What is Interview Coaching?

Interview coaching is a process by which someone is allowed to practice and refine his or her job interview skills through practice with a coach. This type of practice is often accompanied by other materials recommending proper procedures for being interviewed, usually presented in written form or as part of a lecture or seminar. These various skills and methods are then typically practiced with a coach who has experience interviewing potential candidates for various jobs and opportunities. Interview coaching is often used by those who may not naturally be adept at interviewing or who are nervous and wish to use practice to alleviate such stress.

A number of different individuals and businesses offer interview coaching for those who may be interested in such practice. While this sort of coaching is often aimed at those who want practice for job interviews, coaching may also be available for other types of interviews, such as college entrance examinations or journalistic interviews. Interview coaching for employment interviews, however, is typically the most common. Anyone interested in such coaching should ensure that the company or individual hired has extensive experience in conducting job interviews, especially in the field he or she is interested in entering.

There are many ways in which interview coaching can be conducted, though it is usually a multi-step process. Interview coaching often begins with a lecture and reading materials that present various aspects of the interview process. There are often recommendations on interview techniques and methods that an interviewee should follow during an interview and general guidelines on proper interview behavior. These suggestions are likely to include everything from body language, including posture, eye contact, smiling, and initial greeting, to answering common questions, often regarding previous experience, personal weaknesses, and workplace compatibility.

Once the initial lessons on interview procedures are concluded, then interview coaching typically involves one-on-one work with a coach. This often takes the form of practice interviews in which the coach acts as an interviewer and the student takes on the role of interviewee. Practice allows the coach to spot areas of improvement in an interviewee, make recommendations for changes, and then provide further opportunity to try those changes. The practice provided by interview coaching can also help those who are nervous about interviews, as it allows such individuals to go through the interview process numerous times and become comfortable with the experience.