What is a Mock Interview?

If you find job interviews to be dreadful, we are not surprised. Trust us. This is the case with each one of us. But, guess what, mock interviews are just what you need. 

What Exactly is a Mock Interview? 

A mock interview is nothing but kind of a rehearsal for your actual job interview. You can also refer to it as a practice or preparation before you are there sitting in front of your potential employers. These mock interviews can be conducted by any individual who has experience in the field, has interviewed someone before, and can provide valuable feedback. Mock interviews are also conducted by coaches at coaching institutions to judge the performance and improvement of the candidate. However, typically a mock interview in its truest sense is conducted by professionals at the company you wish to join. It can be either on a call, face-to-face, and even online platforms like Google Meet, Zoom, etc. 

Now that you know, what mock interviews are, you might be wondering if you want to appear for one or not. Right? But we say look at the below-mentioned benefits, and then you can decide if it’s worth your time or not. 

What Are The Advantages of a Mock Interview?

We would always suggest you go through a mock interview before you go for the real deal. Here is why:

1. Mock interviews boost your confidence: When you are about to appear for a mock interview the stress and pressure are no less than the real one. And when you have already gone through the turmoil once and overcome the fear it is hard to not be confident. 
   
   
2. Mock interviews will reduce your stress: There are so many moments in our lives when we are under stress and anxiety. Giving a job interview is definitely one of them. Again, when you appear for a mock interview you have dealt with all the thoughts in your head and still managed to perform. Thus, when you are appearing for the interview, there are no more thoughts concerning you. 
   
   
3. Improve your body language: There are so many factors that decide whether you are fit for a job or not. And one of them is how you choose to present yourself or your body language. When attending a mock interview, you are free to make mistakes but at the same time, you have the opportunity to not repeat them. 
   
   
4. Getting familiar with the questions: Mock interviews not only prepare you for the different kinds of questions that might come your way. These are behavioral based questions, general knowledge questions or just some very basic ones. 
   
   
5. Mock interviews help you adapt to a situation: When you sit for a mock interview with a professional from the company, your mentor or just one of your questions, you get familiar with the situation. You can also understand this to be in a way training your mind to be prepared for the D- day. 

How To Prepare for a Mock Interview?

We agree that we termed mock interviews to be a rehearsal for the real interview. But, you do need to remember that, to excel in the interview you must treat the former and latter with the same seriousness and professionalism. Thus, you need to everything about how to prepare for a mock interview. 

• Step 1: Choose the location of the mock interview: If your interviewee is a friend or acquaintance it is your job to choose an ideal location for the interview. Whereas if it is a mentor or professional interview, expect an office setup to welcome you. In the first case, note that there should be no interruptions, noise or distractions. 
  
  
• Step 2: Get the interviewer prepared: Again if it is not a professional setup, you would need to prepare the interviewer before anything else. Let them know about everything that concerns your job and your role at the organization. Only then, will they be able to come up with relevant questions. Most importantly, your interviewer should know the right answers to the questions and should be able to provide valuable feedback. 
  
  
• Step 3: Prepare yourself: The night before the day of the mock interview, make a list of all the questions and their answers that you are sure are going to be asked. These questions could be for the initial ice-breaking session, the technical ones or the concluding ones. Here go through everything that you have learned or think can help you gain some plus points. 
  
  
• Step 4: Get dressed accordingly: We have already mentioned that you must treat the mock interview and the real one nearly the same. So, you must get dressed in an all-formal attire even for this practice interview.
  
  
• Step 5: Reach on time: This goes without saying but you have to create a good impression in front of the interviewee. So, start by reaching the venue on time. 
  
  
• Step 6: Record the entire interview: The most crucial step in this entire process is to get a recording of the interview for you to refer to or look at, later. Sometimes. We are our best critics and no matter how good the interviewee is, giving you feedback is always better if you find your mistakes and try to rectify them. 

What Are Some of the Questions You Can Expect?

Since the mock interview aims to throw questions that have been asked previously in interviews or can be asked in the future, it is always good to note some of the most common questions. So here is what we think has been asked quite often:

1. ‘Tell me about yourself.’
2. What are your strengths and weakness?
3. How can you contribute to the growth of the company?
4. Where do you see yourself in the next three or five years?
5. What keeps you motivated? 

With that, we have come to the last section of the blog. We have discussed almost everything that you need to know about mock interviews. And if you still have questions that weren’t answered, stick to the last of the blog. There might be a surprise awaiting you. But, hey, we are not done yet. The last section is an insightful one where we tell you some of the things you should avoid in a mock interview.

What Are The Most Common Mishaps in a Mock Interview?

Well, you have found this blog at just the right time. While you are going through this detailed breakdown of what a mock interview is, how it is conducted, and everything, there might be someone else scratching his head about how to go about it. These are some of the mistakes they commonly make:

1. Keep talking about the salary and other perks: Your interviewer knows how to go about the interview and he will be devoting time to discuss the salary and perks you will get if you are hired. However, if you interrupt the interviewer or keep revolving around the benefits of the job you surely will sound desperate. And we obviously don’t want that. Right?
   
   
2. No eye contact: Many times candidates do the mistake that they refrain from making and maintain eye contact with the interviewer. This only delivers one idea to the person sitting in front of you i.e., you are nervous and lack confidence. 
   
   
3. Negativity: We do not need to tell you the importance of positivity or talking about positive things. But, when in a mock interview try to be as positive as possible. Do not mention your previous job or employer unless the interviewer brings it up. 
   
   
4. Lack of interest: Doesn’t matter whether your interview is early in the day or late in the evening, it is important that you seem and sound excited and interested to get the job. Showing a lack of interest can be one of the most stupid mistakes. 
   
   
5. Not dressed formally: It never comes down to the appearance of the candidate but starts from there. And by appearance, we don’t mean how expensive your shirt is how much makeup you have on. Rather, it is about the tidiness and how much attention you have paid to the details. 

Conclusion

Doing a mock interview is one of the best ways to prepare yourself for the job and be satisfied at the end of it. Practice makes a man perfect, and when you practice with dedication and determination, it is guaranteed that you will get that job you have been eyeing. 

Frequently Asked Questions

1. When should I conduct a mock interview? We think you should start preparing and arranging for a mock interview as soon as you get called for a walk-in interview in an organization. 
2. Can I ask my friend to conduct a mock interview for me? Yes. You can ask your friend to be the interviewer. The only thing is he should be aware of the job profile and ask relevant questions. If you have a friend who is excellent at giving feedbacks, he should be your ideal choice. 
3. What if I don’t perform well at the mock interview? It is completely fine if you don’t perform up to the mark. The whole point of this activity is to help you prepare for the actual interview.