🥂 Reviews and Success Stories 🥂
Working professionally as an interview panelist and interview specialist, I've had a variety of experiences that have shaped how I work.
Mock Interview Session
“Working with Orla gave me valuable insight into how I present myself and the depth of knowledge I bring to an interview. I left our session feeling truly prepared - confident in my ability and reassured that, whatever the outcome, I had shown up as my best self. Orla created a space where I felt genuinely seen and heard, and every piece of advice was delivered with kindness and compassion. The skills and awareness I gained will not only support me in future interviews, but also in many areas of my professional life.”
Sarah, Experienced Primary School Teacher
The Teacher Promotion Club
I could not recommend these services enough. Engaging in the Promotion Club and other courses provided by Orla focused my attention to many successful events over my career and the personal and professional growth over my career to date. This fostered my confidence in presenting my best self at interview to secure my new role. The content of the services, helped my frame and structure my responses in a highly professional manner, highlighting the key areas associated with the role and how I can contribute in a positive way.
NG, DP
Testimonial for The Lead Together Networking Event
“This was my first time attending a leadership networking event, and I was genuinely impressed. Orla created a warm, welcoming atmosphere from the outset - making thoughtful introductions that helped everyone feel at ease. The venue was lovely, the speakers were engaging, and Orla’s light-hearted humour brought great energy to the evening. I found it a great opportunity to get out and talk about myself in a professional capacity. A truly uplifting and valuable experience - I’m already looking forward to the next one.”
DB, Experienced Primary School Teacher
🥂The Celebration Wall 🥂
Let's cheer on these wonderful leaders who have secured new roles since working with me.
- 🙌 DB secured a Professional Learning Leader role with Oide. She purchased the Confident Career Leader Programme.
- 🙌 NG secured a DP Principal role with the help of The Teacher Promotion Club, Key Strategies to Answer Have You Any Questions for Us and The CV Success Academy.
- 🙌 Megan is now in an APII role. She worked with me on CV preparation and interview preparation to secure her initial CID contract also!
🙌 Emer secured a Deputy Principal role after doing the course "Help
I've an Interview in a Week". - 🙌 F secured a Principal role and an Acting Principal role when she undertook 2 mock interviews with me (one for each post).
- 🙌 A secured a role in the Civil Service after a mock interview with me.
- 🙌 LL secured a Deputy Principal Role. She purchased How to Complete Leadership Application Forms (available in The Teacher Promotion Club) and How to Communicate Your Experience Effectively.
- 🙌 L was appointed as Principal following her mock interview.
- 🙌 C was offered a role with Oide, when she purchased the Oide application webinar, incidentally, at the same time she applied for and was offered a position as Deputy Principal in her school.
- 🙌 VC secured an AP2 with the help of 'Help! I've an Interview in a Week'.
- 🙌 FD is an experienced teacher and used 'Help! I've an Interview in a Week' to move schools and secure a permanent job!
- 🙌 Angela purchased 'Help! I've an Interview in a Week' and secured the only permanent job advertised in a school very close to where she lives as an outsider.
- 🙌 Linda secured an AP2 when she purchased 'Help! I've an Interview in a Week and did a mock interview with me.
"I purchased Orla’s Oide application webinar, which was extremely helpful when filling out my application form. At the same time, I applied for – and was offered – a Deputy Principal position in my own school! I was AP2 at the time, so I’m absolutely delighted with the step up.
Orla’s resources were invaluable in preparing for the DP interview. It was a very tough process, but I kept her advice about showing, not proving in mind - and it made all the difference."
C. Experienced Teacher
🥂Further Achievements🥂
Career successes include more confidence, greater clarity and taking positive steps in the right direction.
These teachers are achieving fabulous succeses too!
- 🙌 After our mock interview, K said that she calmed down and slowed down. She stopped overthinking the questions and answered using STAR.
- 🙌 Karen said: "I'm feeling positive about teaching. I had begun to think about leaving. As I've come to this profession late, but now, for the first time in a long time, I feel alive".
- 🙌 SB reported that she got more calls about work opportunities.
- 🙌 J said that after her support with her SAF: "I knew I would be able to move to a job closer to home".
- 🙌 After her mock interview session Bernadette said: "I had a plan in my head on how to answer the questions but didn’t need to write out all the answers like my first interview bullet points were enough"
- 🙌 Peter said "I didn't get the job (AP2) but was given very positive feedback. I felt encouraged to apply for the next post that arises and the experience was extremely positive".
- 🙌 John didn't secure the role (yet!) but said: "There was improvement across the board in my scores (this was an interview I had attempted previously)".
- 🙌 Patrice Cummins said "I didn’t get the role after my 1 to 1 but got a later interview that suited me".
- 🙌 After securing a teaching role with me, CC is thinking about going for an AP11 post.
Testimonial for Orla Dempsey – HR & Interview Panel Expert
I have had the pleasure of working with Orla Dempsey on numerous occasions as the external HR expert supporting my public sector client’s interview panels. Orla brings a wealth of HR knowledge, professionalism, and a strong sense of fairness to every engagement. She is consistently flexible and accommodating, always willing to adapt to scheduling needs and support the process in a calm, capable manner. Her communication skills are excellent – clear, respectful, and always focused on collaboration. Orla also brings a thoughtful awareness of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion, helping to ensure that interview processes are fair, inclusive, and aligned with best practices.
I would highly recommend Orla to any organisation seeking a reliable, experienced, and values-driven HR professional to support recruitment and selection processes.
Stephen Farrell-O’Callaghan, Managing Director, Clark Recruitment
Interview Panalist at Ballyhaise College
"Orla assisted on our interview panel, when we were hiring an Agricultural Teacher. She brought clarity, professionalism, and deep insight to our interview process at Ballyhaise Agricultural College. Her ability to assess teamwork and collaboration, draw out meaningful examples from candidates, and support fair, evidence-based decisions made her an invaluable member of our panel. I would highly recommend Orla as an assessor and panellist."
John Kelly. Principal. Ballyhaise Agricultural College
Mock Interview Reviews
After each mock interview, I invite clients to share feedback with me. These are 3 words that they would use to describe the session. Here are some of their replies.