Happy Halloween! In celebration, I want to share one of my frightening job interview stories. Years ago, I interviewed for a job in Pittsburgh. I flew in late at night, with the interview scheduled first thing the next morning. As I unpacked, I realized I had forgotten the pants to my suit. My mind was […] The post Scary interviews aren’t just for dreams appeared first on Copeland Coaching ..read more

Most job seekers have very strong feelings on one particular topic: job interview assessments. It is not uncommon in today’s job market for an employer to ask you to take an assessment. Yes, they may ask you to take a test. An employer may ask you to “do a case study.” An employer may ask […] The post Your Ideas Are Not That Original appeared first on Copeland Coaching ..read more

It’s no longer socially acceptable for a company to ask an interview candidate how much money they currently make. It’s also not terribly good to ask the candidate how much they want to make. These days, the standard is to share the pay range for the role. Then, the candidate can decide whether or not the range is acceptable. In the past, recruiters would argue that asking questions like these made sense. They wanted to know if the candidate was “within their budget” for a particular role. In reality, if the candidate provided a salary number at the low end of the range, they would be paid on ..read more

When you’re interviewing for a job, a company may want to meet with you from two times to ten times before they make their final decision. The entire process is time consuming. But, through all of these interviews, it could be argued that one of the most important conversations happens in the very first interview. At the time, the first interview may not seem too significant. It’s typically conducted by a recruiter who works for the company. The conversation may feel like a checklist. The recruiter will ask straight forward questions, such as why you’re interested in the job and when you’re av ..read more

Receiving a rejection after a job interview can be devastating. Whether you had three interviews or ten, you were all in. Otherwise, you wouldn’t have snuck away from your existing job to interview. The process of interviewing for a job is a lot like dating. The longer it goes on, the more you can picture your new future. You begin to layout plans in your mind. It’s not hard to do this. In fact, it’s natural. In the first interview, you’re expected to share how soon you are able to start working. And, through the process you are often ask to lay out your ninety day plan. You’re asked to design ..read more

One of the biggest misconceptions that we have about job interviews is that they’re fair. Going through an interview feels a little like taking a test at school. And, we’re taught to believe that enough preparation could help you to overcome any obstacles. Being great at answering questions will help you put any objections to rest. I wish this were completely true, but there’s more to the story. Job interviews are like anything else in life. Sometimes they’re fair. But often, you can’t see the entire picture. Unfortunately, when you believe you’re taking part in a fair process, you may put for ..read more

Happy Halloween! In celebration, I want to share one of my frightening job interview stories. Years ago, I interviewed for a job in Pittsburgh. I flew in late at night, with the interview scheduled first thing the next morning. As I unpacked, I realized I had forgotten the pants to my suit. My mind was racing as I went through the options of what to do. Could I wear the pants I’d flown there in? No, they were sweatpants. Could I call a cab to take me to a mall? No, it was late and everything was closed. Could I have a pair of pants shipped to me from home? No, all the shippers were closed for ..read more

Happy Halloween! In celebration, I want to share one of my frightening job interview stories. Years ago, I interviewed for a job in Pittsburgh. I flew in late at night, with the interview scheduled first thing the next morning. As I unpacked, I realized I had forgotten the pants to my suit. My mind was racing as I went through the options of what to do. Could I wear the pants I’d flown there in? No, they were sweatpants. Could I call a cab to take me to a mall? No, it was late and everything was closed. Could I have a pair of pants shipped to me from home? No, all the shippers were closed for ..read more

As a job applicant, there are many social rules that are necessary to follow. These help to increase your chances of being taken seriously as a candidate. On the flip side, there are also rules the company should follow when they interview candidates. These give the company the best chances of attracting the best candidates. Let’s start with the rules job seekers must follow. The list is long because so much riding on first impressions. Your communication must be quick, concise and clear. You should dress appropriately. You should be on time to the job interview. If you don’t keep your commitm ..read more

Welcome to Copeland Coaching.  I’m Angela Copeland, and this site is dedicated to helping you find the right job faster.  I’ve been helping job seekers informally with their search for over 9 years.  After a recent string of requests for help, I decided it was time to officially offer my career coaching services to you. What makes me a good interview coach? It’s simple.  When I was younger, I thought of interviewing as a sport, and I wanted to make the big leagues.  I have years of experience interviewing for (and negotiating offers in) all sorts of positions in variou ..read more