A Guide to Your

Mock Interview

UTSA
University Career Center
U.C. 2.02.04
www.HireRoadrunners.com
210.458.4589

To help prepare for your Mock Interview,

schedule an appointment with your Career Counselor.

Coordinator: Morris Ellington, Professional Development Program Manager, [email protected]

If you are a person with a disability and desire assistance or accommodation,

please notify our office at 210.458.4589.
 YOUR MOCK INTERVIEW EXPERIENCE AT UTSA
What is a mock interview?
▪ A mock interview is a simulation interview. Interviews will be conducted by University
Career Center staff members and employers.
▪ Although your mock interviewer is well experienced in conducting the interview, he/she
may be unable to answer specific questions about your field.
▪ The role of the mock interviewer during this portion of the interview is to advise you on
appropriate questions to ask and guide you to resources that may provide you with tips on
appropriate questions to ask.

Purpose:
▪ To simulate actual interview conditions in order to provide a more comfortable interview
experience.
▪ To provide feedback that will aid you in assessing current strengths and weaknesses in
regard to your interviewing skills.
▪ To help you with the interview process: developing confidence and enhancing skills.

Registration/Preparation:
▪ Complete the Mock Interview Registration Form online and submit. You
"It's not
will receive a confirmation email stating the date and time of your interview
necessarily the
along with the name of your interviewer.
amount of time
▪ Obtain a copy of the Career Services Planning Guide and read the section on
you spend at
Interviewing. practice that
▪ Review the tips and suggestions highlighted throughout this guide book. counts; it's
▪ Business/Professional dress is required. what you put
▪ On the day of your interview, arrive 10-15 minutes prior to into the
your scheduled interview and check in at the front desk. practice."

No-Show Policy:
The University Career Center staff members feel strongly about missed mock interviews.
Cancellations must be made 24 business hours in advance of the interview appointment. If you
fail to cancel one day prior to the interview, or simply do not show up, you forfeit your
privilege to reschedule another mock interview. Situations regarding the no-show policy
should be directed to Morris Ellington, 210.458.4589.

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 What to Expect: From Start to Finish
▪ Your mock interview experience begins the moment that your interviewer greets you. You
should start with a firm handshake and appropriate greeting of the interviewer, using his or
her name.
▪ You and your interviewer will go into an interview room. The mock interview itself will last
approximately 30 minutes, and the interview will be discussed and critiqued for
approximately 15-30 minutes.
▪ At the end of your mock interview, you will have the opportunity to talk with the
interviewer about any particular questions or concerns you have about the interviewing
process. Furthermore, you will receive honest and helpful feedback from your interviewer.

You will be evaluated on the following…

 Appearance: Dress appropriately for the interview (see Interview & Business Casual Attire
Tips booklets for both men and women).
 Greeting/Introduction: We recommend that you stand to greet your interviewer with a
handshake, using his/her name. Also, make good eye contact with the interviewer, smile,
and be professional.
 Body Language: During the interview, be aware of your eye contact, subtle use of hands
while speaking, good posture, etc.
 Attitude: Your attitude toward work and working with others is crucial in the hiring process.
Be sure to convey an attitude that is enthusiastic, sincere, and genuine.
 Responses to the Interview Questions: Do your research and practice, practice, practice!
Know your goals and be able to express them to the interviewer.
 Oral Communication: Speak clearly and concisely. Try to think out your response before
answering a question.
 Preparation: Prepare questions for your interviewer and research the position and/or
company/organization/agency for which you are interviewing. If applying to graduate
school, it is important to have knowledge on the particular program and be able to
articulate why you want to further your education in that field.

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Know the Facts! Be sure you are fully prepared for interviews by completing the
worksheets on pages 4 and 5! They will help you understand yourself and the employer!

Prepare Yourself
▪ Interviews can be a very intimidating task if you are unprepared.
▪ Preparation and practice are key ingredients to a successful interview!
▪ You must be able to talk about yourself with confidence.
▪ Exploring and understanding yourself allows you to answer interview questions as
effectively as possible.
▪ It is vital to understand your attributes and personality so that you can convey those
positive qualities to the interviewer.
▪ A worksheet is provided in order to help identify different aspects of your character (see
page 4). When answering the questions, be sure to also analyze the information on your
resume and ask others who know you well.

