To ask you if interview coaching is a thing?

[Allmyarseandpeggymartin]

DH just can’t catch a break at the moment he’s working for a university in project management but has done PR/Comms in the past.
He’s been on fixed term contracts for 3 years and has had no luck in the last 6 months. He gets the interviews but doesn’t get the job.

So is interview coaching a thing? Has anyone had it?

It is 'a thing', yes.
No, never needed it

I haven't had it, but my husband had a life coach, who helped prep him for interviews.

Yes it’s a thing. I know someone who needed it. The coach helped them with a decent cv and interview skills. Really helped them. My company regularly offers interview skills to their employees.

Thanks all, the cvs and apps aren’t an issue. It’s clearly something in the interview. One to look into. So so disheartening for him.

I've been in a similar line of work for a long time. I've had 22 interviews and no job offer. I totally feel your OH's pain and frustration and think I also need interview coaching.

Does he get beyond the first interview? If so, he cannot be all that bad.

Brexit is making employers quite shy and picky in the recruitment market. I feel for your dh.

I’m a coach and I’ve done it for people. In my experiences it has been fairly obvious what the issues are but often difficult to overcome them. If you are getting to interview consistently but not getting offers coaching is definitely a good idea.

catalogue, could you give examples of what these obvious issues could be?

Brexit is making recruiters shy 😂😂😂

How does brexit have the time when it's busy making me fat and turning my hair grey

Dh is looking for work and has loads of interview's and offers. Depending what looking for there is lots out there.

Yes it’s a thing. My DH was getting interview after interview, on paper he looked great but something was going wrong and he didn’t get any of the jobs.
He had coaching and since then has been offered every job he’s gone for.

Is he going for jobs internally within the university?

I've worked in universities for almost 20 years and there is a real culture of jobs being lined up for people, I've found you are never really playing on a level playing field.

Yes. Definitely a thing and really useful. If he's working at a university the careers service might help.....tell him to do it asap before term starts!

I was coached after not getting the jobs I was interviewed for, after the coaching (informal) I have been offered every job I have been interviewed for.

yes it's a thing.

I never needed it when I was young and hired for youth but as I tried to return to the workplace after a break, I was undervalued consistently by employers if they gave me an opportunity at all. I was torn between taking anything because of scarcity mindset and valuing myself (which felt delusional). I saw a career coach and I don't know if it was coincidence but things seemed to fall in to place after that. She marshalled my thoughts a bit. She said some things to me that a friend couldn't say. I know because I was PISSED OFF WHEN SHE SAID THEM, but I think actually she was right in her assessment of me. Anyway, I'd do it again. When I got the interview for the job I'm in now she prepped me and made me go through situations I'd been in before that proved I had all the various competencies. She forced me to back over by past experience with the lens of looking forward not back. If that makes sense.

Yes it’s a thing and yes it’s very useful for some people. Very senior people would get interview coaching on a very regular / intensive basis.

What would be most useful for him though, is to seek out really honest, truthful feedback from one of those interviews. As harsh as it may be. The problem is, in an effort to be ‘nice’ or for an easy life, interview feedback is very often not authentic.

Is there anyone from any of those interview panels who he could bring for a coffee, who he could ask for very honest feedback from??

I have a very close friend who was in a very, very similar position. A colleague took a risk by taking her aside and explaining to her exactly where she was going wrong ( apparently she rambled in interviews, answers took too long, went off on tangents etc). Was hard to listen to but she took it on the chin and got the very next job.

I was so annoyed ( on her behalf) as all the other feedback she got was so useless and clearly not the truth.

I wish you and your DH much luck. It’s so tough. And so hard to remain confident.... which ironically is a key requirement for doing a good interview.

@jobissues1 Yes all internal to the uni.

@dun1urkin and @PeachMelba78 That’s really reassuring. What did the coach do that helped you?

@Rystall This is so true, I think he’s a waffler and (if he’s the same as he is with me) he doesn’t always answer the question asked.

For the role he interviewed for today and didn’t get he’s already requested a 121 and he’s going to try and go through every question and work out what he could have done better.

Yes, it's a thing. Good ones can be expensive but definitely worth it.

For those of you that have had one how do we choose one? Is there a qualification for it? Happy to pay if it’s going to be an investment but don’t want to get done over either.

Preferably you want a qualified careers adviser who is trained to at least a level 6 but preferably holds a postgraduate diploma with the professional accreditation.

In your husband's situation I would definitely recommend going to the careers service at his place of work. This is their job and many of them will offer advice to staff as well as students.

That’s great he’s being proactive and has requested the 1:1. Can I make one other suggestion? Interviewers can be very nervous giving proper, authentic feedback for fear that it be taken badly or lead to a complaint. If your DH is willing to take it, can I suggest he asks for proper ‘between the eyes’ feedback and not just hints and tips ?? And makes it clear how grateful he’d be??

I’ve been on various interview panels for years. Waffling is fatal. When doing interview prep, I would always advise people to answer as succinctly as possible. It’s quite acceptable to then say ‘does that answer your question? I also have another example if you’d like me to expand further ‘ ( or something like that) .... so you’re clear & crisp but allowing the interviewer to take it further if needs be.

There are loads of skills he can use relatively easily once he’s aware of the issue.

I hope the 1:1 goes well 🤞

Yes, I do it, I’m a career coach, my mum & I have a business doing it from referrals & word of mouth only. We charge £75-125 per session & normally people only need a couple of sessions, we’ll also look at your CV. Google career coaches near you & go from their reviews & testimonials. We give a 20 min phone consultation first as some people don’t gel with us & others we can’t help, or not at the right stage to be helped!

My DP sometimes volunteers to give interview coaching. I've never needed it as always seem to do well in them - except for internal interviews where I was bloody shocking but that was just nerves.

I should add, we’re at the cheaper end of the scale, both got relevant coaching qualifications.

I do it too. I normally do it for clients who I have an ongoing relationship with. I work with senior leaders and teams in organisations.