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Being involved in a mock interview is a very helpful tool in preparing you to land that dream job. Many of us have all the answers in our head but sometimes they do not sound as good once you speak them into existence in an interview. Going through a mock job interview will help you to nail down your story, your strengths, and better state your weaknesses.

Mock interviews can be performed with a friend, family member, or even a career agency for a minor fee.  Meeting with employment rescruiters is a great way to go through mock job interviews. Recruiters want you to represent them well in an interview so if you demonstrate to them that you are coachable, they will be glad to give you both positive and negative feedback.

The question remains: "What are some good mock interview questions and answers?"

I want to share these questions with you as well as 4 advantages of performing a mock interview.

1. It can help you clarify your story. One of the most important elements of an interview is your ability to tell you story (work history) in a way that makes sense.  If red flags or holes show up in your story, that is a sure sign of derailment. Having feedback on areas that were unclear is a great way to tighten up your story.

2. You can know where you need to improve. One of the biggest frustrations I hear from candidates is their inability to get feedback when they do not land the job. This can be a sure sign of frustration. Going through the mock interview process will allow you to gain insightful feedback that you can use or avoid in future interviews.

3. Help to nail down traditional interview questions. Many of us think we have mastered the more traditional interview questions, but what is more important is how our answers sound to the other party. Do you have solid answers for questions like:

• Tell me about yourself
• What are your strengths?
• What are your weaknesses?
• Why are you interested in working for this company?

4. Be better prepared for behavioral type questions. Many people struggle with these non-traditional interview questions. Many employers are moving to this style of interviewing questioning. The reason is because is causes you to share more examples and situations you have been involved in. Mock interviews can help you nail down examples and share the right stories. Typical behavioral type questions are:

• Describe a situation when…
• Name a specific approach to….
• Tell me about a time when…

With a little bit of preparation you can nail the interview and gain your dream job. Take time to think through your story and have plenty of examples to use in an interview.  Above all never forget that energy and enthusiasm is vital in an interview. People like to hire people they like.