Know the Employer

▪ Do your homework! Be prepared for an interviewer to ask questions about his/her
organization.
▪ Researching the company/organization/agency shows genuine interest in the career
opportunity and it allows you to gain valuable information as well.
▪ By learning about the company/organization/agency you are able to see if it is a place
where you would like to find employment.
▪ Also, this time spent will help generate questions to ask the employer during the
interview process.
▪ The Internet will have a lot of information to offer and is a good place to start your
research.
▪ A worksheet is provided with questions to begin your company research (see page 5).
▪ The questions will prepare you for possible questions that employers may ask.
▪ A survey revealed that the following factors were most important when interviewing a
candidate:
✓ Skills & experience 10%
✓ Education 10%
✓ First impression 40%
✓ Personal characteristics 40%

From F.I.C.C. Job Club http://www.f-i-c-c.com/jobclub.htm

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Prepare yourself

1. Personality traits or skills I have that are job related:

______________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________

2. Examples of experiences I have had that demonstrate the above traits/skills:

______________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________

3. List 3-5 accomplishments that would be of interest to the person interviewing me:
______________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________

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 those concerns?
______________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________

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Know the Employer

1. How long has the organization been in operation?

______________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________

2. Where is the organization located? Are there other locations?

______________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________

3. Is it a public or private organization? ____________________________________________

4. Has the organization been in the news lately? For what reason(s)?
______________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________

5. What are the services/products/programs this organization provides?

______________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________

6. Who are its competitors?

______________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________

7. How is it doing relative to its competitors?

______________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________

8. What are the organization’s short-term goals? Long-term goals?

______________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________

9. What else is the organization known for (e.g., community involvement, supportive of
families, relaxed atmosphere, etc.)?
______________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________

10. What challenges/difficulties does this organization face? How can I help solve them?
______________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________

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 Behavior Based Interviewing
What exactly is behavior based interviewing?
Behavioral based interviewing is a style of interviewing that many companies and organizations
use in the hiring process. The basic premise behind behavioral interviewing is this: The most
accurate predictor of future performance is past behavior in a similar situation. It provides a
more objective set of facts to make employment decisions than other interviewing methods.
Traditional interviewing may ask you to respond to general statements like, “tell me about
yourself.” The process of behavioral interviewing is much more probing and wor ks very
differently.

The “CAR” Technique: a good approach to responding to

Behavior Based Questions.

C = Circumstance (Describe the specific

circumstances of your example)
A = Action (What action did you take relative to
the circumstance described?)
R = Result (What was the result of your action?)

Important Points: Behavior Based Interviewing

▪ In the interview, your response needs to be specific and detailed. Tell about a particular
circumstance or situation that relates to the question, not a general one. Tell briefly about
the circumstance, what specific action you took, and the positive result or outcome.
▪ The interviewee tells a story for a few minutes; typically the interviewer will pick apart the
story to try to get at the specific behavior(s). The interviewer can probe further for more
depth or detail such as “What were you thinking at the point?” or “Tell me more about your
meeting with that person,” or “Lead me through your decision process.”
▪ Always listen carefully to the question, ask for clarification if necessary, and make sure you
answer the question completely.
▪ Your interview preparation should include identifying examples of situations where you
have demonstrated the behaviors desired by a given company/organization/agency.
▪ Prepare success stories. The stories should represent your skills, qualities, and
characteristics. Always give examples of your strengths and successes.
▪ Your resume will serve as a good guide when answering these questions. Refresh your
memory regarding your achievements in the past couple of years. Demonstration of the
desired behaviors may be given in many ways. Use examples from past internships, classes,
activities, team involvement, community service, and work experience. In addition, you
may use examples of which you may be especially proud of, such as: winning a marathon
race, exhibiting paintings in an art show, running for student government, etc.

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 Sample Behavior Based Interview statements for response:

1. Describe a situation in which you were able to use persuasion to successfully convince
someone to see things your way.
2. Tell me about a time when you provided a solution to a problem.
3. Give me a specific example of a time you used good judgment or logic in solving a
problem.
4. Give me an example which shows that you can adapt to a wide variety of people,
situations or environments.
5. Tell me about a time in which you had to be relatively quick in coming to a decision.
6. Tell me about a specific occasion in which you conformed to a policy with which you did
not agree.
7. Give me an example of an important goal which you set in the past and about your
success in reaching it.
8. Tell me about a time when you had to go “above and beyond” the call of duty in order
to get a job done.
9. Describe a situation when you had to work with a difficult individual (supervisor,
customer, co-worker, etc.)
10. Tell me about a time you had to deal with an angry or irate customer.
11. Give me an example of a time in which you had to put your organizational skills to use.
12. Tell me about a time when teamwork was important in order to accomplish a task.
13. What is the biggest strength you will bring to this job?
14. What is a weakness you need to work on?
15. What makes you the best candidate for this position?

