The purpose of the mock interview is to help you improve your interviewing skills.
Are you nervous about the thought of interviewing? Interview anxiety is common among many job seekers. The anxiety often results from not knowing what to expect or from being uncertain about the type of impression you project. However, as you have heard many times before, "practice makes perfect." With interview preparation and practice, your interview anxiety can be drastically reduced.
We now provide opportunities for you to practice your interviewing skills and offer individually scheduled mock interviews. In addition, this semester we Junior CC faculty provide Mock Interview Day on March 23, Friday. These interview opportunities are designed to simulate job interviews and prepare you to meet and exceed your interview expectations and job search goals.
Purpose of a Mock Interview Obviously, a mock interview is not identical to an actual interview with a particular employer. However, the mock interview is a realistic interview that helps you to sharpen your interview skills and offers an opportunity for you to respond to questions in a simulated situation. At the end of the interview, you will receive valuable feedback and coaching on your performance including suggestions for improvement for future interviews.
Mock interviews are designed to help you:
• Identify the most difficult questions you can anticipate being asked and develop appropriate responses.
• Decide what qualifications and information you want to convey to a prospective employer to influence the selection process.
• Obtain feedback concerning the impression you project to prospective employers.
Playing Your Part A mock interview is a "dress rehearsal" for your real
interviews. Consequently, we suggest that you dress as professionally as you would for a real interview. This will allow you to become accustomed to professional attire as well as to receive feedback on your professional appearance.
Scheduling a Mock Interview Mock interviews are offered in Junior CC class every Spring Semester. You sign up for a mock interview through your instructor.
Preparing for the Interview As is the case with any interview, you go into your mock interview with adequate preparation.
HOT TIP: An interview is not intended to be an artificial experience. It is a chance to showcase the “real you” and to see if you and the job are a good fit. Be yourself!
Pre-Interview Assignment
Step 1 – Select three questions that you anticipate being difficult to answer in a job interview. Write out a brief (25 words or less) answer to each of the questions.
Step 2 –An interview is also an opportunity for you to clearly communicate to the interviewer why you believe you should be offered the job. Upon entering an interview, you should be prepared to make convincing statements about yourself and your qualifications. Below are a few reasons why you may believe that you are the ideal candidate for the position you are seeking.
Reflect on these reasons and be prepared to explain in 25 words or less how you would support that reason.
• I have job experience related to the position I am seeking.
• I have internship experience relevant to this position.
• I have unpaid volunteer, organization, and/or committee experience relevant to the position I am seeking.
• I have the necessary skills to fulfill the requirements of this position.
• I have successfully completed coursework that relates to this career opportunity.
• I am very knowledgeable about this career field.
• I am very motivated to work for this organization.
Step 3 – Describe any other aspects of your interview performance about which you would like to receive feedback. What else would you like to know?
Step 4 – An interview is an interactive opportunity for an employer to learn more about you and for you to learn more about an employer. As such, be prepared to ask questions that will assist you in making your career decision should an offer be extended.
Write out three questions that you could use to obtain important prospective employer information.
The Interview
The mock interview will take about 10 minutes. During the first 3 minutes, you should be prepared to make convincing statements about yourself and your qualifications. During the last 7 minutes, the interviewer will conduct a standard interview. At the end of each session, the interviewers (internal and external ones) will provide feedback on how you responded to the difficult questions asked. You will learn how well you market your skills and qualifications as well as receive ideas on how to improve your interviewing skills.
Please see interview strategies below.
Taken from
http://www.baker.edu/departments/careerservices/intervw.html
Job Interview Questions
Aggressiveness and Enthusiasm
Interview Question: Why do you feel you can be successful in this position?
Winner Answer: I have the skills necessary to succeed in this position (tell a brief story to prove it). I consider myself energetic and willing to learn. Previous employers will attest to the fact that I am a very hard worker.
Interview Question: Why should I hire you?
Winner Answer: I am a go-getter. I believe in setting goals to achieve success. I am willing to learn new ideas and sales concepts. Previous employers will tell you that I am organized, self motivated, and result oriented.
Interview Question: What is your greatest strength and weakness, and how will these affect your performance here?
Winner Answer: I believe my greatest asset is that I am organized and am capable of creating order out of confusion. My greatest weakness is that I have little patience for people who don't value the same sense of order that I do. I believe my organizational skills will help this organization achieve its goals more quickly.
Communication Skills
Interview Question: How do you go about influencing someone to accept your ideas?
Winner Answer: That's something I've worked very hard on over the years. At some point I realized that good ideas, even great ideas, sometimes aren't received that way. The way you present an idea is just as important as the idea itself. When trying to influence people, I usually try to put myself in their position and think about their perspective. I'm then able to present thoughts to them in a way more likely to end in success.
Interview Question: What experience have you had in making oral presentations? How do
you rate your skills in this area?
Winner Answer: I read somewhere that public speaking was the number one fear of people in this country. After I read that, I figured that if most people are scared of it, addressing my own fear and mastering the skill of oral presentation would probably make me more competitive in the job market. So I do presentations every chance I get and find the more I do them, the more comfortable I am -- and the better I get.
Interview Question: How would you compare your verbal skills to your writing skills?
Winner Answer: It seems as if organizations are more dependent than ever on the ability of employees to be articulate both orally and in writing. I am constantly taking advantage of opportunities to develop my oral and written communication skills.
Interview Question: How should superiors and subordinates interact?
