Tag: FBI Coaching for Interview

Structured FBI Interview Tips

  • Be yourself.
  • Remember that the interview panel knows no information about you beyond your name.
  • Provide detailed information when answering the interview questions. Provide the best examples of your skills and abilities, drawing from all of your life experiences, not just the most recent ones.
  • The evaluators will be taking notes during the interview to assist them in documenting the results. Do not let this distract you.
  • Do not make assumptions about what the evaluators are seeking. The interview instructions are straightforward. There are no “trick” questions.

If you fail the Phase II Test twice, you will be deactivated and ineligible for future consideration for the special agent position.

Test Preparation: The FBI does not endorse any test preparation materials beyond what can be found on FBIJobs.gov or within this guide.

However, some do give RECOMMENDATIONS based on their own experiences.

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THIS IS NOT JUST A REGULAR “BEHAVIORAL INTERVIEW”
From clients who passed 2023

I believe what helped the most was preparing for “Why the FBI”, being tough when editing the stories and helping me flush out my personal feelings in the stories of “how did you feel”, as well as the last session where you asked me questions and I identified which factor they lined up with.

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Today is a little emotional because I remember how heartbroken I was last year when I did not pass the interview the first try, but I am pleased to inform you that I passed the phase 2 interview, and I believe that it was your coaching that made the difference! You were hard on me, and that is exactly what I needed; you told me what I needed to hear not what I wanted to hear and that truly made the difference. I went into the interview calm and relaxed, and I set the tone of the interview with the “Why do you want to be an FBI agent?” and the “Tell us about yourself.” questions. You helped me make my responses so much personal and I believe that the five points made a huge difference; I received positive body language from the agents from the very start of the interview and my confidence continued to grow. I recited all of my stories just like we practiced, and there were a few questions when I had to morph my stories to fit what they asked me: another technique you helped me with.

The exercises that you taught me along with your story critiques gave me tremendous confidence, and I felt that I was in control of the entire interview. I hope my experience can serve as motivation to others that have failed phase 2 the first time, as they need to know this: you can come so much better after a year and knock it out of the park.

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Anybody that is all in with this process and really wants to reach new heights, I would encourage them to hire you and embrace your teachings. I would also tell them that paying for your services is an investment in their dream; you were a complete game changer for me, as my performance was a night and day difference compared to my first attempt.

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Breaking down the factors, having backups (half my answers had to be from second and third ranked stories just based on the questions), overall just confidence

Your packet is like gold and I am very glad I worked with you. I will be able to take what I learned about interviewing into the rest of my career as an FBI SPECIAL AGENT.

Am I a great storyteller, still not really but you helped me be good ENOUGH and CONFIDENT sounding even though I was not as confident in my answers since some of my better ones did not fit the questions.

I am forever glad I never have to take Phase II interview again, thanks to you.

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I had my interview on Tuesday. It was a huge fiasco getting there with cancelled and delayed flights. I didn’t get into my hotel in NYC until midnight on Monday and I had to be at the FBI building at 7am. I was starving and I wasn’t able to do the prep work I wanted to on Monday but c’est la vie!

The interview went really well. I was so nervous but because I had practiced everything so much everything just flowed out of me like I had rehearsed it hundreds of times before.

I had a story for every single question. The agents were very nice and respectful and I even had them laughing at a few of my answers.

I left feeling good about everything, but you never know because as much as they were nice the agents were hard to read. It was sure a blur and they really rush you out of there when you are done so I was trying really hard to make sure I had said everything I wanted to say.

I just got my email today I PASSED!!!!!

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A RED LETTER DAY – I PASSED – I PASSED – I PASSED — FBI Interview

RECEIVED 6-25-20

Carole,
Add me to your list of successes because I totally passed.
THANK YOU CAROLE!

I doubt I could have done with without your help.

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Carole,
I just wanted to let you know that I received an email from the FBI this morning saying I passed phase II.
Thank you for all the help and candid feedback you’ve given me, I don’t think I would have passed
without it. Hopefully the rest of the hiring process is smooth sailing.
Thanks again

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Carole,
I received the “good news” today. I passed Phase II!
Obviously I cannot disclose much of anything due to the NDA, but
here is what I will say:

I remember going in there, all smiles, and cool; calm; collected, as
you advised. The agents were very nice and welcoming. I thought
alright, this won’t be so bad.

The first two questions went great, then the next 11 came. Almost
every single felt like a curveball. I kept thinking, I had the perfect
story for that but I already used it.” I had that thought for almost
Every. Single. Question.

So what did I do? I took a minute to think,

I morphed,
I drank some water, I laughed to myself,

I thought on my feet. I answered the question. Even if it was with a
story I had not prepared…which happened a lot.

I took a solid 30 seconds after each question was asked to identify
the factor, then pick my story.

Or at least I tried to. Sometimes I was like, well I have no idea
what the factor is, but I have an answer!

I walked out of there thinking well, I made them smile and laugh,
got a lot of nodding, and most of all: I answered the questions.

Here’s what is even funnier: I used just over half of the stories I
had prepared. The rest I pulled from the depths of my long-term
memory storage, on the spot. This, I will say, is necessary to pass.

You HAVE to be able to think on your feet.

I am also proud to say — I did not skip any questions, and even
when I did not have the “perfect” story for a few of the questions, I told myself, “Just give them a dang story.” And I did. And it worked!

At the end of it, I could tell they liked me. I was 100% myself, I
did not try to tell the stories perfectly, I tried to tell them like I
would tell them to my coworkers. I fumbled, I was awkward, but I
was me.

And that was good enough for them.

Thank you Carole for all of your encouragement, for telling me to
not be a perfectionist in the interview, to not overthink.

That was the best advice, and I truly needed to hear that
constructive criticism.

I truly felt prepared, relaxed, and ready to let these Agents get to
know “me.”

All the best,

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NOTICE RECENTLY RECEIVED FROM A POSTPONED
“MARCH” INTERVIEW CANDIDATE

You will be invited the next time we are interviewing in your region.
Please continue to be on the lookout for an invitation in the upcoming months.

Thanks for your patience.

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FEEDBACK FROM A CLIENT

And yes, I listened to the recordings as you suggested. It really
helped me “massage” my stories. Your 5 points were the key
where i used the finger method you taught. The other thing is try
not to “memorize’ the stories. It definitely flows better when you’re
telling it from your feelings.

The other key thing is to relax. The agents saw how nervous I was
and repeated emphasized that they understand the feeling I’m going
through, they were once in my seat too.