Five Reasons Why You Should Do a Mock Interview

Editor’s Note: This article was originally published by the author here on FlashMock, where it appeared as part of their Insights, Tips and Success Stories Blog. It is republished here on Laptop and a Pen to bring its insights to a wider audience and to provide continued value to readers exploring interview preparation and professional growth.

You finally did it. You secured an interview for your dream job. All you have to do is prepare.

You plan on doing your research on the company and rehearse perfectly crafted answers to commonly asked interview questions. Then it occurs to you that you might want to do a dry run before the real interview. After all, interviews can be nerve-wracking, and what sounds great in your head doesn't always come out the same under pressure. Mock interviews are a common way to practice and assess your weaknesses, but are they really worth it? There's minimal effort involved in soliciting a trusted mentor, friend, or family member to conduct a mock interview with you, and it's often free of charge. However, it's no secret that many people end up paying upwards of hundreds of dollars to secure mock interviews through online platforms. So what's so special about mock interviews and should you go through one before your actual interview?

Here are some of the top reasons why you should do a mock interview.

#1 Mock Interviews Boost Your Confidence

Interviewing can be nerve-wracking. Mock interviews are real life simulations of the scenarios and questions that you will likely face during your actual interview. They serve as a preview that will often enhance your comfort level going into the actual interview, which in turn will boost your confidence in your ability to successfully navigate the actual interview. It's recommended that you set up a mock interview through an online platform instead of soliciting the help of family or friends. This is because the experience of interviewing with someone you're unfamiliar with will more closely resemble what you will encounter during the actual interview.

#2 Mock Interviews Let You Peel Back The Curtain On the Position You've Vying For

The best mock interviews are those made with people who currently work or have worked at the company you're interviewing with. The questions you are asked during your mock interview aren't important just because they allow you to practice thought-out answers, but because they also point you to what's important to your mock interviewer. If your mock interviewer currently holds the position you're vying for, chances are that what's important to them will also be important to your actual interviewer. Pay attention to what they're asking: Are they interested in knowing how you would behave if faced with certain work conflicts? Or are they more interested in hearing about the hands-on skills you acquired at your last job? Mock interviews are a low pressure environment that allows you to discover what your interviewer knows about what it takes to succeed in the role you're applying for and the culture of the workplace.

#3 Mock Interviews Lead To Self-Awareness

The constructive feedback you get after your mock Interview is invaluable because it allows you to discover and focus on the areas of your performance in need of improvement. The use of video recording or AI are powerful tools that are often deployed during mock interviews to assist the mock interviewer in their constructive feedback. Because these tools allow for a third person's perspective on how you present yourself when interviewing (such as body language, mannerism, filler words and posture), they significantly increase the appeal of mock interviews.

#4 Mock Interviews Enhance Adaptability

Interviews can be uncomfortable because of the inherent uncertainty that comes with not knowing how your interaction with your interviewer will unfold. Will it be the case that you just "click" with your interviewer and the conversation flows easily? Or will it be full of awkward pauses? Doing several mock interviews with a variety of mock interviewers is advantageous because it allows you to adapt to different communication and personality styles. This makes you less likely to be caught off guard or intimidated by an interviewer whose approach or demeanor is very different from your own. Mock interviews are a great way to develop conversational habits that engage your interviewer and minimize awkward pauses.

#5 Mock Interviews Reveal How Well (Or Not) You Know Your Resume

Have you ever found yourself rambling during an interview or struggling to provide a structured answer when recounting your professional experience? If you haven't gone through the humbling and awkward moment of being asked about a job which you forgot was even on your resume, you're part of a lucky few. The advantage of a mock interview? Well, let's say that if your mock interviewer inquires about what's on your resume and you unfortunately draw a blank, you'll know to revise your resume later on or examine it more carefully, such that you'll avoid those deer in the headlights moments on the day of the actual interview.

Conclusion

In a nutshell, you should consider mock interviews because they automatically give you an edge over your peers in your interview preparation process. I highly recommend doing mock interviews using online platforms such as FlashMock. FlashMock helps hundreds of candidates conduct peer-to-peer online interviews with working professionals from their targeted career fields, at a fraction of the cost charged by other online platforms. FlashMock's use of AI technology, in combination with its peer-to-peer model, makes it an ideal choice for many. Get started on your mock interview journey by joining FlashMock here.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Michele is an aspiring writer who enjoys speaking about personal growth, career development and social issues. When she's not writing for Laptop and a Pen, she handles legal matters as an attorney for startups and emerging companies. Other than her passions for writing and the law, Michele enjoys attending performative arts and traveling.