What Are the Benefits of Participating in Virtual Mock Interviews?
To help you understand the benefits of virtual mock interviews, we’ve gathered insights from ten experts in the fields of psychology, coaching, and leadership. From creating a risk-free space for practice to enabling speech practice and question anticipation, these professionals share their top reasons why participating in virtual mock interviews can be a game-changer in your job-seeking journey.
- Find a Risk-Free Space for Practice
- Conduct a Technical Trial Run for Interviews
- Gain Familiarity With Virtual Platforms
- Create a Realistic Environment for Improvement
- Reduce Stress and Learn From Mistakes
- Refine Your Skills in a Low-Stakes Environment
- Enjoy a Convenient and Private Platform
- Test Your Body Language in a Virtual Setting
- Enable Speech Practice and Question Anticipation
Find a Risk-Free Space for Practice
As a life coach and psychology expert, I’ve noticed that one of the biggest benefits of virtual mock interviews is the risk-free space they provide for practicing, making mistakes, and learning.
Imagine you’re in a virtual setting, and you stumble on a question or lose your train of thought. This is not a disaster, but a great opportunity for improvement.
You receive constructive feedback in real-time, which can make your next real interview less stressful. In my experience, this practice boosts your confidence and reduces anxiety while also helping you shape your narrative in a more interesting way.
Bayu Prihandito, Psychology Expert, Life Coach, and Founder, Life Architekture
Conduct a Technical Trial Run for Interviews
Mock interviews assist in better preparation and help to ease nerves in an interview. Virtual mock interviews are not only a way to prepare and practice answering interview questions, but they also allow for a trial run of your equipment and setting.
More companies are using either pre-recorded interview options or opting for a remote interview to save time. Often, candidates experience software updates, speaker issues, network correction issues, and poor lighting, all of which they do not think about ahead of time.
Job seekers are encouraged to test out their remote setup before jumping into an interview. You never know what the person on the other side of the screen will see. Virtual mock interviews can help ensure that you make a great first impression, even if the interview is from the comfort of your own home.
Megan Blanco, Career Coach, Adjunct Faculty, Employer Relations Liaison, and Relationship Development, University of Central Florida
Gain Familiarity With Virtual Platforms
In today’s remote world, most virtual calls take place via Zoom or Microsoft Teams. Taking part in virtual mock interviews has a benefit: it allows individuals to become more comfortable with these platforms—i.e., how to share screens, message in chat, and ensure virtual background/lighting is appropriate for interviews.
The mock interview practice also allows the interviewer to share feedback on posture, body language, and facial cues, which are all important aspects of virtual interaction that could be put into consideration when evaluating candidates.
Megan Dias, Career Services Coach, Parsity
Create a Realistic Environment for Improvement
The benefit of participating in virtual mock interviews while job seeking is that they allow you to improve your interview skills by providing a realistic practice environment.
This practice can help you identify areas for improvement, refine your responses, and ultimately build the confidence necessary for real interviews.
Since virtual interviews are now more commonly used in the hiring process, practicing beforehand allows you to test out and familiarize yourself with certain online tools, as well as how to troubleshoot issues on the fly.
By becoming comfortable with online platforms ahead of time, you can approach actual virtual interviews with ease and professionalism, increasing your chances of success in the competitive job market.
Sebastian Morgan, Senior Content Specialist, CV Genius
Reduce Stress and Learn From Mistakes
Virtual mock interviews are very helpful when looking for a job. One of the major benefits is that they can reduce stress. In a real interview, we can feel pressure because a lot is at stake.
But in a mock interview, we’re just practicing. It’s okay to make mistakes and learn from them. We can try different answers and see what works best.
This practice can boost your confidence. When we do the real interview, we’re more prepared and we feel sure of ourselves. We’re ready to give strong answers and make a good impression. Therefore, I think virtual mock interviews are a great tool for job seekers.
Martin Potocki, CEO, Jobera
Refine Your Skills in a Low-Stakes Environment
The interview process can feel intimidating, particularly if it’s been multiple years, or decades since you last looked for a new role.
Virtual mock interviews are an opportunity to practice your stories, refine your answers, and receive thoughtful feedback in an environment where the stakes are low.
A successful mock interview will help you hone your answers and empower you to walk into your interview with confidence.
Dr. Kyle Elliott, Founder and Career Coach, CaffeinatedKyle.com
Enjoy a Convenient and Private Platform
In my experience as a CEO, virtual mock interviews are a revelation—the best technique for job seekers. The best part is the ability to practice anywhere—bedroom, park, coffee shop, or even while lounging by the pool, margarita in hand.
They offer a platform to stumble, fumble, and tumble in private, all while honing those interview skills. The only bruised ego you’ll nurse is your own, and the only critic is your reflection.
A dash of self-analysis, a sprinkle of constructive feedback, and voilà! You’re cooking up a recipe for success. This is the tech-age finishing school for job seekers. After all, it’s always better to trip up in a mock interview than a real one. Only the cats will be laughing then.
Kamil Rejent, CEO, Survicate
Test Your Body Language in a Virtual Setting
Taking part in virtual mock interviews when job-seeking can be extremely beneficial. An uncommon example is practicing body language, despite the interview being conducted over a video call.
Body language and presentation play a large role in an interview, so focusing on this aspect of communication, even when communicating virtually, can help an applicant put their best foot forward.
Not only will this practice help to project confidence through facial expressions, but it may also make up for any audio issues that could occur during the call, as micro-expressions remain visible and audible.
Michael Alexis, CEO, Virtual Team Building
Enable Speech Practice and Question Anticipation
Interviews can be nerve-wracking. Hence, one way to be more prepared for interviews and greatly increase your chances of getting hired is to attend virtual mock interviews.
This allows the job seeker to practice the way he talks during interviews, from diction and pronunciation to self-confidence.
Aside from that, mock interviews allow the job seeker to anticipate possible interview questions, making him more prepared to answer these questions and ace the interview.
Danielle Dahl, Managing Editor, Leadership Expert, and PhD Candidate in Psychology, Everyday Power