What is a Mock Job Interview?

If you inquire any career counselor the most significant advice to give to anyone going for a job interview, they will tell you “preparation.” Interview preparation is mostly the difference between success and failure at your job interview, and yet most candidates go into interviews and wing it, making up answers on the fly without any degree of preparation beforehand. It is in your best interests to deeply prepare for a job interview. One of the great ways to do this is to hold a mock job interview with a friend or counselor, so that you can get used to answering usual interview queries perfectly.

How to do a Mock Job Interview

Mock interviews are the great way to prepare for answering actual interview queries that the interviewer will inquire. It is also a good way to pick up on habits that might ruin your chances of impressing an interviewer. Before your mock interview, you and the mock employer should separately research the following:

• The company you’re interviewing for.
• Your resume and cover letter.
• The job description to the position you applied for.
• Common interview queries for first interviews.

The mock employer should prepare a list of queries that are likely to be inquired at your interview. You should separately prepare a variation of answers (without knowing the specific queries) that mention your skills and utilize significant interview tips. Once you’ve prepared, you and the mock interviewer should go through a fake interview procedure from introduction to conclusion.

What You Should Watch Out For

During your mock job interview you should keep an eye out for the following:

• Queries that you struggled to answer.
• Any stories of your achievements you didn’t highlight.
• Difficulties that you had with the interview procedure.

You might also need to tape your mock interview and listen to yourself to see how confidently you appeared and if there were any mannerisms that depicted your nervousness.

What the Mock Interviewer Should Look For

The mock interviewer also plays a significant role. First and foremost, they should provide you an honest account about how well you performed during the interview. Although, they should also keep an eye out for the following:

• How often it appeared you rambled without a point.
• Where you could make better your answers.
• How often you spoke negatively about a past employer or colleague.
• How often you utilized the words “Um” and “Uh.”
• Whether you had any ticks, gestures or mannerisms that distracted the mock employer during your answer.

After the Interview

Once you’ve completed the interview, you should review all of the areas you can make better. Research any places where you felt your knowledge or answers were lacking. If possible, consider doing the interview again, with few of the queries the same and some different to help keep you off guard and prepared for anything that might be inquired at the actual interview.

The key to interview victory is preparation. Mock interviews are the best way to prepare for an actual interview, as they provide you practices answering interview queries and helpful feedback towards how you can respond better.