The Perfect Mock Interview That Will Land You the Job

Congrats! You crafted the perfect cover letter, designed an informative resume, and scored an interview with your dream company. Now, it’s time to conduct a mock interview.

Especially if you have major pre-interview jitters, a mock interview is the best way to boost your confidence and work out any of the kinks that could arise during the real interview. 

What is a Mock Interview?

A mock interview is a practice interview where you can review common interview questions and practice thinking on your feet when someone asks an unexpected question. In addition to practicing your communication skills, you also get to practice non-verbal communication skills before an upcoming interview.

I did one of these in college with a career counselor and it was a game-changer for me! After the mock interview, I knew exactly which interview questions were the most tricky for me (looking at you, motivation!) but I also got some great tips on my body language—like the fact that I don't need to touch my hair after every question!

Additionally, since many companies have a remote or hybrid workforce, you will likely have to participate in a video interview at some point. A mock video interview can be particularly helpful if you don’t have much video interviewing experience. 

When prepping for any type of interview, the more research and practice you do beforehand, the better prepared you will feel going into it. The best part about a mock interview is that you can do it as many times as you’d like—just be sure that you don’t get to a point where you sound too rehearsed. 

The Benefits of a Mock Interview + Practice Interviewing

The major benefit of a mock interview is that you'll be more comfortable and confident on the day of your actual job interview. This is because you've had the opportunity to practice your answers to a variety of interview questions multiple times. Since you probably can't memorize the answer to every question, a mock interview gives you the time and space to come up with key skills and highlights to share.

Have you ever left a job interview and forgotten to share something important? Or wondered if you articulated your thoughts clearly?

A mock interview gives you the opportunity to get feedback and improve your answers so over time you craft the best personal brand and present that in the interview to the employer.

Plus, with practice interviewing you can work out the kinks of sounding too rehearsed, not remembering how your experience relates to the job or company, and help with overall pre-interview jitters. 

How to Create a Successful Mock Interview

Now that we understand how important a mock interview is to your job interview prep work, let's discuss how you get one set up. Prepare for your mock interview by following these 10 steps.

Mock Interview Tip #1 Find a Mock Interviewer

First, find someone to act as the interviewer. This could be a friend, family member, or mentor—even better if the person has experience in your industry so they can dig deeper into your past jobs and skills. 

If you’re in college, check out the career center at your school to find out if they coordinate mock interviews for students. Schedule a few sessions with a few different resources.

Pro Tip: You can book a Career Contessa Coach—many of whom are recruiters at top companies— to help with your interview skills!

Mock Interview Tip #2 Research The Company

As part of your overall interview preparation, you'll want to learn about the company. Here are five ways you can learn more about a company:

Mock Interview Tip #3 Outline Interview Questions

Next, outline the interview questions you anticipate the interviewer asking you. I know trying to predict the interviewer's expectations or the kinds of questions they might ask sounds like an endless pursuit, but I promise it's not. Many interviewers have only been in the interviewee seat before so they will often Google "common job interview questions" to ask while they are doing their own prep work!

Some common interview questions are: 

Don’t forget to sprinkle in some more industry-specific and job-specific questions as well. Read the job description and then get help from ChatGPT to create a list of potential job interview questions for you.

Once you have a thorough list of about 20 questions, you'll share this with your mock interviewer.

Mock Interview Tip #4 Practice Your Interview Answers

You've got your list...but how are you planning to answer? Before you engage in a mock interview, spend some time considering how you will answer the questions on your list. Each person is different in their approach. One person might love to write out an answer word-for-word. Another person might prefer to include bullet points for each question.

Even if you write out your entire answer, we recommend not using that in your mock interview because you can't read from a sheet of paper in your real interview. Read over your answers and get comfortable with the main points you want to drive home. And when in doubt, don't forget the power of story circles and the S.T.A.R. Method.

Mock Interview Tip #5 Choose Your Outfit

After working on your sample answers, the next step is to try to re-create or mimic the interview environment starting with considering what you’ll wear. It seems trivial, but you want to feel comfortable in your interview outfit and hopefully, avoid anything that will have you fidgeting.

And, if it’s a video interview, you’ll want to make sure your interview outfit presents well on camera. Try to avoid super busy patterns, but at the same time make sure you don’t blend into the wall. 

Mock Interview Tip #6 Test Lighting and Background for Mock Video Interviews

Mock video interviews are a good time to find the best lighting in your house. It’s also important to make sure your background looks clean and professional. For example, try to avoid positioning yourself where a bed might show up on the screen.

If you’d rather the interviewer not see into your home, consider using a virtual background—you can find some professional ones online and can ask your mock interviewer which looks best.  

Mock Interview Tip #7 Test Sound and Mic for Mock Video Interviews

During a mock video interview, be sure your sound and microphone are working on whichever platform the company is using to interview you. Whether on Microsoft Teams or Zoom, it can be a pain if you sign on and have sound issues. This is also a good time to test out your webcam.

Of course, it’s nearly impossible to avoid all technical difficulties, but it’s certainly helpful to try and may put your mind at ease. 

Mock Interview Tip #8 Bring Your Portfolio and Resume/Cover Letter 

If you’re meeting in person, think about what you might bring to the actual interview and do the same for the mock interview.

For example, do you have a portfolio that you’d like to share? Also, consider bringing copies of your resume and cover letter. Some old-school hiring managers will deduct major points if you don't bring a printed resume and cover letter, so bring a few!

Your resume, cover letter, and portfolio showcased the qualifications you have that got you the interview. Interviewers love to use these as guides on where to focus their interview, too.

Mock Interview Tip #9 Record Your Mock Interview 

Whether you’re meeting in person or online, be sure to record your mock interview. This gives you the ability to critique and evaluate your responses and consider how you might answer them differently during the real interview. 

You can also evaluate your body language, non-verbal communication like your handshake and eye contact, and anything you're doing that is distracting!

Mock Interview Tip #10 Get Feedback

Lastly, don’t forget to ask for actionable feedback from your mock interviewer, as they will probably have some great insight as well. 

Mock Interview Websites to Try 

If you're struggling to find someone to conduct a mock interview with you, fear not! These mock interview websites are ready to help!

Mock Interview AI Tools to Try

We love to use the power of artificial intelligence (AI) to help us land our next job. Here are some specific AI tools that can help with your interview preparation, including a mock interview!

Mock Interview Checklist