When conducting a mock interview, it is important to recreate the interview experience as much as possible. This requires research. It is essential to learn as much about a company’s interview process as possible. This research will allow the mock interview to be tailored to the upcoming interview.
The participants in a mock interview should treat the interview as if it is real. Some job seekers consider the mock interview as an informal exercise. They might stop in the middle of answers and start over. They could skip questions that are tough. They might even ask the interviewer for feedback or suggestions during the interview. All of these examples will disrupt the flow of the interview. One of the important elements to practice in a mock interview is the challenge of recovering from a bad question/answer. This makes it essential to complete a mock interview without interruption.
The mock interview should have a pre-scripted set of questions that the job seeker has not seen. The unpredictability of the interview is critical, so the interviewer needs to select the questions. It is also important to select a range of questions. Even if the job seeker has a specific need, such as answering questions about weaknesses, the interview should include questions on other topics. This is essential to create an interview experience similar to a real interview.
The mock interview should be challenging. It won’t help as much if the interviewer asks easy questions. Ideally, the questions will be tough enough to make the job seeker struggle. This will help the job seeker prepare for the tough interview questions in a real interview.
The location of an interview should be chosen so that the job seeker feels like they are at an interview. The mock interview does not need to be conducted in person. It can be conducted by phone or video conference, but the job seeker must be in a location where they can concentrate on the interview.
A great way to maximize the value of a mock interview is to record it. You can record video of the interview if it is in person or by video conference, or record audio if it is by phone. In either case, the recording will allow the job seeker to review their performance and work on improving.
Designing a mock interview to simulate exactly an upcoming interview will maximize its effectiveness, but don’t worry if you do not have detailed information on how a company interviews. Any practice you gain interviewing will help.