Prepare for a mock interview

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Offline faizun

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Prepare for a mock interview
« on: September 17, 2012, 10:50:46 AM »
Prepare for a Mock Interview:

Be sure to take your mock interview as seriously as you would an actual interview. Get ready for the interview just as you would for an interview with a hiring manager:

    * Arrive 10-15 minutes early, and bring your resume and any other materials you would bring to a real interview.
    * Bring a notebook to take notes on what your mock interviewer tells you.
    * Dress in professional interview attire.
Faizun Nesa
Senior Lecturer of Physics,
Department of Natural Science, FSIT,
Daffodil International University

Offline faizun

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Re: Prepare for a mock interview
« Reply #1 on: September 18, 2012, 01:28:27 PM »
Practice is a critical part of the interview preparation process. While practicing with an experienced hiring manager or an HR professional may be very useful, not all job seekers have access to this resource. Involving friends and family members in conducting mock interviews can be an excellent alternative.

1. Why Mock Interviews are Important

Practicing mock interviews allows a job seeker to become more accustomed to the interviewing environment, and can effectively reduce anxiety over the entire process. By preparing in advance of the interview, candidates can develop a stronger sense of self confidence. Mock interviews can additionally uncover problems, mistakes or mishaps for the job seeker long before the actual interview occurs. In this way, the candidate is able to work to correct these issues during the practice period, and therefore elevate his or her performance during the actual interview.

 2.  How to Prepare for Practicing a Mock Interview with a Job Seeker

In preparing for your role as mock interviewer, you'll have a bit of homework to do. You'll want to do some of the same things that a hiring manager would in preparing to meet with a job seeker. You'll need to learn a little about the job for which the candidate is interviewing and the industry in which that job is found. This gives you a better idea of the types of interview questions to focus on and the responses a professional interviewer may be looking for in a qualified applicant.

Review the applicant's resume and prepare specific questions to ask. Here are a few categories to consider, as well as examples of some of the most common questions.

[to be continued....]

[http://zoominterviews.com/job/resources/interview-guides/how-to-be-effective-mock-interviewer.php]
Faizun Nesa
Senior Lecturer of Physics,
Department of Natural Science, FSIT,
Daffodil International University

Offline faizun

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Re: Prepare for a mock interview
« Reply #2 on: September 19, 2012, 03:26:00 PM »
    * Candidate's Background and Career History

      Pose specific questions about the candidate's resume, including any education or employment highlights.

          o Walk me through your resume.
          o Tell me a little about your job responsibilities when you worked for Company X.
          o What made you choose to major in your Degree Program?
          o What aspect of your job duties at Company X did you enjoy most? Which did you enjoy least?
      You also will need to identify the basic qualifications for a job in the industry in question and try to pinpoint those qualifications in your mock interview conversation. For example, if the candidate is interviewing for a position in engineering, here are a few sample questions about that target engineering qualifications.
          o I see you attended X University. What was your most challenging engineering class while there?
          o Your career focus appears to be in the aeronautics field. Tell me what it is about aeronautics that first drew you to the specialty.
          o What is the most interesting engineering project you've worked on in your career?
          o What was your role on the engineering team? What was the outcome of the project?
    * Career Goals and Aspirations

      An interviewer wants to know about a candidate's present job search and his or her future career goals. Touching on these topics, you may ask any of the following.

          o What sort of position are you looking for?
          o Where do you see yourself in two, five or ten years?
          o What is the most important part of a job, in your opinion?

    * Strengths and Weaknesses

      Interviewers want to know where a candidate's strengths lie as well as those areas in which a candidate may be weak. They may flat out ask the candidate to state a strength or a weakness, or they may ask questions which are intended to speak to the concept of strengths or weaknesses.
          o Describe a critical failure at work. What happened? What did you learn from the experience? And how might you handle a similar situation differently in the future?
          o What do you find to be the most challenging aspect of a job in finance? What was your most difficult class in college? Why was it so hard? What steps did you take to improve your performance in the class?

    * Personality and Character Traits

      One of the most important reasons that interviews generally take place face-to-face is that direct interaction with a candidate allows the interviewer to get a feel for his or her personality and character.

          o How might your friends describe you?
          o How do you believe your current boss (or past boss at Company X) might describe you?
          o What about your co-workers? What would they have to say about you?

    * How the Candidate will Contribute

      Every employer wants to know what a job seeker will bring to the job and why they're the best candidate.
          o Why should we hire you?
          o What can you bring to the job that no one else can?
          o Would Company X rehire you? In the same position you held previously? Or would they rehire you in another job?

    * Leadership and Teamwork Skills

      One of the biggest goals of an interview is to determine a job seeker's teamwork and leadership skills.
          o Tell me a little about your leadership style.
          o What does it mean to be a good team member?
          o Describe a time when you worked as a member of a team.
          o Describe a time when you were responsible for leading others.


Faizun Nesa
Senior Lecturer of Physics,
Department of Natural Science, FSIT,
Daffodil International University