David Walter

The word “training” sometimes sends out the wrong vibes. Senior people can feel that there is something slightly infra dig at admitting that they need it. The wiser ones, however, acknowledge with Socrates that “the only true wisdom is in knowing that you know nothing.” If they have a big speech or broadcast interview looming, they want to prepare thoroughly for it. The more fastidious might like to call it a rehearsal rather than a training session.

One of the areas where preparation is most essential is a job interview. Many senior people are very out of practice at being interviewed for jobs. They may have risen slowly but surely up the ranks of the same company and not faced a formal interview since they first left university. Having worked on interview preparation with a number of very able people, we have been struck by how many highly talented people fail to sell themselves properly on their first run-through.

Some are too close to the circumstances in which they have left their last job. If these have been acrimonious, they are too intent on justifying their actions, instead of recognising the qualities which they brought to the job in the first place. Others take for granted achievements of their own which many prospective employers would find exceptional. We discovered accidentally from one client that, faced with an important speech to make in China, she had learnt enough Mandarin to make most of her remarks in the local language. She had not thought to mention this during the formal interview practice session.

Above all, interview candidates need a narrative about themselves. They should paint pictures and tell stories. They need to work up vignettes from their past careers which illustrate their skills and accomplishments. Bland generalities go over the heads of interviewers; specifics stick in their minds. Even when the job requires specialist technical knowledge, there is much to be said for interviewees who can talk in plain language. Often people hide behind jargon when they do not have as clear understanding of a subject as they should. The task is often to help people to change the language they use so that they can describe their attributes more clearly, positively and vividly.

Sometimes the problem is tone of voice and body language. Interview candidates need to show energy, commitment and confidence. Someone whose voice fades away at the end of sentences or who mumbles or who continually looks down will not do himself or herself justice.

Trainers with a media background like ourselves find that journalistic techniques are highly applicable to interview practice. If you have faced a few Humphrys or Paxman style questions in rehearsal, you will be prepared for anything on the actual day. Our pattern is to record a run-through on tape, then analyse it closely on playback with the client and have one or more further goes. We then give the client a “question and answer” document which sets out all possible questions, including the nastiest, with the best answers which we have been able to work out together.

It would be good to list the success stories which we have had with this approach, but of course the service is highly confidential and we never reveal the names of those who have availed themselves of it. Suffice it to say that we have had many satisfied customers.