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 Other possible interview questions & statements for response
Education Personal
▪ Why did you choose your major? ▪ What do you consider to be your
▪ Why did you choose to attend your greatest strength?
college or university? ▪ Can you name some weaknesses? How
▪ Do you think you received a good are you working to improve them?
education? In what ways? ▪ Define success.
▪ In which campus activities did you ▪ Have you had a time that you failed at
participate? something? What did you learn from
▪ In what ways do your college education that failure?
and work experience relate to this job? ▪ Of which three accomplishments are you
▪ Do you plan to return to school for most proud?
further education? ▪ Who are your role models? Why?
▪ What motivates you most in a job?
Experience ▪ Tell me about yourself.
▪ What job related skills have you ▪ Describe your ideal job.
developed? ▪ Where do you want to be in five years?
▪ What did you enjoy the most/least
about your last employment? In the Workplace
▪ Have you ever done any volunteer work? ▪ Do you prefer to work under supervision
What kind? or on your own?
▪ How do you define leadership? In what ▪ What do you look for in a supervisor?
capacity have you served as a leader? ▪ Would you be successful working with a
▪ How do you think a former supervisor team?
would describe your work? ▪ Are you able to work on multiple
assignments at a time?
▪ What can your supervisor expect from
you?

Prepare: Questions for the Interviewer

At some point during the interview, the interviewer may ask if you have any questions. Based on your
research, you will most likely have areas about which you would like more information. You should have
several questions in mind to ask, but also listen during the interview for points about which you may
need more information. Asking pertinent questions shows that you have prepared for the interview and
are knowledgeable, interested and evaluating the employer.

The following list will help you generate ideas to prepare your own list of questions. It is also
appropriate to have the questions written down in a padfolio and at your fingertips during the actual
interview:
1. What are some of the qualifications you expect the ideal candidate for this position to have?
2. What characteristics do the individuals who are successful in this position possess?
3. Could you describe the normal daily routine for this position?
4. Is there a training period? What does it involve? Are there opportunities for professional
development?
5. How would my performance be evaluated? How often? By whom?

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 Interview Tips and Suggestions

▪ Have a positive attitude. Keep all of your answers as positive as possible.

▪ Pay attention to your non-verbals (i.e. eye contact, voice projection, posture, nervous
habits).

▪ Express your qualifications. Come up with a list of six to eight adjectives that you use to
describe yourself. Think of examples that demonstrate these adjectives. When you are
asked to tell the employer about yourself, use these adjectives and examples to do just that.

▪ The first few minutes of the interview are the most important. It is at this time that you
really want to sell yourself and get the interviewer interested in you. That is why it is
important to package yourself and your qualifications. Having a set agenda of what you
want to get across during the interview will help (i.e. education, background, experience,
strengths, goals, accomplishments, challenges).

▪ Always try to relate what you are saying and how it can benefit the
company/organization/agency with which you are interviewing. It is important to be
familiar with the employer prior to the interview so you can know what type of person they
seek, as well as what the position requires.

▪ If you get stuck on a question, it is okay to pause. Often, you can simply say, “That’s a very
good question; let me take a minute to think about that.” Although a short pause is okay,
try to avoid a lengthy one. Employers can tell if you are just buying time to make something
up.

▪ It is important to end the interview on a positive note, either 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 and interest.

▪ In addition to knowing information about the company/organization/agency, always have

questions prepared to ask the interviewer.

▪ Grades may be a topic. If your grades are low, be prepared to have an explanation.

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 Don’t Leave Home Without Reading This Advice!

Dos and Don’ts

▪ DO answer questions honestly, thoroughly, and sincerely. If you don’t know the answer,
indicate that.
▪ DO NOT try to tell the interviewer what you think he/she wants to hear.
▪ DO be careful about saying negative things about past experiences (i.e. insult a company
that you interned with).
▪ DO NOT display a negative or arrogant attitude.
▪ DO be polite, tactful, and sincere - eye contact is also important.
▪ DO dress neatly and appropriately (conservative, not trendy).
▪ DO NOT be late unless there is an emergency.
▪ DO practice the questions suggested in this guide.
▪ DO have a small portfolio to keep pens, extra copies of resumes, and a reference sheet.

Checklist

 Confirm the date, time, and location for your interview.

 Review the company’s or graduate school’s website and any other literature you’ve
obtained.
 Generate quality questions to ask based on what you’ve read and heard; don’t just ask
questions for the sake of asking them (make them count!)
 Review your resume again to make sure everything is accurate and that you’re prepared
to answer any questions pertaining to it.
 If for any reason you must cancel your interview, contact the employer promptly. Don’t
be a “no-show.”
 Make sure your clothes are ironed, your hair is neat, and your shoes are polished!

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