Mock Interviews

One of the fantastic opportunities offered by the Career Development Center here in the Walton College is participation in Mock Interviews. Real employers volunteer to come to campus to help students improve their interviewing skills by conducting real face-to-face interviews. These experiences are incredibly valuable to identify strengths and weaknesses applicants have before they get to the actual interview for a job they really want. Practicing interviewing also makes the process much more familiar and helps you to be able to relax. This semester, I have been able to participate in mock interviews with Nielsen, AT&T via Skype, Saatchi & Saatchi X, and Consolidated Electrical Distributors. The Skype interview was a new experience, and one that I am definitely glad I practiced with now since it is becoming more and more popular with employers. In fact, I will probably try to practice with this format once or twice more.

As for feedback, generally, my overall feedback was very positive from all of the employers. Some of the tips that I received were:

- More relaxed and conversational
- More specific about career goals
- Let more personality show
- Strong resume; improve by
- Great experience and skills
- Practice more behavioral questions with the STAR method

While I have interviewed before, I learned a lot about my interviewing style, and by the time I got to the last one, I certainly began to feel more comfortable with the process. This program is just one of the many assets students have access to in the Walton College through the CDC, and I encourage everyone to take full advantage and get in some practice!

For more tips on interviewing and to watch for more mock interview opportunities, visit the Career Development Center's website here: http://waltoncollege.uark.edu/career/interviewing.asp.

- Tammy :o)