There’s a Catch-22 to consider when it comes to job interviews. Being good at them makes it easier to find great jobs. However, when you find a great job, you’re less likely to search for another position, meaning you’re not likely going to get much practice at interviews.
So how do you get good at job interviews when an ideal career path has you going on as few of them as possible? The answer is simple: mock interviews. These run-throughs let you improve your skills, significantly raising the chance of scoring your dream job.
Yet, despite the potential upside, very few people take advantage of the opportunity provided by mock interviews. This dynamic can be blamed on a lack of understanding of the value. With that in mind, here are some of the benefits of going through a mock interview before jumping into the real thing:
What You Can Get out of Mock Interviews!
Get Valuable Practice
Succeeding in a conversation with a potential employer takes a bit of muscle memory. Think of it like practicing a sport or rehearsing a play. By running through a mock job interview, you’ll better know what you’re doing when the real day comes.
Tackle Real-World Situations
A well-run mock interview will give you a true sense of the process. An expert can show you how employers will structure the event and tell you what to expect. This way, you’ll feel more comfortable with the procedure and will be less likely to be taken off-guard.
Hone Your Answers
Even simple questions can trip you up. A perfect interview answer is both complete and simple, comprehensive and pithy. It’s a hard combination to master on the first attempt.
A mock interview lets you master the obvious interview answers. You’ll get all the basics perfect so that you can have the foundations in place for a successful performance.
Learn Your Weaknesses
You don’t want to lose out on a great opportunity because of an avoidable interview stumble. But how can you avoid these mistakes? Improving your interview performance means identifying your weaker areas.
This can sometimes represent a painful process. No one wants to hear criticism. However, a mock interview gives you the chance to uncover the areas where you fall short, letting you learn these weaknesses as part of a low-leverage situation.
Get Crucial Feedback
Learning your weaknesses is Step One. From there, you can move on to the equally important Step Two: fixing these shortcomings. This gets easier when you have reliable, expert, constructive feedback. By running a mock interview with a professional, you’ll get the insight you need to improve your performance and maximize the odds of winning your dream job.
Know How to Handle Difficult Questions
It’s the stuff of nightmares. You get a question you didn’t expect and freeze up, or you blurt out a response that does more harm than good. A mock interview lowers the chance this will happen. By gaming out some of the more common trick questions, you’ll have the preparation you need to deal with any complex inquiry.
Reduce Your Stage Fright
Beyond the practical benefit of extra reps in an interview scenario, you’ll receive a psychological benefit as well. By running through a mock experience, you’ll get more accustomed to the process. This will give you additional confidence and lower your jitters headed into the real thing.
Looking for More Help with Your Search Efforts? Elby Can Help!
Mock interviews are just one benefit you can receive from an expert. Professional advice can help you at every stage of the job search process. By teaming with a top recruiter, like Elby Professional Services, you’ll get all the tools you need to find your dream job.
Contact Elby today to get the most out of your job search.
