Mock interviews provide candidates with an opportunity to test out their job interview skills with someone who isn't evaluating them for an actual job.
If you're a college student, mock interviews may be offered through career services for students or recent alumni. If you're already in the professional world, a mock interview could be done with a trusted colleague, professional connection, or friend. Never do a mock interview with a family member.
Here are some of the major benefits of a mock interview.
They Help Reduce Stress And Anxiety About Interviewing
If you're not sure how to answer typical job interview questions, mock interviews provide a great opportunity for you to "test drive" your answers. The person conducting the mock job interview can give you feedback on whether or not your responses are suitable.
Unsure about what the most common job interview questions are? Work It Daily has you covered with our list of Common Interview Questions.
They Help Boost Your Confidence
Whoever is conducting the mock job interview can point out your strengths and weaknesses as the interview process goes along, which gives you time to address the weaknesses and build on your strengths. By having confidence in your skills, you will perform better during the actual job interview.
They Provide Constructive Feedback In A Low-Stress Environment
No one is the perfect candidate, so mock interviews help you clarify responses to certain questions and help you work on areas where you may have weaknesses.
In an actual job interview, you don't usually get feedback about your interviewing abilities, so a mock interview is a perfect opportunity to find out why you may be having some difficulty in landing your dream job.
They Can Help You Prepare For Behavioral-Based Interview Questions
Many companies use behavioral-based interview questions. If you're not familiar with this type of interviewing, it may be advantageous to give it a practice run in a mock interview.
Practice makes perfect! Even the best athletes struggle without practice, so you should never assume that you could just wing a job interview unprepared.
Take advantage of mock interviewing opportunities even if you think you're skills are at a very high level. There are things that we can all improve upon when it comes to making a great impression on a prospective employer.
While mock interviews are an important part of preparing for an actual job interview, there are many other ways to practice when you're alone. This includes writing down and answering as many potential interview questions as you can think of and practicing over and over again. When practicing alone, it also helps to visualize as much of the interview process as possible.
Work It Daily can also help to give your job interview skills a boost!
Join Work It Daily today and have access to one-on-one coaching from our career growth specialists. You'll also get access to a network of like-minded professionals who will offer daily support and guidance, and courses aimed at helping you grow your career and land your dream job fast.
This post was originally published at an earlier date.