Winner Answer: I believe that clear communication throughout the hierarchy of an organization is critical to the organization's success. I'd like to think I've developed good strong skills in that area. I am always trying to increase my skills in that area. In terms of superior-subordinate relationships, I think it's most important to realize that each person and each relationship is different. The best approach for me is to begin without assumptions and see how the relationship develops over time, always keeping a positive attitude.
Interview Question: How do you get along with your co-workers?
Winner Answer: I generally get along very well with coworkers Occasionally I might run into a conflict with someone. When this happens, I usually focus on what the conflict is about rather than on personalities. I find that approach helps me to maintain a successful relationship with anyone -- and often leads to resolution and strengthened relationships.
Record of Success
Interview Question: What do you consider to be your most significant accomplishment and why?
Winner Answer: Rather than give you a specific line of thought to work with, I suggest you think of something you've done that highlights your uniqueness. Some examples: Won first prize in a math competition, I was elected class officer, managed a family crisis, rebuilt a car
engine from scratch, reorganized a department. If at all possible, give a work-related example.
Interview Question: Under what conditions have you been most successful in any undertaking?
Winner Answer: My approach to problem solving involves a systematic process of gathering relevant information about a problem, clearly identifying the problem, setting a strategy, and then implementing it. As long as I have enough information and a clear view of the problem, I can tackle anything.
Interview Question: How hard do you work to achieve your objectives?
Winner Answer: For me, the question is not how hard I work. It's a given that if I've set an objective or if I've been given an important assignment I work as hard as necessary to achieve the desired results. The question for me is how smart do I work -- in other words, what can I do to make the completion of the task come as easily and smoothly as possible so I can move on to other things.
Interview Question: Has the competition had any positive or negative impact on your accomplishments? How?
Winner Answer: If I were afraid of competition, I wouldn't be applying for a job in an organization like yours. The most important thing to me is knowing the competition and being clear about what it is we're competing for. When I'm in a competitive situation I like to make sure I understand what's at stake. Once I understand the game plan, I enjoy competing wholeheartedly.
Interview Question: What do you consider your earning potential to be five years from now?
Winner Answer: I believe my talents can earn a decent living; that's why I'm applying to a prestigious company such as yours. I plan to make enough money to live comfortable and am willing to do what it takes to ensure that I am well paid throughout my career.
Rational Thought Process
Interview Question: What are the most important characteristics you are looking for in a job and why?
Winner Answer: I'm looking for a job that utilizes my strongest skills, such as [name specific
skills]. I think it's also important that my role in the organization be clearly tied to the goals in the organization. I'm working for an entry-level position within a company with opportunities for advancement. Ultimately, it would also be great to have a job that is at times challenging, one that stretches me beyond my current abilities.
Interview Question: How do you think our company determines success?
Winner Answer: I've watched the growth of Baker College over the past few years. It seems to me that you would measure success by the extent of new programs being offered, meeting the needs of potential students, and by the enthusiasm and desire to produce results relating to individuals working for the college.
Interview Question: How did you determine your career choice?
Winner Answer: The summer before my senior year, I decided it was time to focus on a specific direction. Even though I was a business major, I wasn't sure which business I would end up in. I spent some time thinking about my goals, what I was good at, and what I really wanted out of work, and decided that the __________ industry would fit my interests. I also met with a variety of business professionals to discuss career information.
Interview Question: What do you consider most valuable: a high salary, or job recognition and advancement?
Winner Answer: For me, those things are inseparable. Although I am not obsessive about money, I assume that with success and advancement and recognition it brings will come greater financial rewards.
Interview Question: What qualities are most important to determine whom you would hire for this position?
Winner Answer: I think the 1990's offer real challenges for corporations. If I were doing the hiring, regardless of the position, I would look for several things. I'd want somebody who wasn't afraid to make decisions, yet was a team player. Excellent written and verbal communication skills are important also. Finally, I'd want someone who realized that quality and service are the keys to a company's success.
Interview Question: Do you agree that grade point average is an indication of how successful you would be in this company?
Winner Answer: (for someone with poor grades) I think it's important that someone show the ability to get good grades. If a person has a poor track record in every subject it might make me nervous. The important thing from my perspective is that there should be some highlights in an individual's academic career that point to potential.
Winner Answer: (for someone with good grades) While managing an academic career is less complex than a demanding job, I do believe there is a correlation. To me, the most important thing about a strong academic record is that is reflects a commitment to excellence.
Maturity
Interview Question: In what ways have you been a leader?
Advanced Response: I've had several jobs where I've played a leadership role, responsible for seeing that jobs get done, and I've always had successful outcomes. Most important though, I feel in the past few years that I've developed an ability to spot potential in others and have been able to foster their development. For me, that's the real challenge of leadership -- helping other meet their potential.
Winner Answer: In my classes, I have often volunteered to do extra work or be group facilitator. Also, at work I have had leadership experience. I am a waitress in charge of training new staff. Generally, many of my coworkers come to me for assistance with work-related questions and with difficult customers. I enjoy being in a leadership role. I thrive on the challenge.
Interview Question: In your adult life, what accomplishment has given you the most satisfaction?
Advanced Response: In my last job, I took over my boss' responsibilities for two months while he was ill. Although I was relatively new to my position, I was able to pick up the additional responsibilities and effectively meet the demands of both positions. It really felt satisfying to be able to respond to a crisis like that and deliver. (Provide a personal example)
Winner Answer: Completing my education has been my number one goal. It has been difficult working full time and going to school full time. If I can do that, I know I can do anything.
