Need To Get Better At Interviewing? Try A Mock Interview

iStock | Chaay_Tee

In many ways, a job interview is a performance. Any actor will tell you doing scene work or watching themselves on film for the first time is a sobering experience. After that, it’s nothing but practice. Just like acting, interviewing is a learned skill. The better you become, the better your chances of receiving the job offers you truly want. 

Enter the Mock Interview. Think of a mock interview as a rehearsal – you run the lines but the stakes aren’t real. It does not matter how many mistakes you make because there are no real-world consequences beyond derision from the very generous and patient friend or family member who has agreed to interview you. Running lines with another person is a superior barometer of how prepared you are to face the room than writing out and practicing answers to potential interview questions. 

Before we dive into the nuts and bolts of a Mock Interview, let’s step back and think about your “sweet spot” in the room. The whole purpose of practice, practice, practice is

to make the experience as natural as possible. A contradiction? Yes. Tried, true, and effective? Yes. Going into an interview, you want: 

·      Your authentic self to shine.

·      Your answers to sound polished but not rehearsed.

·      To give sharp, succinct answers that match the question you were asked.

·      To avoid using space-filling interjections (e.g., um, ahem, aah, hmm, ah, like, etc.)

·      To make eye contact and have open body language. 

Mock interviews can:

·      Provide a fantastic method to hone your skills and sharpen your pencil.

·      Reveal whether or not you are effectively answering questions.

·      Make you more prepared, which makes you more comfortable, which mitigates anxiety and nervousness, which increases your vertical leap by three feet.

·      Provide a friendly and receptive audience comprised of a person, or people, who know you best and will, most likely, offer positive constructive criticism.

Start with a list of questions. Endless examples of interview questions are a Google search away but to jump-start your groundbreaking off-Broadway production of “Interview 101”, here is a quick list of classics: 

·      Tell me about yourself.

·      What interested you in this opportunity?

·      Why do you think you’re a good fit for this job?

·      Tell me about your experience in this type of work.

·      What is your greatest strength and weakness?

The first type of Mock Interview is like a play in an empty theater. It’s in person. Just like a real interview, you sit awkwardly across the table from someone who asks you questions typical of a job interview. There are no rules to conducting a Mock Interview, but for the best results keep the interview questions a secret for the first run-through. After that, you can hone your responses and demeanor. In this setting, your interviewer’s body language and reactions are instant feedback.

The second type of Mock Interview is a video. Yes, you’re sitting awkwardly across a table just like before, but this time a video camera is rolling. Warning: video is not kind. Watching yourself interview can be painful, because video reveals interview skill deficiencies with unnerving accuracy. You will see things invisible during your live one-on-one like fidgeting, posture, eye contact, blinking, excessive interactions, and sweating.

Practice. Practice. Practice. Rinse. Repeat.

Other tips – ignore at your own risk: 

·      Do a full dress (up!) rehearsal, including printing out your resume and stressing about where to park.

·      Many interviews are behavioral interviews. Knowledge is power. Learn as much about them as you can.

·      Don’t forget the other important set of interview questions – yours! Chances are, you’ve had an interview that ends with, “Do you have any questions?” Have questions. Great, well-researched, and well-thought-out questions. If you don’t ask your interviewers questions, you’ll come across as uninterested.

·      For recent graduates or soon-to-be-recent graduates – put down your phones! No. Seriously. Put down your phones. Take those earbuds out of your ears and L-I-S-T-E-N. Your college career center may have some great resources to help you prepare for interviews.

·      Thank your interviewer(s) for your time (yes, even the imaginary one during the mock interview!).

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Philip Roufail contributed to this article.

Scott Singer is the President and Founder of Insider Career Strategies Resume Writing & Career Coaching, a firm dedicated to guiding job seekers and companies through the job search and hiring process. Insider Career Strategies provides resume writing, LinkedIn profile development, career coaching services, and outplacement services. You can email Scott Singer at scott.singer@insidercs.com, or via the website, www.insidercs.com.

Uh, Oh – I Made A Mistake And Just Took A Really Bad Job. What Do I Do?

iStock | scyther5

You did it! You rolled up your sleeves, applied for a new job, and landed a sweet new gig!

On your first day, you arrive excited to tackle your news duties and start your new life. However, as the day progresses, you realize something at your new company is wrong. Very wrong, and by the time you're pulling out of the parking lot, you reach the sobering conclusion that you have made a dire mistake by accepting this job.

In the days that follow, events at work confirm your worst fears. Your sweet new gig is toxic. Deadlines are impossible. Everybody’s angry all the time. Your co-workers look at you with a mix of sympathy and sadness typically reserved for the terminally ill and, when pressed, admit they have one foot out the door. It is clear the job is not a good fit for you, and the staff's consensus is the company's toxic work environment is institutionalized and not likely to improve any time soon. What do you do?

Relationships are complex, and your job is a relationship. There are no "right" or "wrong" answers to what you should do, and there are no guarantees for the future. Only you can determine what is the best path forward. With that said, here are some factors to consider if your new job turns out to be a nightmare.

1.     Should you stay or should you go? This is your livelihood. You must be decisive because time is of the essence. If you leave a job in a few weeks or months, it will be but a minor blip on your resume. If you are in a toxic work situation and have the resources to jump, you should do it - and now is the time. In the current labor market, employees have the leverage, but the pendulum can swing the other way in an instant. Otherwise, you may spend an unhappy year becoming increasingly disengaged and risk termination, which is a more difficult professional story to tell, while risking a deep melancholy in the process.

