Karl Kandt serves as a veterans employment representative in Kansas, where he supports veterans and service members as they pursue meaningful work. In that role, he helps clients navigate job searches, strengthen resumes, and rehearse for interviews through mock interview practice and targeted coaching. His background also includes work as a Department of Veterans Affairs vocational rehabilitation counselor, assisting participants with training-related benefits and outreach coordination. In higher education, he has provided career and labor market guidance at Kansas State University and served at Wichita State University in athletic student services, delivering academic support to student athletes. He holds degrees from Emporia State University in communication and counselor education, along with a master’s in sports administration from Wichita State. He is active in community service through the Manhattan Kansas Solar Kiwanis group and children’s charities.
What is Interview Coaching?
The modern job market is highly competitive, demanding more than a well-written resume to secure a position. Typically, companies may run two to four interviews before deciding, though senior roles can require more, with studies reporting that some senior director positions required up to 29 interviews.
While a strong resume gains entry, a great interview secures the job. Job seekers experiencing performance anxiety or interview fatigue often seek interview coaching to gain confidence in marketing their skills and expertise.
Interview coaching is a personalized training or specialized service designed to help job seekers prepare, practice, and perfect their interview performance. It enables candidates to showcase their strongest qualities when speaking with recruiters.
For individuals struggling to land a job, the issue may not be interview performance but a lack of clarity about career direction or problems with their resume and application materials. In such cases, career coaching or resume services might be a better starting point.
Interview coaches lead clients through a personalized process that strengthens their responses, body language, and overall strategy. Using role-specific insights and mock interviews, they build real-world confidence. Rather than offering scripted responses, the coach uncovers deep obstacles like low confidence or imposter syndrome and helps clients shape clear and authentic stories. This results in a set of adaptable talking points that empower candidates to respond confidently to varying questions without memorization.
Importantly, finding a good coach requires evaluating their specialized expertise in one’s field, their coaching process, and positive client reviews detailing successful job offers and actionable advice. The process starts with the candidate taking the coach through their background, career goals, and current resume. This paints a clear picture of the candidate’s strengths and areas needing improvement. Next, the coach designs a tailored interview plan built around those insights.
Role-specific mock interviews are integral to the process, helping clients fine-tune their answers and communication with real-time feedback. Sessions are often recorded for self-review, and coaches provide detailed notes and a personalized action plan. To get the most value, clients must prepare by researching their potential roles and organizations, reflecting on strengths and weaknesses, and completing assignments that interview coaches may give.
Notably, interview coaching focuses on enhancing skills and preparing candidates for diverse interview scenarios. To begin, it helps candidates master various interview types, including behavioral, unstructured, and stress interviews. Behavioral interviews assess how a candidate handled past situations, often using the STAR (situation, task, action, result) method to highlight their skills and impact. Unstructured interviews take a conversational approach, focusing on rapport, clear communication, and personality. Stress interviews introduce pressure through rapid-fire or unexpected questions to evaluate composure and the ability to think clearly under stress.
Candidates develop compelling pitches to introduce themselves concisely and persuasively. Coaching helps candidates pinpoint their most valuable, relevant experiences and present them in ways that directly fit the roles they’re targeting. Additionally, it helps refine communication skills, ensuring candidates speak concisely without rambling. Coaches also provide feedback on body language and non-verbal cues to project confidence and authenticity.
Moreover, coaching services often include guidance on salary negotiation. This helps clients strategically approach conversations to maximize their compensation packages.
Interview coaching is not solely for new professionals. It is valuable for professionals at all career stages, including mid-career professionals switching roles, executives preparing for high-stakes leadership interviews, and those with employment gaps.
About Karl Kandt
Karl Kandt is an employment representative in Kansas who connects veterans and service members to job opportunities and provides support with resumes, career planning, and mock interviews. He previously served as a Department of Veterans Affairs vocational rehabilitation counselor and has collaborated with agencies through outreach initiatives and employer events. His experience also includes career guidance at Kansas State University and academic support work with student athletes at Wichita State University. He earned degrees from Emporia State University and Wichita State University and contributes to the Manhattan Solar Kiwanis Club.
