Interview Coaching

Cost of using a coach

Job seekers typically ask, “How much does an interview coach cost?” Unfortunately, this question has numerous answers, including, “It depends.”

So let’s back up for a moment.

Your career and job search success depends partly on how well you handle the job interview process. The financial investment you make in gaining that result can play a large role in the outcome. The key is to do your homework on what it takes to work successfully with a coach and evaluate the fees in that context.

Keep in mind that what you want an interview coach to help you with will influence the amount of your investment. You will undoubtedly find a wide range of interview coaching services and fees. Choose what offers the most value for what you need and can afford.

What an interview coach does

A good coach will take the time to become well acquainted with your employment situation, assess the current level of your interview skills, and identify any concerns you have about interviewing. The coach will work with you to create and execute a plan to help you move forward.

Your coach will likely want to hold one or more practice sessions, which can be conducted virtually. Often that is done with Zoom these days. If Zoom isn’t practical, phones can work, although that method entails some limitations, due to the lack of visual cues.

How to prepare for a coaching interview

When you schedule a session to work with a coach, you should prepare at least a short list of questions you hope the coach can help with. If you’ve been given an assignment, make sure you complete it before the session. Remember that you and your coach need to function as partners or collaborators in this effort. The coach can’t do it all for you.

If you haven’t already done so, review the points you’ve identified as most important to you. You might find that you come up with one or two more that should be shared with the coach.

Best interview skills

Briefly, the best interview skills are those that will play an important part in carrying you successfully through a real interview. They include good listening and observation, calmness/poise, and ability to answer questions from the hiring manager or other interviewer clearly and succinctly.

You need to share with the interviewer (employer) your interest in the company and in the job you’re interviewing for. But make sure it comes across as genuine interest and not “over the top.”

How a coaching session or mock interview can help improve your real interview performance with a hiring manager

Although mock interviews aren’t quite the same as a real one, they can provide you with useful practice. Of course, you don’t want your job interview performance to seem “canned” or memorized, but many people perform better by having a coaching session or two for interview preparation.

How can I find a career expert whose services include interview coaching services, career coaching, mock interview sessions, and resume writing services?

You can find a career expert who offers most or all of those services by searching the online directories of career-related professional associations. Not all career experts who offer resume writing also provide interview coaching services, mock interview sessions, and career coaching, but many do. For example, I offer job search coaching, which is basically a subsection of career coaching.