Intensive Interview Preparation

Make Your Interview Count – prepare for it!

intensive intervirew prep

Interview preparation was standard in 2020 when I first wrote this – it’s even more commonplace today in 2023. Remote interviewing, COVID and the rise and fall of some industries and small businesses during that time, tech layoffs and redundancies, banks collapsing, and a bunch of other factors come together to mean the competition is tougher than ever before.

Fewer jobs and more (experienced and well-qualified) applicants mean you must make every chance, every interview count. You have to stand out – or the competition will get the job instead of you! Interview preparation is not a luxury – it stops you from underselling yourself and is a great help to the people interviewing you.

Employers expect you to prepare for the interview – the flawless amateur personified by James Bond is fiction. But James Bond and the fiction of the perfect amateur are only a problem if you think you don’t have to prepare. Just because your friends and social circle don’t tell you that they’re preparing… they probably are. They might have a copy of my Filtered OUT Workbook in their drawer. They might not be visiting friends; they might be having interview coaching while you’re watching Netflix. Most people who use interview coaches to prepare for interviews don’t brag about their coaches, they only coach about getting the new shiny job. I understand that, I am often a secret resource or asset who just helps them understand and use their voice and tell their story.

If athletes have coaches, why do you think that you do not? During the interview, you should ask any potential employer about the opportunity for career development and details on the company’s personal and career development policies and practices. Surely you should be concerned about your personal career development before you get that job?

That is true for senior executives facing an interview for the first time in years as well as for graduates preparing for an interview for the first time – and of course, for everybody in-between. Getting back into work, and mastering that interview, is especially challenging for senior people more used to recruiting than being interviewed.

More about my senior exec interview prep here – you can also book your interview coaching on this page. 

Oh, and by the way, if you’re competing against people laid off from Big Tech… they get a fat wedge of cash in their redundancy package, for guess what? That’s right… Interview coaching, help with their CV, interview coaching to help them tell their career story and answer obvious and complicated interview questions.

My 1-2-1 interview preparation course includes the following:-

  • Identifying your USP, identifying and articulating what you bring or could bring to the corporate table and helping you communicate your qualifications and potential as a candidate during the interview.
  • Reviewing 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 preparation role-play with video playback as well as a 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.

A professionally qualified trainer, I also have extensive interviewing experience from the other side of the fence:

  • as MD of 3 manufacturing companies with over 130 staff
  • in Magistrate Selections – Sussex
  • 12 months working with the Head of International HR @ SAP

Over 85% of my clients have got the jobs they want.  

I deal with all my clients directly. Discretion and rigour are guaranteed.

I have written extensively about interview preparation, personal branding and storytelling for interviews – have a read here.

Interview Preparation – what my clients say.

Note: This list of quotes gets updated periodically but is not exhaustive. For more testimonials please visit the testimonials page here.

All of my storytelling work is fun, inspiring and energising, but there is nothing like the buzz that I get when a client sends me the three or four word message: “I got the job” or simply: “Got the JOB!!!”

gotthejob
Transformational is an overused word. So is “life-changing”. But for your first “proper job” after university – these words are often appropriate.

Peter was an OUTSTANDING and no-nonsense coach. He showed me how to sell my experience at an interview. The interview. For THAT job. Investing in Peter’s coaching obviously worked because I was successful and am absolutely over the moon with my new role. He also guided me through the process of negotiating my salary up which saw an increase of over 35%. I would highly recommend using Peter if you are seeking a new role.

Head of Public Affairs, FTSE 100 PLC
 

After our session, I initially felt like hiding in a dark room for several days. But instead, I did as I was told and did my homework. Good decision. I have never experienced any training as powerful. I cannot thank you enough.

Managing Director, world famous bank
 

I soon came to realise that I wasn’t succeeding in graduate consulting interviews and needed help. Seeing Peter was the key. He took an in-depth look at my interview technique and together, we were able to build successful strategies to deal with anything I encountered during my interviews. With Peter’s help, I realised how best to come across and how to avoid the various pitfalls and traps of interviews. Needless to say, from over five thousand applicants I was offered one of twenty places at a top 3 consulting firm and couldn’t be happier. Without Peter’s help, it’s unlikely I would have made it through the first round. I would recommend Peter to any graduate who wants to achieve their very best in their interviews.

Chris (this was Chris in 2015 – Chris is now European Finance Lead at a well known global brand with over 75 000 employees in over 60 countries) 
 

Having recently left university with little experience outside of academia, the prospect of job searching and interviews, in what is being described as one of the toughest times for young people to do so, filled me with dread. Having got myself a telephone interview with one of the big four audit firms, I went to Peter to pre-emptively show me where I was likely to go wrong.

