What can simultaneously inspire feelings of fear and excitement? Landing an interview.

“If it scares you, it might be a good thing.”

Have you ever heard someone say that and thought, “What adrenaline-junkie planet are you from?” While this saying may not apply to all areas of life (diving with sharks, bungee jumping, etc.), it couldn't apply more to interviewing. Being invited for an interview is exciting — it's flattering — it's TERRIFYING. OK, maybe not for the super-confident adrenaline junkie, but for many — or for most — it is.

You have to brag about your accomplishments in the right way. You have to make small talk in the right way. You have to win over total strangers. You have to prove that you're worth it. The fear of rejection is real. Being rusty at interviewing is real. Being bad at interviewing is real. But not being worth it? That's not real. You may fear that you're not good enough, but nailing the interview is totally possible. Don't forget, practice makes perfect.

While we'd never knock a family member or close friend for being a trusted mock interview go-to, we would like to politely one-up them with a professional interview coach. What happens when you work with a TopInterview interview coach? Our clients shed some light.

Boosted confidence

For some, confidence comes naturally. For others, it takes a little extra work — and that's OK! You might just need a bigger cheering squad, and we want to join your team.

Here's how working with a TopInterview coach helped Eric and Morgin feel positive, prepared, and confident:

“I feel like the most valuable thing I paid for was CONFIDENCE. Especially on the job hunt, my 'realistic' attitude tends to become 'pessimistic' and affects how I present myself to potential employers. Nick made me feel like this was my job to lose and pointed out all of my strengths (not in a braggy way, but a realistic, solid-track-record way) in a way that made me feel calm and confident about taking this leap in my career. The interviewers gave me a chance to make a final elevator pitch, and I feel like the bullet-points in my head helped construct a confident answer that led to an offer.” — Eric V.

“I wish I would've done this sooner. I could not be more thrilled with my experience! TopInterview far surpassed all of my expectations! The entire session offered an abundance of knowledge. I was able to get professional expertise on a few questions that I personally had difficulties with on previous interviews. The recording of our session/interview was a bit hard for me to watch — but oh so helpful! What a great idea. This experience helped my confidence immensely.” ‒‒ Morgin F.

Lowered anxiety

Anxiety during an interview may be natural, but unfortunately, it could end up sabotaging your efforts. You could Google how to get over it, or you could work with a professional coach who will give you tailored advice that meets your specific needs.

Here's how working with a professional interview coach from TopInterview helped Cassandra and Toyce feel relaxed enough to tackle any interview obstacle that was thrown their way:

“Nick was excellent and really helped me get over my anxiety. He coached me and gave me excellent pointers. Following everything he gave me made me feel so relaxed. I had an interview Wednesday and was offered a job Friday all thanks to Nick's help.” — Cassandra H.

“I interviewed with Nick and he was amazing. I have been with my current employer for 5 years, haven't interviewed since then, and I am also trying to shift my career so I was extremely nervous about interviews.

Speaking with Nick not only helped to ease my anxiety, he helped me figure out what I should highlight to bring out the best in my job experience. He also helped me with my troubled spots by providing me specific useful advice to improve in those areas.

As a result of this experience, I feel absolutely prepared and confident for any interview. This service was worth every penny.” — Toyce F.

Stronger communication skills

If you had to pinpoint the key details you want every interviewer to remember after talking to you, what would it be? What about your professional experience, your hard and soft skills, and personality would you have to highlight to leave them with that takeaway? Would you be able to craft a thorough yet succinct story that leads them to this positive impression of you? With practice and excellent communication skills, achieving this would be a walk in the park. But yes, it's easier said than done. That's where a professional coach comes in.

