Complete a mock interview

While your resume, online profile, and cover letter can help you catch the interest of a potential employer, it is the personal interview that helps a decision-maker choose the most appropriate candidate to hire. This assignment will give you practice with an online job interview system.

NOTE: There is an extra credit opportunity here, so read the entire prompt before beginning!

Read this first

• Hilke Schellmann, "How job interviews will transform in the next decade," Wall Street Journal (2020-01-07). Download Hilke Schellmann, "How job interviews will transform in the next decade," Wall Street Journal (2020-01-07).

Complete these steps

1. Outline some ideas. Just as with your cover letter, during your interview you need to quickly and clearly introduce yourself to the hiring decision-maker, reassure them that you understand the job or opportunity you are seeking, convince them that you have the background necessary to be successful in the job, and express your enthusiasm to be hired. It's a good idea to put some ideas down on paper before conducting the interview. Jot down some notes in each of these categories to start:

• Who I am
• What the requirements of the job that I seek are
• Aspects of my background that match the requirements of the job
• My enthusiasm for being hired

2. Register for the Big Interview system at SuccessWorks. UW-Madison has invested in an interview training tool called Big Interview. To use this tool, go to the web site https://wisc.biginterview.com/members/assignments Links to an external site..

*3. Conduct your mock interview. Once you are registered and signed into the Big Interview system, click the “Assignments” menu in the top blue bar. A blue box will appear and ask you for an assignment code. Use this code: fe3e2e.

You will listen to the interview questions by clicking the “Play” button and record your responses by clicking the “Record” button. (Make sure to do this mock interview assignment from a computer with a webcam and microphone!)

Once you have answered all of the questions click "submit" in the bottom left-hand side.

Your practice interview will be reviewed by the Big Interview system, and you will receive direct feedback.

Please note: algorithmic evaluation of an online interview is an increasingly common screening tactic used by many employers. Whether it's effective or not, it is good to understand how such a system would interpret your performance!

4. Reflect on the experience. Write a one-page reflection essay, briefly answering the following three questions:

• Which question was the easiest to answer, and why?
• Which question was the most difficult to answer, and why? 
• What kinds of things do you think are most important to consider before participating in an online audio/video interview?

5. Check your formatting. Follow these formatting guidelines Download these formatting guidelines.

6. Turn it in. Upload your reflection to Canvas to receive credit for this assignment.

*EXTRA CREDIT OPPORTUNITY

SuccessWorks recently rolled out a new resource: Alumni Mock Interviews! A mock interview is different from an informational interview. Here’s the full description of this new resource:

Practice your interviewing skills with alumni who work in a field or position that you are interested in. With over 40 alumni to choose from, working for employers such as Epic, Salesforce, and the House of US Representatives, you're sure to find a mentor that best support your needs and offers insightful interviewing advise. Click on the link below to access all of our alumni mock interview mentors, and hit the request button on their profiles to let us know you would like to meet with one. Once a request is made, you'll hear back from us shortly with further details. 

For step 3. you can choose to do an Alumni Mock Interview instead of using Big Interview. If you do:

• You'll get an extension: the due date will be the start of your last discussion/class of the semester
• You'll get extra credit: the penalty for one missing assignment (or two late assignments) will be waived
• You'll get to talk to a generous human!

Request an Alumni Mock Interview Links to an external site.

If you want to engage with an Alumni Mock Interview, request one soon – there will be a gap between signing up and completing the interview. Ask your TA if you have specific questions about this alternative assignment option.

Notes on this assignment

• Review the SuccessWorks guide to interviewing basics Links to an external site. and sample interview questions Links to an external site.
• SuccessWorks often holds mock interview sessions with “live” interviewers from area employers.Check the SuccessWorks web site Links to an external site. for schedule.

To learn more

• Taking Initiative Student Guide  Download Taking Initiative Student Guide 
  chapter 08, "Communicating your value" 
• Katharine Brooks, You Majored in What? chapter 09, "Making the employer care."