How mock interviews help you get the job

Mock interviews, or practice interviews, are an essential part of your interview preparation strategy. Unfortunately, most people fail to do them before they go in for the real thing. Often, skipping mock interviews results in low self-confidence during the interview, rambling, and in cohesive answers.

As small as these things seem, they can be the reason you’re not moving forward in the hiring process. That’s why setting up a practice interview is a step you CAN’T skip when you’re trying to get hired, especially if you don’t have a lot of interviewing experience. Here are a few ways mock interview help you get the job:

They make you more confident.

You’re the most confident when you’re comfortable. The best way to get more comfortable with interviewing is by practicing. Repetition will help you feel more relaxed and levelheaded during job interviews.

They help you practice your "talk tracks."

There are a few major things you’ll need to reinforce during job interviews, such as your ability to do the job, why you want to earn the opportunity, how you’ve dealt with tricky situations relating to the job, and so on. The more you practice saying these answers out loud, the easier it will be to remember those “talk tracks” you should use without sounding robotic.

They allow you to tweak your approach.

Just like taking a practice test, doing a mock interview allows you to pinpoint problem areas of your strategy so you can adjust them before the big day. That way, you can “study” more effectively before your real interview.

Getting a job interview is HARD these days. Don’t throw away your opportunity to shine by skipping out on mock interviews. If you need more help with your job interview strategy, book an appointment with Longwood University Career Services and set up a practice interview with a career coach.