Here's how a professional interview coaching helped Daniel and Nat learn to effectively communicate their career highlights:

“Having had many disastrous interviews in the past due to my propensity to ramble and hesitation in talking too much about myself, I turned to TopInterview in the hopes of developing skills which could help me anticipate questions and get to the point. My face-to-face video conferencing meetings with my coach proved invaluable as she was able to take a ton of information and boil it down to a few key points. I have already had two successful interviews as she taught me to communicate achievements I didn't know I had in a way that didn't make me look too full of myself.” — Daniel

“Very glad I used this service. I was assigned to Nick, who helped me reframe my experience to better showcase my true skills and talents. Hence, I feel empowered thanks to Nick's help, and more confident moving forward. Afterward, Nick sent me a guidebook, as well as feedback based on my actual responses and style, which was very helpful. He also helped me prepare for a telephone interview. I was lucky to set up our session right before the real interview, so I was able to apply the suggestions and boosted confidence right away, with great results. Highly recommend. Thank you!” — Nat

Smarter insights

What better way to impress the pros than by learning from the pros themselves? Our coaches have a wide range of real-world interviewing experience as well as professional degrees and certifications. They've spent years as HR directors, recruiters, and consultants. Again, we won't knock your family member or friend for helping you prepare for an interview — they deserve a big “Thank you” and an Edible Arrangement — but when push comes to shove, there's a good chance they don't know how to mold you into the perfect interview candidate for the job you're aiming for. (If they DO know how to do that, we'd love to hire them!)

Here's how a TopInterview coach helped Jeff and Wendy peek behind the curtain to learn what recruiters and hiring managers really want in interviews:

“I recently worked with Heather and found her to be enormously helpful. She did a great job of setting up the consultation, preparing me for the conversation ahead, and coaching me throughout our time together. As a recruiter and career consultant, it's clear Heather is a real pro, very detailed, observant, and always offering key insights to what recruiters and interviewers will be listening and looking for in my responses. She delivers informative and constructive feedback in a positive way that leaves you feeling confident and excited to apply your newfound knowledge in your next interview. A recording of the conversation and a highly detailed, smartly formatted feedback document follows quickly after. All very pro-style. I would recommend Heather to anybody.” — Jeff B.

“I had a great mock interview experience with Nick. His feedback was valuable, and the questions he asked really made me think. He shared HR insights and provided immediate feedback. His report, that came a couple of days later, had great detail. I recommend this experience if it has been a while since your last interview, if you are trying to get into a new field, and/or if you always wondered how you come across.” — Wendy

And ultimately, a new job

A new job is the light at the end of the job-search tunnel. You have to get through the dark, scary unknown before you can emerge victoriously. Walking through said dark tunnel is a lot easier if you have the right tools. You know: a headlamp, proper footwear, water, food — you get the point. Working with an interview coach is an essential tool that will help you nail every interview and get to that light a whole lot faster.

Here's how a TopInterview coach helped Melanie, Mario, and Wesley land their dream jobs:

“I have nothing but good things to say about the TopInterview service. I was paired with a counselor (Nick) who thoroughly investigated the details of my industry and specific position. He asked me challenging questions, gave constructive feedback, and shared useful resources and materials. I did a mock interview the day before my final round interview, and was extended an offer at a law firm about a month later, which I accepted. I know that the mock interview helped me prepare for questions, develop a more succinct narrative, lessen my nerves, and be conscious about my demeanor and the quality of my speech. Thanks again for your assistance! I know it was worth the investment.” — Melanie

“I will start a new job in 2019 as an HR Director. This was the goal I set out for myself and I truly believe with some persistence and the help of TopResume and TopInterview, they made this goal a reality.

Nick was extremely helpful in communicating to me what I was doing right and what I needed to get better at while interviewing. His notes, advice, and positive demeanor gave me the extra confidence I needed to nail the interview and receive an offer. He shared strategy, tactics, and showed a very thorough understanding of the hiring practices of employers. This changed my mindset positively going into interviews.

I am very thankful I took this extra step in the job hunt.” — Mario

“Working with Nick has been a life-changing experience. He helped me raise the standards of excellence resulting in an offer better than I could've anticipated.

Nick was a right partner who went above and beyond to ensure that I went to my interviews feeling confident and well-prepared. He meticulously analyzed the job descriptions, the company, and conducted market research where he pulled vital data points to discuss in the interviews. I was a force to be reckoned with.

I can say unequivocally, TopInterview is a MUST NEEDED partner for job hunters.” — Wesley S.

Interested in working one-on-one with a trusted professional interview coach? Learn more about TopInterview here.

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