Success Stories

THESE ARE FROM PEOPLE WHO HAVE MADE IT



My first client for Phase II was in 2001

Thanks Carole:

You made quite a difference and you can use me as an endorsement (without my name or region). I was really joking about you beating me up, but you were tough on me. I had made an appointment with the school career center and did a mock interview with them before seeking your advice. The problem was they were too soft and didn't criticize my interview techniques. You were honest and put me on the spot, which is greatly appreciated.

When I left the interview that day I thought to myself what a piece of cake that was compared to what Carole put me through. When it comes to the interview I don't think you can be over prepared and you taught me to expect many twist on questions. This and the fact that you took the time to analyze my responses and tell me what the interviewer would get out of it was extremely beneficial. Thanks for making a difference in my life.


One day I received a call...

It was in April 2001 that I received a call from a man inquiring if I knew anything about the FBI Phase II interview. My answer was, "No."

His next question was, "Do you know anything about "behavioral interviewing"? My answer was, "I certainly do. In fact, I have been certified as a "behavioral interviewing instructor."

His reply was, "Great, I'm going to hire you to prepare me for the Phase II interview next month."

It was a challenge, but I put together a program to help this man through the process. Here is the outcome of our work together:


READ THE WHOLE STORY


Thousands of candidates later and I still get wonderful emails after every interview event.


"The information that you gave me was invaluable... I just wanted to thank you for all of your help. I just received word that I passed the phase II interview. The information that you gave me was invaluable and it truly helped when you explained what they were looking for and how they evaluate someone in a behavioral interview. I don't think I could have done it without some of your coaching and I am truly grateful."
-- P.O.

"I PASSED! I just want to thank you again for your help in getting me where I needed to be. I know without your help it would not have been possible.

Any FBI second timers who are serious about the job should inquire about your services.

Going into the interview I had my stories pretty ingrained in my head, and I was still going over them as I was waiting outside the office for the agents to call me in. I think I ended up morphing a majority of my stories to fit the questions asked.

I’d have to say knowing my stories back and front and being able to morph them was the most helpful skill(s) you taught me.

Thank you so much again for everything Carole.


Another satisfied customer.

"As promised, pass or fail I would update you accordingly.

I passed!!!! Thank you. Thank you. Thank you!!!

I could not have done it without you. You did for me what I have failed in consistently within my own efforts alone.

My interview this time around compared to the last was night and day. I know it seemed like I wasn’t listening to you, but I soaked up every bit of advice you threw at me and followed it to the “T.”

The rest I delivered were great. Some questions I answered powerfully because I was prepared.

I was nervous but like you said, I came in there with all the confidence in the world.

I was “Mr. Personality” from the beginning and I made them laugh a lot.
My 5-points felt like my moment and I delivered!

All in all, I did what you said; it wasn’t perfect but I walked out of there not knowing if I passed or not, but without a doubt I left knowing that they truly got to know ME – the person.

This was a huge win for my life Carole. Thank you!!!!


"Got the news last night. I PASSED!!! Thank you again for all your help. I know you continue to search for the reasons some pass and others do not. Of course, I do not have that answer, but I can share with you what I think helped me pass the second time.

1) I left my “suit” at the door. I am an attorney, no doubt about it. But I spoke to the interviewers like I would to some friendly colleagues after work, not like I was talking to a panel of judges.

2) In preparing I always had emotional intelligence in the back of my mind. I was thinking about opportunities in my stories to discuss my feelings and the feelings of others and how this impacted my decision making. I do not think they are looking for robots.

3) I spent a lot of time, as you know, working on my “why.” And I also went back and listened to the recordings of our sessions. I also sent you a lot of stories and applied your criticisms. This really nailed the story telling formula and proportions into my mind.

Other than that, I think the rest is just putting in the time to find and practice stories that match the eight factors. Having a couple stories for each factor, even if you have to morph them is a safe bet.

I think just sounding prepared gets you further than most people think.

Thank you again. Regardless of whether I make it through the rest of the process, it was a victory for me to beat this the second time, and I can’t thank you enough for all your help.


"I can't thank you enough for preparing me to pass the interview. I have now completed the conditions of my offer letter and I am headed for Quantico.

