Applications per interview
20-30x
Estimates suggest candidates may submit between 20 and 30 applications to secure a single interview. In specialist sectors, opportunities are fewer, expectations are higher, and preparation makes the difference.
30%
The interview landscape has changed. We prepare you for every format, including AI, video interviews, competency frameworks, and assessment centres.
Of employers now use AI screening
1
Most candidates never find out why they didn’t get the role. We make sure you walk in knowing exactly what you’re doing, and why.
Interview. Make it Count
• Engineering & Technical
• Manufacturing
• Supply Chain & Procurement
• Defence & Aerospace
• Project Management
• Graduate & Early Careers
• Military Transition
• Senior & Executive
Sector experience
THE PROCESS
Simple. Personal. Effective
We don’t do generic scripts or recycled tips. Every session is built around you, your role, and what the people interviewing you actually care about.
01
Tell us about the role
Share the job description, the company/industry, and where you are in the process. We do our homework, so you don’t have to start from scratch.
02
We build your plan
We identify the likely interview format, the competencies being assessed, and the areas you need to work on most before the day.
03
Your coaching session
A focused 1:1 with one of our consultants, practising real questions, sharpening your answers, and building your confidence in a supportive environment.
04
Walk in ready
We provide supporting documents to aid your continued preparation so that you can walk into your interview with confidence.
Tell us about the role
A focused 15-minute session exploring where you are in your interview process, what support you’re looking for, and understanding the next steps.
Free
15 minutes
Career Transition Coaching
Changing sectors, returning after a break, transitioning from the armed forces, or stepping up into a more senior role? We help you reframe your experience and tell a compelling story about where you’re heading next.
£149
Bespoke programme
WHAT WE OFFER
Choose the support that’s right for you
Interview Prep
A thorough 60-minute session that goes deeper into your preparation. We work through your key competencies, run through likely questions for your specific role, and help you build a clear and confident narrative.
£129
60 minutes
Graduate & Early Careers
Landing your first professional role is harder than it looks. We help graduates navigate assessment centres, competency interviews, and group exercises, giving you a genuine edge from the very start.
£65
45 minutes
Full Preparation Package
Two sessions covering complete interview preparation and a mock interview with feedback. Our most popular option for competitive roles or senior positions.
£199
2 sessions
Executive Coaching
Senior roles demand more than strong answers. They require presence, strategic thinking, and the ability to hold a room. Our executive sessions focus on leadership narrative, board-level communication, and performing under pressure.
£350
Bespoke programme
WHAT OUR CANDIDATES SAY
Real results, real people
"
David helped me through a difficult recruitment process, and I couldn’t recommend anyone more. From putting me at ease and giving me some confidence in the preparation for my interview, up until my start date.
Ike
Engineering Professional · Secured Senior Electronics Role, Defence Sector
"
I was extremely impressed with the attention I was given throughout the entire process, especially around the interview stage, where the resources and phone calls I had from Steve certainly made the difference.
Danny
IT Professional · Secured Data Engineer Role
"
Steve is a great recruiter offering sound advice to get through the toughest interviews. A worthwhile call for anybody looking for a new role.
Phil
Engineering Professional · Secured Senior Systems Engineer Role
"
Steve was absolutely crucial with mentoring and developing my interview techniques and was always happy to discuss the role in as much detail as required. Knowledgeable, approachable and dedicated are only but a few of the words which describe the type of relationship that I experienced while working with Steve.
Pete
Sales Professional · Secured Business Development Manager Role
FOR EMPLOYERS
Invest in how your candidates show up
As part of our service to Cirrus Selection clients, we offer structured candidate preparation as an extension of your hiring process, reducing drop-off, shortening timelines, and strengthening your employer brand.
Time & Cost
Savings for managers interviewing unprepared candidates
Offers
Acceptance rates rise when candidates feel supported
DEI
Levels the playing field for all candidates
Brand
Candidates remember how they were treated. Make it count.
Fewer extended processes, prepared candidates make their case first time
Time and cost savings for managers interviewing unprepared candidates
Lower withdrawal rates, supported candidates stay engaged and committed
Stronger DEI outcomes, coaching levels the playing field for all candidates
Positive employer brand, every candidate leaves with a good experience
Can be structured within your existing arrangement with Cirrus Selection
Our employer packages
Bespoke Interview Readiness, Individual
A tailored package where we integrate into your team, providing individual interview support to all candidates you engage with.
Pricing: Negotiable
Bespoke Interview Readiness, Volume
A tailored package where we integrate into your team, providing interview support to all candidates you engage with, offered through workshops, up to 10 candidates, for volume recruitment.
Pricing: Negotiable
Candidate Referral Scheme
You refer your candidates to Cirrus Elevate directly, and they receive a discount from the published prices when mentioning your company name.
Published prices with % discount applied
About Cirrus Elevate
We know what happens after you leave the room
Cirrus Elevate is a specialist interview coaching service delivered by the team at Cirrus Selection, a recruitment consultancy with deep expertise across engineering, technical, and defence and aerospace sectors.
We’ve sat in on hundreds of post-interview debrief calls. We know the comments that cost people jobs, and we make sure those comments are never about you.
Our coaches are not career advisors working from a textbook. They are working recruiters who understand the real language of your sector, the unspoken expectations of your industry, and what it genuinely takes to stand out.
01
We tell you what you need to hear. Our job is to make you better, and that takes real honesty, delivered with care.
Honest, not flattering
02
We help you tell your own story better. We don’t put words in your mouth, we help you find the best version of yours.
Prepared, not scripted
03
Our coaches understand the language and expectations of engineering, defence, and technical roles, not just interview theory.
Sector credibility
04
Whether you’re a graduate or a senior professional stepping up, we meet you exactly where you are.
For every level
Meet the Team
Steve Pickering
With over 25 years’ recruitment experience, Steve brings a clear perspective on what employers look for and what candidates need to succeed. This underpins his passion for making sure people are given the tools to present themselves in the best possible way.
It isn’t just about the technical fit; it is about the behavioural and cultural aspects being in alignment as well. Having worked with many of the most renowned engineering and manufacturing companies in the UK, Steve has a clear insight into what clients look for in their successful hires.
David Cox
With more than 20 years’ experience and a background in engineering and product design, David brings a practical, credible understanding of both candidates and hiring managers needs.
Having worked closely with thousands of professionals and leading organisations, David has a clear insight into what drives successful interviews, which led to the creation of Cirrus Elevate, a service designed to help candidates perform at their best when it matters most.