The first step toward success: the one thing you must do before an interview

To practice interviews, almost every college campus offers access to a Career Counselor, and you should meet with them to have a mock interview. Statistics show that less than 10% of all graduates take advantage of having a mock interview. That means 90% are going for real interviews before practicing. We can tell you that most of those experiences end in rejection letters with criticism and failed results.

A mock interview means much more than a simple chance to work out your interview jitters. It is your chance to practice interview techniques and answers. It's a scenario where you will have a live simulation that allows you the chance to hear constructive comments, which will improve your technique and give you a better presentation.

If you've ever given a presentation, you know that it's not enough to simply have the content written on notecards, or memorized. You need to practice in front of an audience and get their feedback. Similarly, it's not enough to have notes on questions or answers for the interview - you need to practice your answers until they flow naturally. We advise you to make recordings of your answers and continue to practice until you are happy with the result that you hear.

Our best advice is to have at least one mock interview to see the difference they can make. Then review your answers and then try one more time. The 2nd mock interview will give you more self-confidence, and you will be ready for a real one. In the end, you won't be surprised to find that you are ready for the real interview.

Good luck!