Several months ago I was at the airport awaiting my flight to the Phase II location I met someone who was also going to the interviews. I asked him if he felt prepared. His answer was 'well...yeah I guess, I mean there really is no way to prepare for this'. I was actually taken back by that statement considering I had been preparing for a few weeks at that point! I found myself relaxed and became more confident, but at the same time I felt horrible for him - it was evident he had no idea what he was about to encounter. I can't imagine having gone through the interview without the stories I had prepared. I was confident enough that I could morph my stories if I needed to. THANK YOU.


"I just wanted to drop a note to let you know I passed! I can’t thank you enough for the help and guidance you provided, as this was my 2nd attempt at the FBI phase II…so my last chance!.

I also want to thank you for accommodating me as I was crunched for time when I reached out to you, but we were definitely able to do what we needed to do!
I also want to thank you for combining 2 into 1, as I had both the DEA & FBI interview within the same week. The only thing I regret is not reaching out to you before my first interview over a year ago.

Your critiques & direction is what got me through this one. I was able to polish up my stories to “tell the story”. It was night and day difference in comparing my first attempt with this one.

I felt like they “got to know me” during this round….and confidence, confidence, CONFIDENCE! I was even able to introduce some southern humor to lighten the mood & to poke fun at myself a bit, which seemed to lighten their demeanor as well.
I felt like the lack of confidence and not getting to know the person was my hindering factor for my first round/failure, but with your style of teaching and the materials we discussed….prepped me to portray the real me.

I passed the DEA interview before my FBI one, so that gave me a boost in confidence in and of itself…but going into both with the knowledge gained from your coaching was definitely the deciding factor with both of these.

Now…if you only had a coaching strategy to pass that pesky PFT….I’d be a satisfied customer.😊


"I hope all is well. I wanted to let you know that I received a passing score! I can’t thank you enough for your work, support and encouragement. From your personal coaching to the exercises, it made a difference. It helped me gain more confidence in myself and allowed me to sit back and pause after each question to give me time to paint the best story. I can also say that this interview was better than my first, especially with regards to laying out the SAR (20/60/20).

Again, thank you for your time and support! It was truly a pleasure working with you.

I recommend you to anyone else who finds themselves struggling with interviews.


I just got my results, and I passed the FBI Phase II!

I just got my results, and I passed the FBI Phase II!


I just got my results, and I passed!

I think I was subconsciously expecting at least some feedback and engagement during the interview, but I guess my answers fit the questions they asked. I kept in mind what you said about not trying to be a perfectionist, and I memorized my stories to the point that I knew every major point I needed to hit but not to the point that it became a script.

I want to say thanks for the honest feedback and for the encouragement!


Here are some letters from people who tried on their own the first time:

These are people who wished that they had used my services the first time. This is their second and last chance to pass the interview. After reading through my materials they learned the techniques and confidence they lacked the first time.

"Second Time Around - I passed my Phase II interview. I found out my results last week and could not be more excited. I am very confident in saying that I could not have passed without your coaching. And I will tell you, as both an on-board employee and someone who had taken the Phase II before, I felt entirely different afterwards than I had the first time -- and it was all because of your program.

After the first time I took the interview, my head was literally spinning and I had no recollection of my answers. This time, I had clear and organized thoughts about what I had told my panel, so much so that I went back to my notes and highlighted every story I told.

I don't know what else to say other than "THANK YOU" and will guarantee you that I will send anyone who asks advice of me to your website."


"I couldn't have done it with out you! This time around, I was nervous...but it was a confident nervous...I knew exactly what to expect and I made sure that before I left the room, those 3 agents knew how important the SA position was to me!! And my WHY FBI...was solid. I banged out my intro, why FBI, and 5 points! Thanks again and keep up the exceptional service you provide because it's making a positive difference in people's lives!


"The first time I took phase II, I failed much to my surprise. Having only one more shot, I couldn't afford not to hire Carole and it was the best move I made. I only wish that I had hired her when I took Phase II the first time, because if I had, I'd be through the academy and on my first duty assignment by now.

Thanks to Carole, it became crystal clear to me why I failed the first time. I failed because I prepared for phase II like it was a civilian job interview, a military board, or a civilian law enforcement interview, but it's not one of those; it's a FBI phase II interview and that is what Carole helped me prepare for.

