New Kilkenny business taking the fear factor out of job interviews

With high competition for roles and the threat of AI looming, the job market is an uncertain place at the moment, but a new business is helping people in Kilkenny to navigate the often daunting interview process.

Ace That Interview, set up by Kilkenny native Declan Casey, offers in-depth, customised support to build confidence and reshape how people view the hiring process.

The business provides free information sessions for schools and colleges along with Intreo offices and homeless charities to both educate young people about interviews and help older people get back into the job market.

In addition, Ace That Interview also offers private, one-on-one sessions which are customised for each client that start at €70 per session with discounted rates available for students.

Declan has spent nearly 20 years in management across hospitality and healthcare, and sitting on both sides of the interview table has given him a passion for aiding people in landing their desired role.

“I’ve been helping people informally all along and there’s a huge demand for interview support,” he says.

“Confidence building is a factor, I would have seen it with a lot of my own colleagues who wouldn’t go for interviews they may be eligible for. They’d knock themselves and wouldn’t feel confident enough, so that was a huge reason behind the business,” he adds.

Helping those who find the interview process particularly daunting, such as students, people struggling with unemployment and those dealing with homelessness, by giving the free talks at schools, colleges and charities is a cornerstone of what Ace That Interview is trying to achieve.

“Really, it’s about the giving back element of it because I was given a lot of support in order to get where I am today,” Declan outlines.

“It’s to try and change the mindset of people around interviews, because people freeze-up and they think interviews are there to catch them out but they’re not. It’s a two way process.”

The private sessions offer a deep level of personalisation with each one built around the client’s specific job area and career goals.

“Every service is tailor-made and one-to-one. A lot of our competitors would use handbooks and video tutorials where I meet people either virtually or face-to-face and it’s totally done on their job spec,” Declan explains.

“I’d review their job application, their CV, identify strengths and weaknesses and then really focus on the confidence building element as well. It’s a wrap-around, fully tailored support and I don’t tell people how many sessions they need. It’s very much led by the individual using the service,” he adds.

Ace That Interview was only set up around two months ago but has already gained a lot of interest and is hosting a community-focused interview workshop at Hotel Kilkenny on August 30.

Tickets can be purchased at https://www.eventbrite.ie/e/ace-that-interview-get-hired-not-overlooked-tickets-1489366819249?aff=oddtdtcreator and info on the business can be found at http://www.acethatinterview.eu/.