Sample Interview Prep Coaching Session

What follows is the complete transcript of an actual job interview preparation coaching session with one of my clients -- performed completely using an instant messaging system. The coaching time was prearranged via email. The interview prep session was for a specific job opening in a college's career services office. After the actual mock interview, there was a debriefing on the quality of responses -- and how to improve upon them.

Interview preparation and mock interviews can be done via phone or through instant messanging or chat sessions.

CareerDocHansen: Hello. Are you ready to begin?
Client: I'm here and ready.
CareerDocHansen: Glad to see you're here and ready to go.
Client: Yes, I eager to "show you my stuff" so you'll know what a great addition I'll make to your team.
CareerDocHansen: We're excited to be interviewing someone of your quality. Here's your first question. I know you have conducted mock interviews with students in the past. Can you tell me about the process and procedures you used -- and any kind of feedback you received?
Client: First, let me apologize for my blunder earlier -- that first "I" should have been "I'm." Onto mock interviews: I divided my classes into groups of 6-8 and conducted panel interviews. I felt there was huge value in enabling students to observe their fellow students' interview behavior instead of just having mock interviews conducted by me or a guest interviewer. In each interview session, I had a "guest professional" who rated each student interviewee and also made comments. In addition, I rated the students and the other students who served as panelists rated them in areas such as enthusiam, confidence, body language, content of responses, and avoidance of bad habits. My scores were weighted a little more heavily than those of the student panelists. I set up a complex schedule that enabled every student to be both an interviewer and an interviewee. The feedback was excellent. Students frequently told me what great preparation these mock interviews were for "the real thing."
CareerDocHansen: Sounds like a very involved process, but one in which the students really got a lot of good information and preparation! Next question: This position requires someone with excellent organizational skills. Tell me about your organizational skills.
Client: I think my organizational skills border on the extreme! I love to think of systems that will make work process easier and more efficient. Even the mock interview process you asked about was a good example since it required such a complex organizational scheme. I also have employed extensive organizational skills in a continuing event I created at Stetson, called The Real World Panel. The event involved locating alumni to be panelists for the event, including backups, planning the logistics of time, date, and location, planning a post-event networking party with refreshments, publicizing the event, arrnaging for items for "goodie bags" for the panelists, and producing a complex 12-page publication for the event. I've developed highly effective systems for all of it, which, of course, makes it easier to do the next year. I make heavy use of e-mail and a Web-based survey in the planning and information-gathering.
CareerDocHansen: Speaking of events, one of our goals is getting more students to attend ours. One of the biggest problems we have with some of our programs is not in the development, but in the marketing to students to get them to attend. Can you tell me about any innovative marketing tools you have used or have considered using in getting higher student participation?
Client: As I mentioned, I make heavy use of e-mail and the Web in planning the Real World event, and this usage dates back to when I employed e-mail heavily with my students. I had a listserv-type discussion group for my students called bizcomm-l, which enabled me to remind them of assignments, tell them of scheduling changes, but also to engage them interactively in discussions. I regularly posted discussion questions on the list to get them talking. The students devleoped a real sense of ownership in the class and became more cohesive. These same types of techniques can be applied campus-wide to engage all students in becoming involved in campus career-related events. Interactivity is the key. Students eventually have become immune to static e-mail announcements of events, but if they are involved in interactive forms of electronic communications that they are already accustomed to, they will be more likely to buy into events and participate.
CareerDocHansen: It's an on-going battle, that's for sure! OK. Next question. We do a lot of workshops and mini-workshops for our students. Can you tell me one of your most successful workshop experiences?
Client: The most successful one was probably the most recent one. Two organizations at Stetson gave me an hour to talk about resumes and cover letters for new graduates. As you can probably imagine, an hour isn't nearly enough time to cover this topic, so I had to think of a way to approach it to cover the important points in such a short time. So I came up with the idea of Powerful New Graduate Resumes and Cover Letters: 10 Things They Have in Common. This approach enabled me to cover the most importasnt points in the time allotted. I created a Web-based, PowerPoint-like presentation. As a persnal aside, this was the first presentation I had given after losing 100 lbs., so I was a lot more confident in my skills. I later wrote an article based on the presentation, and if you give me a moment, I can look up the URL so you can get more of a flavor of what it was like...
Client: OK, just discovered I can't use my Bookmarks while in this Chat mode, but I'd be happy to send the URL
Client: by e-mail later.
CareerDocHansen: Sure, I would love to read it. Send me the URL after our interview session.
Client: I'm ready for the next question!
CareerDocHansen: Speaking of resumes and cover letters, here's your last question. This position requires providing resume and cover letter critiques. I know you currently do these tasks, so can you tell me about how you approach these tasks and the type of feedback you provide in your critiques?
Client: Because of the hundreds of critiques I have done, I have learned that the same errors tend to occur over and over again. Therefore -- and again, this goes to my organizational skills and ability to design systems and efficient work processes -- I have created templates that encompass the most common resume and cover letter problems. They are very comprehensive and offer detailed explanations of WHY certain approaches aren't effective. They also refer the person being critiqued to URLs of articles that offer further information, as well as samples of the right way to do it. There is also a great deal of personalization in these critiques adapted to each job-seeker's specific situation and document presentation. But the template approach enables me to conduct the critiques much more quickly than I would be able to without them. In career-services offices, which tend to be short-handed, this ability to conduct critiqued quickly, efficiently, yet very comprehensively, would surely be an asset.
CareerDocHansen: The template is idea is fantastic! I appreciate the time you've spent today answering my questions. Is there anything else you would like to add or ask before I sign off?
Client: First, I'd like to again apologize for my typos. My enthusiasm and excitement made me a little overeager, and keyboarding is not my strongest suit. I'd just like to say I fell great about this job and my ability to perform it. Would it be all right if I called or e-mailed you if I think of anything else I'd like to add or if I have any questions?
CareerDocHansen: No problem about the typos...they are part of this process...And we plan to talk with a few more people before making any final decisions, so yes, feel free to follow-up with any material you think is important to our decision.
Client: Thanks so much for your time! Are we signing off now?
CareerDocHansen: Yes, take care.
Client: You, too!

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