encourage each and every job seeker to put maximum effort into interview preparation. Shrewd candidates practice for interviews. Practicing adds polish and prepares you for the difficult questions.

Your "job" as the applicant is to anticipate the questions you may be asked, formulate impressive and cohesive responses, commit those responses to memory, and then deliver those rehearsed answers in a way that sounds completely natural and off-the-cuff.

Preparing yourself for the typical interview questions is essential. However, know that a skilled interviewer will not simply ask you the standard questions. He or she may also challenge you with technical questions unique to your occupation. You may even be given a test to assess your personality attributes or your skill level with computer software. This is often done on-the-spot, as part of the interview process.

Interview Practice Sessions
A practice or mock interview can do wonders to get you ready for the real thing. You will be coached on what to say in response to all types of questions and what questions you should and should not ask of your interviewer. Based on your unique background and the kind of work you seek, I will give you an interview agenda. Your interview agenda will be the key points that I want you to convey during your interview. We will discuss these essential "talking points" in full detail. We will also reherse these responses so that you can feel confident in your ability to present your best qualifications in the potentially short time of the interview. In addition, during our practice session, we will address any issues related to your speech rate, facial expressions, body language, and choice of clothing.

A typical interview coaching session is 1.5 hours. Some individuals need just one session, while others benefit from a second session, and very rarely, a third. If we need to do additional sessions, it will only be because we both feel you need them in order to be successful on your real-life interview day. We will practice both common and advanced interview questions. You may also bring your own questions. My feedback will include very specific coaching as I will tell you exactly what to say in response to any questions you have difficulty with. I will also prepare you to discuss salary issues effectively, which is often a very tricky topic to finesse.

The fee for the 1.5 hour interview coaching session is $225. Subsequent sessions, which may be of shorter duration, will be billed at the rate of $150/hour.