Prior to hiring Carole I also received help from other people I respect: a Ph.D. in Business Administration who was a professor as well as a senior advisor to a couple of previous POTUS', not to mention another friend who already passed phase II. But it was ONLY because of Carole's coaching and my coachability that I passed. I can't emphasize this enough. I just know what I had done, what I was doing before calling Carole and the changes I made because of her that I experienced the positive outcome.

Thank you, Carole! I owe it all to you!"


"I just received my Phase II testing results and I passed!!!!!

Your guidance and tough love along the way helped me tremendously. I want to thank you for everything!

The day before my interview (when I arrived in Atlanta) I felt confident and I was even a bit excited. I couldn’t wait to tell them all about me. During the interview, I was still a bit nervous but I was able to answer every question confidently. By the end of the interview I was certain they knew much more about me than the last time. I even finished my interview a bit early. I was prepared!!

Your guidance and tough love along the way helped me tremendously. I want to thank you for everything!

Thanks again!!


Here are some letters from various Federal and State Law Enforcement Applicants:

FEDERAL AIR MARSHALS "I took my panel interview yesterday morning. Without a doubt in my mind, your help assisted me in passing! There were 10 people scheduled at the same time I went and the other nine applicants all failed.

The FAMS panel told me that the failure rate was about 85% so I am confident in saying I was very well prepared because of you. The questions they asked were very close to what we practiced and I had a story in my head for four out of the five questions. The way they asked the question was a little bit difficult because each was probably five or six sentences long, so I kept tuning in to hear what they were looking for. Your service is worth every penny and I offer my sincere thanks for your help!"


DEA "I was terrified about my upcoming panel interview with the DEA. After spending two hours with Carole, I felt that I could come up with a strong and truthful answer for any question the DEA may throw at me. The DEA was impressed with my answers and they gave me a commendation on my thorough preparation. I owe it all to Carole."


DSS "Carole Martin's method of preparation for the Board of Examiner's Oral Interview and Oral Assessment was the critical factor in my success. I believe that I was the only one from the 8 or 9 candidates who interviewed that day who scored high enough to pass the interview stage and move along in the process. That is no coincidence. I felt very confident that the stories we developed together could be utilized for a variety of scenarios, which was exactly the case. In fact, I did not encounter a single question that caught me by surprise. That is what I call thorough preparation, and I owe it all to Carole Martin."


BORDER PATROL "The Border Patrol exam was a pretty relaxed environment. The advice and coaching you provided using the FBI Phase II prep materials, especially the 5 finger technique, were an enormous help. There are similar questions asked as with the FBI...things like, "Why do you want to be an agent?" The 20/60/20 rule was extremely beneficial too...I know it was extremely helpful for me in just organizing my thoughts. I did receive my test results for that exam recently and found out I scored a 95%...passing is 70% :)"


ATF "The ATF Special Agent interview went very well. The preparation that you provided me with was invaluable and I felt very confident going into the panel interview. There were many questions asked that we went over, thus I was prepared to give well thought-out answers. Unfortunately, the ATF takes a while (within 2 months) informing applicants if they passed, but I was very confident with my answers and I could tell by their smiles and gestures that I succeeded. Thanks for all of your help and I will let you know when the results are official. Other than that, be well and I hope that your business continues to flourish."


SECRET SERVICE "I received word a few weeks ago that I passed the USSS Panel Interview and became 'green' for the polygraph and medical screenings. Then this past week, I made it through the poly on the second round, so things are looking really good. I am so excited and wanted to again thank you for all of your help in preparing me for the panel. Fine tuning my responses and ensuring I was properly communicating the things I wanted to say was such a crucial process. Words cannot describe the benefit and necessity of investing a little money upfront to guarantee the career one chooses for the future."


