Mock Interview Guide

What is a Mock Interview? No-Show Policy:

 A simulation interview conducted by Missed mock interviews take time away from
Career Advisors. other students seeking mock interviews or
 The role of a mock interviewer is to appointments. Cancellations must be made
advise about interviewing and appropriate 24 business hours before the interview
questions to ask as well as to guide you appointment. If you fail to cancel at least one
to resources about interviewing. day before the interview or simply do not
show up, you must wait at least one week
Purpose: to schedule another mock interview.
 Through practice, increase comfort and Optional Recording of Mock Interview:
confidence during the interview process
and enhance interviewing skills. If you choose to have your interview
recorded, it will be shared with you via
 Provide feedback to aid in assessing google drive. Watching back your interview
current strengths and weaknesses with can help you better present your skills,
your interviewing skills. abilities, and professionalism in the future.
Scheduling/ Preparing: What to Expect: From Start to Finish
 Call the front desk at 540-231-6241 to  Your mock interview experience begins
schedule your mock interview. the moment that your interviewer greets
 After scheduling, you will receive a you in the waiting area.
confirmation e-mail with information to  Start with a firm handshake and
help you prepare, including information professional greeting.
about interview attire.
 The mock interview will last about 30
 At least 24 business hours before your minutes, and the interview will be
interview reply to your confirmation critiqued for 15-30 minutes.
e-mail with your updated resume,
personal statement, job description, or  At the end of your interview you will have
other helpful documents for your mock the opportunity to discuss any particular
interviewer to review. questions or concerns about interviewing
with your interviewer.
 Review the interviewing section in the
career planning guide as well as tips
provided throughout this document. Questions about the mock interview
 Business/ professional dress is required program? Contact:
for your mock interview.
 Arrive 10-15 minutes early for your mock Career and Professional Development
interview and check in at the front desk. 540-231-6241
Preparing for your Mock Interview

Preparation and practice are key ingredients to a successful interview. Use this packet and the
career planning guide to prepare for both your mock interview as well as future interviews.

As you prepare:
 Understand and be able to express your attributes/ personality in relation to the position/
graduate or professional school program.
 Research the company/ organization/ school, your field, the position, the graduate program.
 Know your goals (professional, education) and be able to express them to the interviewer.
 Think of stories and examples you would like to highlight during the interview.
 Practice telling your stories to smooth out the details.

How You Will Be Evaluated

 Attire should be interview/ business professional dress

Appearance
 Dress neatly and appropriately (conservative, not trendy)

 Stand to greet interviewer with a firm handshake/ professional

greeting
Greeting/ Introduction  Maintain good eye contact with the interviewer and smile
 Be ready to easily pick up your belongings and go to your interview

 Maintain good eye contact and good posture; avoid fidgeting

Body Language  Use subtle but effective gestures when speaking
 Pay attention to your non-verbals (voice projection, nervous habits)

 Demonstrate enthusiasm and sincerity in your answers

Attitude About Work/  Be genuine; don’t say what you think the interviewer wants to hear
Working with Others
 Stay positive; when talking about challenges don’t blame/ judge

Responses to  Demonstrate research conducted before the interview

Interview Questions  Speak with confidence

 Speak clearly and concisely; be polite and tactful

Oral Communication  Include enough detail to give a clear picture of your experiences,
but not too much that your answer is unfocused
 Try to think through your response before answering a question
 Prepare questions for your interviewer based on research
Preparation
 Practice answering interview questions ahead of time
 Prepare Yourself
1. Personality traits or skills I have related to this job/ graduate program include:

2. My experiences that demonstrate the above traits and skills are:

3. 3-5 accomplishments of interest to the person interviewing me are:

4. What are the 3 most important things I want the interviewer to know about me?

5. What concerns might an employer have about me and what will alleviate them?

6. What are my short-term and long-term goals? How does this opportunity relate?

7. What about this job/ employer/ school excites me most?

8. Why am I the best candidate for this opportunity? What makes me unique?
 Do Your Research

General Research
1. How long has the organization/ school been in operation?

2. Where is the organization/ school located? What are those locations like?

3. Has the school or organization been in the news lately? For what reason(s)?

4. What are the organization/ school’s short-term goals? Long-term goals?

5. What are the strengths of the company/ school?

6. What difficulties does this organization/ school/ program face? How can I help
solve them?

7. Who are the organization/ school’s competitors? How does it compare to its
competitors?

Employer Specific Research

1. What services/ products/ programs this organization provides?

2. What else is this organization known for (ex. Community involvement, supportive
of families, relaxed atmosphere, etc.)?

Graduate or Professional School Specific Research

1. What is this school known for? What about the program I’m applying to?

2. What are this program’s alumni doing after graduation?

Behavioral Based Interviewing

What is behavioral based interviewing?

Behavioral interviewing is a technique used by employers in which the questions asked
assist the employer in making predictions about a potential employee’s future success
based on past behaviors. In behavior-based interviews, candidates are asked to give
specific examples of when they demonstrated particular behaviors or skills.

