There is a lot of advice out there these days about preparing for a job interview but how do you stand out from the crowd? For example, we all know these days that you should have a look at the company’s website, see what news articles come up when you Google them, and of course to have a few questions for the panel at the end of the grilling. It’s all good advice.

But I’ve found that if you’re not careful you can prepare so hard, you forget to be you.

I guess it’s a sign of the times but just lately I’ve worked with more clients looking for a new job. They came to me for help, not because they were having difficulty finding the roles they wanted or getting shortlisted but because they found themselves falling at the final hurdle: the interview.

As you read the word 'coach' what springs to mind? An athlete or footballer? A film about a 1950s high school?? Perhaps all of the above, but if I were to talk about someone getting a life or career coach, in my experience you probably think about a Chief Executive or a Board Member.

When you’re in a situation it can be hard to recognise that you are in it. We all know that feeling when a friend comes to us describing a dilemma (generally an emotional one) looking for advice, and we think it’s a no brainer. In fact, it can often be that we’re wondering why they are even asking at all. You know if the boot were on the other foot, they would instantly give you the same steer.

Confidence can come and go. You might feel super confident giving a presentation to the Board but then like a fish out of water at a party. When you have it you aren’t really aware of it and it never crosses your mind. When you don’t have it, it feels like you can stop noticing it. The strange thing is in either situation, nothing has actually changed, you are still you. The only thing that’s different is your perception of you.

One of the questions that comes up a lot for new coaches (and I expect to a degree, potential clients who wonder what coaching is like) is around whether coaching is about challenging or cheerleading. A good coach will do both, but the real skill is in knowing how much of each is required, for who and when.