Description

The purpose of a resume is to secure you an interview. The purpose of an interview is for recruiters, line managers and executives to gain insight into a) your interpersonal skills, b) your ability to lead/persuade others, c) how you think and tackle issues (your cognitive abilities) and d) your capacity to think laterally/creatively and finally e) whether you’ll add value to their team or organization.

Most people don’t get enough practice interviewing. That’s unfortunate because interviewing is a skill you develop, a muscle you build through repetition. Some people have virtually no interviewing skills at all because they’ve been promoted internally for a number of years. In a good interview you’ll provide logical and well-thought-out answers to the practical and behavioral questions put to you. In a great interview you’ll also manage to:

• Control any insecurities
• Radiate a positive attitude and polish/executive presence
• Demonstrate that you will bring value to the team and the company as a whole
• Crush any negative judgments or pre-conceived ideas the interviewer may have about you

Deliverable: Mock interviews last 1.5 hours and are either conducted over the phone or via a video call platform like Skype. At the end of your mock interview you’ll receive an audio recording of the call.

Process: Client emails consultant: several items (see list below) → 1.5-hour Phone Call (Mock Interview) → Client receives an audio recording of their mock interview

Prior to the mock interview, the client emails his/her consultant the following documents: a) current resume, b) cover letter, c) LinkedIn URL, d) PDF of the job posting they’re being interviewed for, e) Type of mock interview the client is interested in: Focus: Content development or content delivery? Questions: Behavioral, traditional or a 50/50 mix, f) Any additional information related to the interview. Background info could include answers to the following questions: Have you already been interviewed by HR at this organization? Is there anyone advocating for you within the company? Names/roles of the people who will interview you. Will this be a one-on-one interview? a panel interview? etc.

Your consultant will then email you to clarify the details of the mock interview and set up a day/time. At the end of your mock interview you’ll receive an audio recording of the call.

Mock Interview Focus: Content Development or Content Delivery

The focus of your mock interview will either be on a) content development or b) content delivery.

• Content Development: For 95% of clients, their first mock interview falls into the content development category. Your consultant will help you develop scripts and stories to answer interview questions. During the mock interview, your consultant will ask a question. You’ll answer it as best you can. Then your consultant will provide you with immediate feedback and ideas on how to improve your response.
• Content Delivery: Subsequent mock interviews may focus on content delivery. By this point in time, clients have had time to develop content and practice it in their spare time. The goal of the mock interview is to perfect the client’s scripts and stories and looking for ways to improve on a client’s body language, eye contact and voice cadence. Clients decide whether to receive feedback from their consultant throughout the mock interview (i.e. pausing for feedback after each question) or at the end of the mock interview.

Mock Interview Questions: Behavioral or Traditional

• Behavioral Interview Questions: Behavioral interviews leverage questions about past situations and behaviors to predict future performance. Behavioral interview questions are easy to recognize because they usually begin with some variation of ‘Tell me about a time when…’ Here are some examples: ‘Tell me about a time when…you were part of a team that was underperforming? you mentored someone? you received unexpected feedback? you persuaded someone to see things from your point of view? you were forced to compromise? etc.
• Traditional Interview Questions: Tell me about yourself. What are your strengths and weaknesses? Why are you interested in working for us? What would you do if you were having difficulties with another employee on your project? What would you do if someone asked you to overlook a problem with your project? Where do you see yourself in the next 5 years? How did you like your last job? What would be a hurdle for you if we placed you in the role [you’re interviewing for] tomorrow? etc.
• 50/50 Mix: These interviews contain a mix of traditional and behavioral interview questions.