2.     Can you stick it out until something comes up? If you do not have the resources to quit your job, you have to find a way to stick it out while searching for another position. Besides, it's really not a myth that it's easier to find a job when you're already in one – employers tend to favor candidates who are currently employed. Use your job search to help you cope with whatever daily miseries you must endure. While you remain at your toxic job, identify areas of valuable professional and personal development that can help you down the road. Do your best work. Don't slack off. Document your achievements for upcoming interviews. You cannot change the toxic environment, but you can focus on work that is potentially beneficial to you in the future.

3.     Do you have a second choice that is still an option? If you had multiple job offers during your search – or even just a positive interview experience that never came to fruition – you can revisit a company you turned down. You may get some slack and additional hurdles put in your way, but if this is an option, you should consider exploring it.

4.     Is the door still open at your previous company? If you left your last job on good terms with your employer (ALWAYS a good idea…), you may be able to return – if that is something you would want to do and they want you back. This option has risks; if you return to your old job after a brief stint at another one, you are locked in for a while, and leaving a second time would be disastrous for your professional reputation.

5.     Mount your search. When faced with difficult circumstances, there is a risk of paralysis rationalized as prudence and patience. It's easier to "see where things go" than roll up your sleeves again and plunge back into a job search (especially when the last one ended in disaster). Resist the temptation to take half measures. Start immediately. Make time every day. Your dream job is out there. Go get it.

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Philip Roufail contributed to this article.

Scott Singer is the President and Founder of Insider Career Strategies Resume Writing & Career Coaching, a firm dedicated to guiding job seekers and companies through the job search and hiring process. Insider Career Strategies provides resume writing, LinkedIn profile development, career coaching services, and outplacement services. You can email Scott Singer at scott.singer@insidercs.com, or via the website, www.insidercs.com.

Looking For An Entry-Level Job? Here's How To Stand Out.

iStockphoto.com | zimmytws

Getting a job is tough. Getting your first job can be even tougher. Even if you have a background bursting with impressive internships and work experience, you’re still perceived as green and unproven. Add to that the fact that there are hundreds of thousands of college graduates every year and some of them want to do exactly what it is that you want to do. How do you stand out?

The best and easiest thing you can do to help your overall candidacy is nailing the basics. You may be surprised to learn that the basics are what trip up young professionals-in-training the most. Here’s why. You haven’t done anything yet. Even if you’re valedictorian at Harvard, you’re still going to have to convince somebody that your scholarship translates into work. 

In lieu of the “proven track record of success,” every employer asks for, when it comes to new graduates recruiters and hiring managers often rely on their instincts. They look for skills, sure, but they also try to recognize traits in workers who could go on to do great things and be assets to their businesses (or shareholders!) – the most apparent by your resume and interview can reflect proofreading, attention to detail, honesty, and so forth. there shouldn’t be one mistake on your cover letter or resume. Even one error May doom you. A sloppy resume/cover letter is believed to translate into sloppy work. No cover letter? That could broadcast laziness.

Attention to detail - applying for jobs is monotonous and labor-intensive. It’s easy to miss things when you’re going on your second hour of data entry. However, if the job poster has requirements that you miss it will equal an inability to follow simple instructions. Don’t rush. Make sure you check all the boxes. Including honesty - everything on your job application should be 100% true. Embellishments are not welcome. 

That’s just a shortlist of basic mistakes that can sink the boat before it’s cleared the slip. It’s all in the approach. Here are five tips to help separate you from the pack.  

1.    Go beyond your career center. Absolutely, you should leverage every resource your school's career center has to offer, but don’t rely on them for anything. Life is a do-it-yourself-deal. Your job search should be too. If you’re not prepared to do the legwork, why should anybody else? Apply to jobs online, make your own connections, and reach for the stars.

2.    Be professional. If you accept an interview, show up on time. Dress in appropriate interview attire. Be courteous to everyone you meet. Turn your phone off and put it away. Demonstrate a level of maturity that gives your interviewers confidence that you’re ready for the main stage. 

3.    Work your network. Make a list of all the people you know, and who they know that may be willing to help you out. A strong referral or series of referrals can work wonders. However, knowing a single person at a company does not mean you will get a job there. Don’t put too much faith in your contacts. don’t punt. Be a doer. Be proactive and in charge of your own fate. Don’t focus on what your network can do for you, but think about what you need to do for the people who do help you out.  First, be professional (see above). Second, be a great interview. Third, be the best new hire of all time. 

4.    If it’s not on the page, it’s not on the stage. Make sure your resume doesn’t look like you put it together yesterday between Tik Tok videos. If you don’t have a solid, professional, and well-written resume you are putting an unnecessary and insurmountable burden on your job prospects. Anything less may not make it past the employer’s screening software. More discriminating than a computer algorithm is protecting one’s professional reputation. No one is going to advance a candidate with a résumé replete with mistakes. The referral will reflect poorly on their judgment. This is worse than burning a bridge because you prevented the bridge from ever being built. 

5.    Master behavioral interviewing. One of the more difficult types of interviews is the “behavioral interview,” during which you are asked questions about actual experiences that allegedly reveal the good, the bad, and the ugly about your personality. Here’s an example: “Tell me about a time you didn’t get along with the boss. Or messed up a project. Or missed the deadline.” It’s tricky. Think about what your answers may be and practice them.

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Philip Roufail contributed to this article.

Scott Singer is the President and Founder of Insider Career Strategies Resume Writing & Career Coaching, a firm dedicated to guiding job seekers and companies through the job search and hiring process. Insider Career Strategies provides resume writing, LinkedIn profile development, career coaching services, and outplacement services. You can email Scott Singer at scott.singer@insidercs.com, or via the website, www.insidercs.com.