The Interview Edge — Mock Interview & Coaching with Pia Shome

Most interviews aren't lost because of lack of experience. They're lost in the room — because the candidate didn't know how to tell their story, froze on a question they weren't expecting, or undersold themselves without realising it.

The Interview Edge is a structured mock interview and coaching session designed to fix exactly that. You bring your target role. I bring 20 years of experience sitting on the hiring side of the table — as a CHRO who has interviewed thousands of candidates across industries and seniority levels.

What happens in the session:

We begin with a 10-minute brief where you share the role you're interviewing for, your background, and your biggest concern going in. I then run a realistic mock interview — the kind of questions a senior hiring panel would actually ask, not the sanitised versions you find on Google.

After the mock, we spend the remaining time on detailed feedback: what landed, what didn't, where you lost clarity, and where you left an impression short of what your experience deserves. You'll walk away with a polished answer to the questions that tripped you up, and a clear sense of how to carry yourself through the real thing.

What we specifically work on:

— Your 90-second introduction — the most important answer in any interview and the one most candidates get wrong — Behavioural questions (the STAR method, done in a way that sounds natural and not rehearsed) — The "tell me about a gap / pivot / change" question — especially important if your career path isn't linear — Salary and offer conversations — how to handle the money question without flinching — The questions you should be asking them — which signal seniority and genuine interest

Who this is for:

— Professionals going into a high-stakes interview for a role they really want — Career pivoters who need to answer "why are you making this change?" with confidence — Senior professionals returning to the job market after a gap — Anyone who knows their experience is strong but struggles to communicate it under pressure

What to bring:

Share the job description and your resume when you book. The more context I have going in, the more realistic and useful the session will be.

One session can change how you show up in every interview after it.