How a Mock Interview Can Get You Your Next Job

Like it or not, an interview is a kind of performance, and therefore – it’s helpful to get a lot of practice in before the real deal.

The best athletes, musicians and actors practice over and over before they hit the field or the stage. These performers go through so much repetition; it reduces the odds of nerves or bad luck having a serious impact on their performance.

Mock interviews allow job candidates get comfortable with what they are going to say and determine any weak areas that need fine tuning. Here are a few suggestions on how to conduct a mock interview so that you are ready to deliver the goods on game day.

Find a good mock interviewer

Generally speaking, you don’t want your friends, family or significant other to be your mock interviewer, especially if they don’t work in your field. Instead, ask a colleague or mentor to give you a fair interview that includes a lot of tough, smart questions.

A good interviewer will be able to offer you honest insights that can make for better preparation than if your interviewer is just a friend who’s just winging it as a favor.

Get your interviewer up to speed

Before you sit down for the mock interview, provide your interviewer with background information about the both the position and the business so she or he has a framework to go on. This helps them to ask good questions associated with the job, business and particular industry.

Also, give your mock interviewer a list of standard interview questions so you can practice your responses. That being said, you should also encourage your interviewer to “go off script” so you can prepare for the unexpected.

Dress as if the job depended on it

It might feel a bit absurd doing a mock interview dressed for the actual interview, but it is an effective part of the preparation. First of all, you need to ensure everything you want to wear is clean, looks good, and fits properly before the real interview. The last thing you want is to put on something that no longer fits you on the morning of the real interview.

Second, dressing for your mock interviewer allows o to get feedback on your ensemble. This is where not having an interviewer who is not a friend or loved one comes in particularly handy.

Third, dressing for the interview gets you in the right mindset. When you put on your interview clothes, you’re no longer just sitting down with a colleague – you’re now in the proper interview headspace.

Respect the process

Professional athlete know you must practice “at game speed” in order to properly prepare, and the same goes for mock interviews. Conduct the interview as if it were the real thing. Don’t start joking around. Don’t get embarrassed about talking up yourself.

If you act the exact way you are going to in the interview, it allows you to get the most helpful feedback possible from your interviewer.

At Career Concepts, we help job seekers with everything from resume writing to interview prep. Please contact us or check out our job board if you’re looking for help taking the next step on your career path.