Before you go for an interview, prepare in advance, write down the most common questions that are asked in an interview. You can also make up a list of questions according to various companies and positions, so that it may be helpful while applying for jobs or internship programs. This will additionally help you prepare for all types of interviews. It will also help you to frame better responses
How long should mock interviews be?
It is recommended to keep the mock interview sessions between 15-20 minutes. This will help you practice for a shorter duration and also be better prepared. If you have time, then go ahead with long mock interview sessions as well.
Mock interviews should ideally take place in a room where there are no distractions. You will need complete focus on the interviewer while answering questions so it would be good if you avoid being around other people during these sessions. The best option would be to conduct individual mock interviews since two people can become rather distracting when trying to concentrate.
How many questions should you prepare?
Prepare at least 5-6 questions from different categories for each of your friends who will be interviewing you. It is important to ask the right questions. If you feel that there are too many questions for you to handle, then do not go beyond 3-4 categories. It is better to be well prepared than over-prepared.
Questions should come from different categories like the personal, professional, and behavioral types of questions so that you may get enough practice while preparing for an interview.
Take up mock interviews one by one
Look at the list of common questions asked in interviews and divide them among your friends so they can play the role of the interviewer while you act as the interviewee. This will help determine where your strong points lie and also provide the opportunity to work on your weak areas or develop new skills if required. You can point out certain things that you need assistance with before the interview begins.
You can also ask your friends to help you practice for common behavioral or case interviews after completing mock interviewing sessions. This will provide you with better feedback about your performance in an interview.
When should you conduct the mock interview?
It is advisable to conduct mock interviews at least 1-2 days before your actual interview so that you get enough time to prepare and review your performance in the previous session. You can go ahead with more than one mock session if required, but this depends on how much time is left before your actual interview date arrives.
What kind of questions should you expect during your mock interview conversation?
The most probable questions that would be asked during the interview are:
∎ Tell me about yourself
∎ Why do you want to work for this company?
∎ What are your greatest strengths and weaknesses?
∎ How well did you perform in college/university?
∎ How much salary do you expect from us? [It is okay to mention a range]
What if the interviewer asks some other question that I am unable to answer?
There might be chances that the interviewer may ask some questions which were not included on your list. In such cases, try and get more information about the company before disclosing anything further. You can say something like: “I am sorry I don’t have any information about that” or “I would need some time to prepare for that.” This will give you some time to figure out the right answer.
It is okay if you are not able to remember a particular name or date correctly. You can politely say something like, “I am sorry I cannot recall” or “I would need some time to recollect.” However, try and avoid vague answers as they do not provide any information. Instead of saying things like “it was good”, be specific about it by saying “it was great because of A, B, C”.
10 Tips for a mock interview for PGDM students are as follows:
∎ Act as if it’s the actual interview
∎ Time yourself while giving an answer to a question so that you are able to cover all the points in time.
∎ Remember that your friends are not necessarily interested in hiring you for their company, so remain unbiased while asking questions and listening to the responses carefully.
∎ Ask about their expectations of you during the first session itself while practicing with your friend so that you have enough time at the actual interview later on when somebody asks this question.
∎ Prepare at least 5-6 questions from different categories like personal, professional, or behavioral questions to ask each person who will be interviewing since this will help determine where your strengths and weaknesses lie.
∎ Prepare multiple answers to the same question based on your field of expertise so that you are able to shift between topics without appearing flustered at any time during the interview.
∎ Keep track of the time while practicing with your friend, but do not hurry through an answer just to complete all questions within a particular time limit as this will send out a wrong message about your personality during the actual interview later on.
∎ Remember to maintain eye contact while giving answers so that it does not appear as if you are reading from a piece of paper or speaking with someone over the phone since this shows insecurity during interviews.
∎ Speak loudly and clearly because most people tend to mumble during the first interview session itself.
∎ Gather all your reference letters, certificates, and other documents before leaving for the actual interview so that you are not forced to rush through this task once you reach there later on.
Interviews are a crucial part of the hiring process. To prepare, you should research common interview questions and practice answering them with your friends after their classes are over for that day. This will help you understand the pattern of the interview and also help to score well in all types of interviews. If you are apprehensive about your post-graduate course and will really develop you for your interviews, then reach out to our team at the FOSTIIMA BUSINESS School and ask about our interview preparation process. We provide our students well and even provide them career advice and multiple mock interviews so that you feel more confident before going into any real-life situation!
Explore The Full Series Here
Topic -1 Set up Mock-Interview Sessions with your seniors or Peers
Topic – 2 Research about the Company and its Product
Topic – 3 How does Body Language Affect Your Chances of Getting Hired?
Topic – 4 Your checklist for How to Dress for Campus Placement Interviews?
Topic- 5 Be truthful while responding to any question asked in the interview
Topic -6 Always hank your interviewer for their time and valuable feedback