In just one day he was able to tear down my hesitant, textbook approach to answering questions and really help build and convey the unique character and skills I should be emphasising, while highlighting the less desirable aspects of my responses.

Now, having gone through all the phases of the graduate programme application, I have been told I have a position within the company. That was the first job interview I have ever attended. Not a bad hit rate, and I have no doubt that it is predominantly down to Peter.

Ben Scully, KPMG

Thanks to Petter Botting’s excellent interview coaching I am a more confident and outgoing individual, looking the part. This wouldn’t have been possible without Peter truthfully pointing out my strengths and weaknesses. If you are looking for someone at the top of his game to put you on the right track whether its in a political campaign, business advice or with your career then Peter is your man.

Stephen Hoffman, Parliamentary Researcher for David Davies, MP for Monmouth.
 

If you scroll down further, you will see what some more of my clients have said. Or you could book me here.


Hi Peter,

I don’t know if you remember me – you gave me some interview coaching last year for law training contract interviews. I just wanted to let you know that I recently obtained a training contract with Charles Russell in London and to thank you for all your help and advice last year; it made a huge difference to the way I approached interviews and the whole application process in general. It really gave me the confidence to sell myself and to use my experiences to my advantage. I definitely couldn’t’ve done it without you, I really appreciate all your advice and insight, thank you very much! Hope you’re well.

Bethan Richards

Bethan Richards


“Any graduate trying to secure a training contract with the top city law firms will know the competition is tougher than ever this year. The number of applicants has soared even as contracts have become scarce. It’s not uncommon for a firm to interview 250 applicants for 50 places.

For my top-choice firm I knew I had to do something special. In the week prior to I-day, Peter gave me two telephone interviews. The first took me to pieces: it showed me all the gaps in my knowledge and the inadequacies in what I’d genuinely thought was my in-depth interview preparation. I had to go away and do some serious work.

By the end of the second interview I felt like I could handle whatever trick questions a panel of partners could throw at me. I knew exactly what I wanted to say, what was special about me and how to get that across to the interviewer. The confidence he gave me was invaluable. The firm offered me full sponsorship and a contract within a week. I really can’t recommend him enough.”

Ghislaine Lawless 2.1 English Literature – Bristol, Ashurst


“A masters at the College of Europe, the most prestigious higher education institution specialized in European studies, had been my objective ever since doing an internship in Brussels during my first year of University.

Having to face roughly 4000 other applicants from all over Europe for 370 places, I knew that my 2.1 in International Relations from Royal Holloway was not sufficient to beat the competition and that I had to go the extra mile.

For this reason, I contacted Peter, who used his experience to help me draft my CV, my personal statement and to refine my interview skills.

When I finally got the letter confirming my place at the College, I knew that Peter’s professional touch on my application and his impact on my interview skills had been fundamental to my success. I truly cannot thank him enough and I would strongly recommend anyone in my position to take full advantage of his interview preparation services.”

Edoardo Troina – MA Candidate, College of Europe – Natolin


“After recently graduating from a Russell group university I knew what direction I wanted to go in but was uncertain how to get there. I had got the experience but didn’t know how to present this. Peter completely re-worked my CV and covering letter into a far more concise format that targeted exactly what employers wanted. In addition Peter prepared me for interviews and gave me a huge amount more confidence for when I found myself in that situation. Within only a few weeks I had secured the summer internship and graduate job that I wanted. Overall I cannot recommend Peter’s comprehensive interview preparation service enough.”

Simon Brown

storytelling speaker coach peterbotting
TED storytelling

Marcus Webb

Chief Storytelling Officer

tedmed

"Peter is one of the best practitioners of “tough love” I’ve ever seen. He’s direct and uncompromising. He “gives it to you with the bark off,” as they say – but you’ll love every minute of working with him."

siemes nixdorf

Rainer Hettinger

Siemens Nixdorf


"Thanks a million Peter – or should I say $400 million?" - after winning a large contract. 

vp marketing csc

Angela Bowland

VP Strategy &
Marketing CSC


"An excellent coach for top level presentations. Great results, expert, high integrity.

Partner

Magic Circle Law Firm


“I was invited to join the partnership! Which of course I accepted! It was an incredible feeling, with a flood of relief and excitement....The partners who interviewed me said how strong my interview had been.”

Head of Public Affairs

FTSE 100 Company


"The interview. For THAT job. Investing in Peter’s coaching obviously worked because I was successful and am absolutely over the moon with my new role. He also guided me through the process of negotiating my salary up which saw an increase of over 35%."

General Counsel

U.K. National Regulatory Agency


“Very pleased to say that I have this afternoon been offered the job. Thanks for your help, it really was invaluable!”