Hire an Interview Coach. It’s worth it

interviewing

Why Hire an Interview Coach?

Do you sweat and stress out when you think about your upcoming interview? Has this happened to you while sitting in front of your potential employer? 

Good news; you are not alone. Job interviews are stressful, no matter how much experience you may have. Meeting new people, in general, is nerve-racking enough, not to mention the questions that go hand in hand with any interview, “Tell me about you,” “Can you remember a time when,” and everyone’s favorite “What are your weaknesses”… plus, your dream job could slip through your fingers with one wrong response. No big deal, right?

Without preparation, It’s a pretty big deal. This is not the time to recruit friends or family to role-play with you; instead, hire an interview coach.

Interview Coaches will help you reduce the sweat and stress from interviewing. You will work closely with your coach in mock interviews and receive real-time feedback. If you have an area that you need to work on, like small talk, body language, or confidence, your interview coach can help. 

Reasons why it’s worth hiring a coach:

Learn to Phone screening

This is stage zero of the job interview process. If you can’t make it past the phone screen, you are not getting a real chance. 

Whether the call was scheduled or not, your coach can help you build confidence and interview skills to keep moving forward. 

Practice and Perfect Your elevator pitch

Crafting your elevator pitch is intimidating if you are entering the workforce or a seasoned professional. How can you summarize your experiences, hopes, and dreams in 30 seconds? 

Now would be a great time to call your interview coach. They will work with you to perfect your elevator pitch. You will not only be able to use this for interviews but for years to come at networking events, in your LinkedIn profile, and during phone screenings. 

Answer the “Tell me about a time” Question.

Behavioral interviewing is one of the most common interview styles. It’s crucial that during the behavioral interview, you can think on your feet. You will need to recall multiple specific experiences and connect those experiences back to a question while exhibiting your most positive skills and attributes. 

Your coach can help you gain more confidence and feel comfortable during a mock interview. If you tell them you want to focus on behavioral interviewing, they can tailor questions to help you practice your response.  

Learn why you are ‘Second Best’

You always make it to the final round of interviews but never get the offer. Are you curious as to why this happens and where the disconnect is? You could ask the hiring manager for feedback, which can be uncomfortable. 

Reach out to your interview coach. They are trained to assist you with interview techniques, so you stop receiving no and start hearing yes!

Hire an Interview Coach for Salary Negotiations

After receiving the job offer, you are so excited that you forget or are too nervous to talk about salary. Maybe you want to but are unsure of how to start the conversation. Most companies nowadays expect you to negotiate a salary, so it’s worth your time to learn proper techniques. 

Practice your negotiation skills. Or, if you have no idea where to start, ask your interview coach. Your coach is there to help you with tips, tricks, and key phrases that will empower you to get the salary you desire. 

Once you have received professional guidance from your interview coach, you will be prepared and ready to walk into the room confidently- no matter how tough the questions might be.

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Why Your Job Search Is Not Working

job searching not working

Have you been spending hours, days, and months of job searching, and you keep coming up empty-handed? Have you been blaming the economy on the lack of job replies or feeling like everyone else is struggling too? Do you ask yourself why your job search is not working? We can help you improve your results with simple changes that will greatly impact your job search strategy. 

If your job search is not working, here are the mistakes to avoid

Job Applications

Not all applications are created equal. Most online job boards send you down a rabbit hole, wasting your time and taking you away from your goal of finding a job.  Did you know that 80% of vacant positions are filled without advertising? Some companies are even required to post jobs, even if they fill them internally.

These jobs are filled by an employee or referral from the company’s existing database of potential candidates or by an internal employee, or even by a stranger whose resume arrived at the perfect time or through professional recruiters.

 A more effective use of your time would be to walk away from online job boards and educate yourself on the companies that might hire someone with your skills.

What you should do:

Make a list of companies you want to work for and write a letter or email explaining why you would be a great candidate. Include a copy of your resume with a cover letter. This strategy is much more effective if you can reach the company’s decision-makers rather than the HR department. In most cases, with some good internet research skills, you can find their names. Using Linkedin to see if you know people who work for the company you want to get into is another excellent resource for getting your resume into the right hands. 

Job Searching Blind

 Lewis Carroll said, “if you don’t know where you’re going, any road will get you there.” Flying blind when applying for jobs will always fail. 

The goal is to find a job you enjoy and get paid, right? So why not take the time to define the type of job you want so you don’t end up taking a job for a short time and having to start the job search process all over again? 

What you should do:

Identify your perfect job. Does the company culture align with my goals? What type of work will you be focusing on?  Are the people you will be directly working with like-minded? The more specific you are, the easier it will be to execute an effective job search.

“Cookie-Cutter” Resume

Does your resume set you apart? When you read it, is it compelling and communicates why the employer should interview you? Have you spent time targeting your resume toward the jobs you are applying for?

You should consider rewriting your resume if you didn’t answer “yes” to any of the questions.  There are many free options for this online if you don’t know where to start, but you will have a more significant impact if you hire a professional resume writer. 

What you should do:

Reach out to a professional resume writing service. A well-crafted resume will improve your chances tenfold and ensure your odds of landing a job quickly. 

Are You On LinkedIn?

LinkedIn is the top business networking site globally and is the primary source of candidates for recruiters. They scour the site looking for people searching for their dream job.

You owe it to yourself to establish a LinkedIn profile to make as many useful connections as possible and fully utilize all the available job search tools.

What you should do:

For some tips on writing an excellent LinkedIn profile, let us help you! 

 Want More Information? 

Please read our blog on the three most effective job search strategies in 2020

This article was originally published in April 2020 and has been recently updated. 

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