Sample behavioral based interview questions:

 Describe a situation in which you were able to use persuasion to successfully convince
someone to see things your way.
 Describe an instance when you had to think on your feet to solve a problem.
 Tell me about a time when you had to adapt to successfully work with a wide variety of
people, situations, or environments.
 Describe a time you were faced with problems or stresses that tested your coping skills.
 Give an example of a time in which you had make a decision quickly.
 Tell me about a time in which you conformed to a policy with which you did not agree.
 Give me an example of an important goal which you had set in the past and tell me
about your success in reaching it.
 Describe the most significant or creative presentation which you have had to complete.
 Tell me about a time when you had to go above and beyond the call of duty.
 Give me an example of a time when you were able to successfully communicate with
another person when the individual may not have personally like you (or vice versa).

Tips for behavioral based interviewing:

 Be specific and detailed in your responses using a particular, specific situation. Use the
STAR method (see next page) to form your answers.
 Interviewers may probe further into your stories by asking, “Tell me more about your
meeting with that person,” or “Lead me through your decision process.”
 Listen carefully to the question and ask for it to be repeated or for clarification if needed.
Make sure to answer all parts of the question.
 A good answer is focused and directly related to the question but also tells the employer
many other positive qualities about you.
 Before the interview, prepare success stories from a variety of experiences that highlight
your skills, qualities, strengths, and characteristics. Use the job description to anticipate
some questions the interviewer may ask.
 Practice Your Stories
Using STAR:
 Keep the situation and task brief. Give enough
S– Situation (Describe the situation.) information to paint the picture and move on.
T– Task (What needed to be done?)  The majority of your answer should address
specific actions you took. Keep actions related
A– Actions (What did you do?) to the question, but a good story can also
R– Results (What happened?) demonstrate additional skills.
 For results, think about what skills you gained
from the experience and their future impact.

Practice Your STAR Stories

Situation: Actions:
Teamwork
Task: Results:

Situation: Actions:
Decision Making
Task: Results:

Situation: Actions:
Persuasion
Task: Results:

Communication Situation: Actions:

Skills Task: Results:

Time Situation: Actions:

Management Task: Results:

Situation: Actions:
Multitasking
Task: Results:

Situation: Actions:
Leadership
Task: Results:

Situation: Actions:
Problem Solving
Task: Results:

Situation: Actions:
Adaptability
Task: Results:

Situation: Actions:
Creativity
Task: Results:
 Other Possible Sample
Interview Questions

Questions Interviewers May Ask: Sample Questions to Ask an Interviewer:

Education General Advice

 Why did you choose your major?  Ask genuine, thoughtful questions to show
 How does your education and work you are knowledgeable, interested, and
experience relate to this opportunity? evaluating the employer.
 Listen during the interview and clarify
Experience things you may need more information
 How do you define leadership? In what about.
capacity have you served as a leader?  Ask questions based on your research
 How would your supervisor describe your before the interview.
work?
Questions for Employers
Personal  What are some of the qualifications you
 What is your greatest strength? seek in an ideal candidate?
 When was a time you failed? What did  What characteristics do successful
you learn from that failure? individuals in this position possess?
 Of which accomplishment are you most  Could you describe the normal daily
proud? routine for this position?
 Is there a training period? What does it
In the Workplace involve?
 Do you prefer to work on teams or alone?  How would my performance be
 What do you look for in a supervisor? evaluated? How often? By whom?

Graduate or Professional Schools Questions for Graduate/ Professional Schools

 What do you believe your greatest  What makes this program different than
challenge will be if you are accepted into others in the same field?
this program?  What are some research projects current
 What are current trends in your field of students are pursuing?
study?  What have recent alumni done after
 What are you hoping to gain from this graduation?
program?

Questions I Could Ask My Interviewer:

1.

2.

3.
 Final Tips and Suggestions

Before the Interview:

 Confirm the date, time, and location for your interview.
 Review your resume and think of key talking points you hope to highlight during your interview.
 Research the company/ school/ organization/ agency. Prepare questions to ask your interviewer.
 Bring a portfolio to store notes, resumes/ reference sheets, and questions for your interviewer.
 Make sure your clothes are ironed, your hair is neat, and your shoes are polished.
 If you must cancel your interview, contact the employer promptly. Don’t be a “no-show.”
 Do not be late unless there is an emergency. Always contact the company as soon as possible if
an emergency arises; don’t leave them to assume why you were late or missed the interview.
During the Interview:
 The first few minutes of the interview are the most important. Sell yourself and spark interest.
 For dynamic answers, add examples, even when not directly prompted (i.e. greatest strength)
 Know what type of person they seek and what the position requires. Relate your answers to the
position or how it can benefit the company/ organization/ agency/ school.
 It’s okay to pause to collect your thoughts before answering. The pause will feel longer to you.
 End the interview positively, by reiterating your interest in the position or telling the recruiter you
look forward to hearing from him/her soon. Don’t forget to thank the employer for his/her time.
 Grades may be a topic. If your grades are low, be prepared to have an explanation.
 Don’t say negative things about past experiences/ people (i.e. insult a former supervisor).
After the Interview:
 At the end of your interview, ask for a business card. It will help you spell your interviewer’s name
right and provide an e-mail address for your thank you note.
 Send a thank you note within 48 hours of your interview. Mention something specific you and the
interviewer talked about and remind them of your key qualifications and interest.

3 New Ideas to Implement in my Interviews:

1.

2.

3.