STATE POLICE OFFICER "Hey, it's the State Police guy. If you remember, I got the letter the other day telling me that I have been certified to join the next academy class! I am so glad that I made the decision to choose you as my interview coach. The material was great and above all, I was so impressed that you personally critiqued and refined my personal statement. I'm just blown away by your responsiveness through this. One note, I tried to get my buddy (interviewing for the same position) to buy package as well. Unfortunately, he didn't do it and for whatever reason, he didn't get certified. I have a hard time thinking that if he'd just have done the course (like I did), we'd be going into the academy together. "


LOCAL POLICE DEPARTMENT "I got the voicemail tonight that I passed!!!! Woo Hoo!!!! I am convinced without a shadow of a doubt that your coaching was what made the difference in the oral interview. I wasn't too worried about the written test, but the oral interview is much more important in this part of the employment process. I was a bucket of nerves when I went in, but practicing and reviewing made ALL the difference! I also went in for my Police Department interview on Tuesday (I'm hedging my bets) and SMOKED it!! It was without a doubt the best interview I've ever had. Maybe I'll get two job offers out of this? You were worth every penny and I would definitely recommend your services to anyone wishing to improve their oral interview skills."


FBI POLICE OFFICER "I passed my FBI Police officer exam and interview. I couldn't believe it, the exact same situations you prepared me for, they asked me. I felt so prepared. They asked me to give examples from school or work, and I told them the stories I prepared and gave them the situation, my actions and results. I have to say thanks again Carole, I couldn't have done it without you."


FEDERAL AIR MARSHALS RECEIVED: 4/15/16 - I'm really happy to inform you that I passed my FAM interview last Friday. All the information in you preparation curse from beginning to end, help me to be prepare for the interview and specially to be confident. One of the things that I believe it was very useful for me, was being myself. I talked to the panel like normal people and I felt like I was telling my stories to a friend or a coworker.

Thank you very much for your help and wisdom




THE STORY OF HOW IT ALL STARTED






One day I received a call...

It was in April 2001 that I received a call from a man inquiring if I knew anything about the FBI Phase II interview. My answer was, "No."

His next question was, "Do you know anything about "behavioral interviewing"?

My answer was, "I certainly do. In fact, I have been certified as a "behavioral interviewing instructor."

His reply was, "Great, I'm going to hire you to prepare me for the Phase II interview next month."

It was a challenge, but I put together a program to help this man through the process.

Here is the outcome of our work together:


Hello Carole,

I just wanted to thank you for all your help. I just received word that I passed the phase II interview. The information that you gave me was invaluable and it truly helped when you explained what they were looking for and how they evaluate someone in a behavioral interview.

THANKS for all your help and for crucifying me that first day. I was just joking about you beating me up, but you were tough on me.

I had made an appointment with the school career center and did a mock interview with them before seeking your advice. The problem was they were too soft and didn't criticize my interview techniques. You were honest and put me on the spot, which is greatly appreciated.

When I left the interview that day I thought to myself what a piece of cake that was compared to what Carole put me through.

When it comes to the interview I don't think you can be over prepared and you taught me to expect many twist on questions. This and the fact that you took the time to analyze my responses and tell me what the interviewer would get out of it was extremely beneficial.

Thanks for making a difference in my life.
Anonymous (for confidentiality reasons)


And, so it began.

Little by little the word got out that I was a person who could help with the Phase II interview. But, it didn't stop there. I began receiving calls from candidates for the Secret Service, DEA, NCIS, DSS, and all the other federal and state agencies - even the CIA. I've coached candidates from all of the Agencies with fabulous success and feedback.

Many hundreds of clients later, and several books written by me on "behavioral interviewing," I still remember and appreciate that phone call from my first FBI candidate.

Through the 15 years I've been doing this, the interview has changed, and my techniques have changed, but one thing remains consistent --- good results and fabulous "thank you feedback emails."

I appreciate them and love to hear when clients make it to Quantico or receives an offer from one of the Agencies.

I am honored to work with the young men and women who are determined to do something to make the country safer. They want to join the ongoing fight against crime and become a member of the Agencies that do just that.

I appreciate the fact that they have chosen me as the Coach!

Carole









FBI - PHASE II Interview Preparation

As a result of successfully coaching thousands of FBI Agent Applicants to pass the Phase II interview, I consider myself the expert that can help you through the process.

I have been able to assist clients from all walks-of-life to pass this very difficult interview. I give honest, straight-forward critique on your delivery and your stories.


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Federal Law Enforcement Agencies

The Interview Coach's law enforcement and public safety coaching experience extends to all major state and federal agencies. The packages that I offer are intended to get you ready to feel prepared, confident, and to be able to answer the questions that are asked with as much ease as possible.




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