So what is interview preparation? How to handle tricky interview questions? And why does story telling help?
My job is to stop people and organisations underselling themselves. I use exactly the same MessageCraft technique for all my clients – whether they are big corporates or people preparing for their first job interview.
Most people, even fresh graduates, have great stories but they either come across as arrogant and braggy or they talk in unevidenced adjectives – “I am hard working and punctual” or they don’t tell their stories at all. Standing out (in a good way) has always been important but even more so now as the competition grows and gets better.
Many senior executives have great stories too, but are often defensive, unused to being on the receiving end of interviews and can easily come across as arrogant.
My interview preparation 1-2-1 courses let you learn and make mistakes in time and in secret – and before the dreaded interview. I help people tell good structured stories with a purpose about themselves and prevent them from coming across as arrogant jerks.
And I help them prepare for those mean and nasty interview questions that sound innocent but that are designed to trip you up. After our QuestionJudo session, you will welcome the evil questions as old friends and use them to your advantage and to “showcase” your skills and experience.
Depending on how much time we have together, in a day we should be able to complete the following:-
- Identify your USP, identify and articulate what you bring or could bring to the corporate table and help you communicate your qualifications and potential as a candidate during the interview.
- Review your CV – this CV audit is an essential part of the process of interview preparation
- Overview of best-practice pre-interview research.
- Work on voice and image projection.
- Interview role-play with video play-back as well as review of image, voice projections etc.
- Plus bullet proofing you for all those tricky interview questions which are now more important than ever. After the session and having done your homework you will be on the road towards being “Paxman-Proof & Paper-Free” when you do get to the interview. Interview questions are the most dangerous part of the interview – far more deadly than any speech or presentation.
I was contacted by two clients who were, to put it mildly, overjoyed. That is the very best part of my life – the phone calls and the texts that I get after someone has got a job, done a deal or raised some money. Here is what they had to say: –
Peter! I just wanted to tell you the College of Europe contacted me to say they want to give me the full scholarship! You’re the first person to know 😉 … your advice really helped and has helped at work generally too!
The second was buzzing even more!!
Nailed it! Totally nailed it! Thank you so so much. After our session I wasn’t totally convinced – we had done so much in such a short time, my mind was buzzing and all over the place. But I did the homework as instructed and this morning it all fitted into place. Like magic. It was like a revelation. Guess what – you were right about something else too – I went in there without any paper – you made me, me of all people, paper free!! Yes! Thank you so much!!! Oh yeah and one of them didn’t like me and asked what they thought was the worst interview question – and I nailed it – it actually helped me more because they had asked it!