Do executives need interview coaching?

Interview coaching matches job seekers with expert professionals who can teach you the strategies you need to succeed at an interview. They also provide feedback from practice interview scenarios, help you improve your body language skills, develop your self-belief and give you a confidence boost.

And while it may seem like it’s for those who don’t have much professional experience, interview coaching is actually almost an essential for executives who want to climb further up the career ladder and gain an advantage over other potential candidates.

Why executives invest in interview coaching

We’ve used the word ‘invest’ here on purpose, because interview coaching really is an investment. Of course, there’s the financial and time aspect to the investment, but what you’re really doing is investing in your future career.

At City CV, we’ve coached many executive-level job seekers who’ve gone on to board and C-suite roles in global corporations. One executive candidate we worked with said, “I used City CV when applying for a six-figure Senior Marketing Manager position within a global company. […] They took me through some fairly rigorous interview practice before both first and second interviews. Many of the questions they prepped me for actually came up and I knew exactly what they wanted to hear. I could not have been better prepared – I landed the job, increased my earnings by 30k per annum and took my career to another level.”

So the first reason why executives invest in interview coaching is because it works – coaching can give you that extra boost that helps you maximise your chance of success and land your dream role. Here are some other reasons why interview coaching is a must for executives…

1. Edging out the competition

At the executive level, competition is fierce. Interview coaching can help you gain crucial skills and knowledge that other candidates may not have so you have more chance of securing the role you’re interviewing for – and that means it’s potentially life-changing.

2. Tackling common questions

Executives are typically asked more strategic questions than those asked at non-executive level. Expert interview coaches know the questions you may be asked and can help you prepare your best answers for them. This puts you on the front foot in the interview and you approach it with confidence.

3. Knowing what questions to ask

Similarly to point two, it’s important to ask questions during your interview that are appropriate to an executive role. By asking questions you’ll be able to highlight any skills and experience you have that may not have been covered during your interview, or that you feel are particularly important to the role you’ve applied for. Interview coaches can guide and support you in choosing the right questions to ask.

4. Planning for the win

A major part of taking on a new executive role is what you’ll accomplish within the first three months in your new position. A coach can help you prepare for likely scenarios that you can talk through during your interview.

If you’d like specific advice on interview techniques, including online or virtual interview coaching, call us on +44 20 7100 6656 or send an email to our interview coaches who are ready to help you get that role.