Introducing yourself, a firm handshake, saying please and thank you, are all simple ways to keep that good first impression rolling along through the end of the interview. You want to present yourself to your best advantage. It’s important to show some polish during the hiring process, even if the position you are applying for is quite casual in nature. When answering the interview questions above, make reference to your past employers and job titles when appropriate. It raises red flags when candidates can’t remember the basics, although many people do need to brush up. Especially if you’re claiming relevant experience came from those jobs.
You don’t have to quote exact dates, but do use the mock interviews to refresh your memory on your employers, job titles, and basic job descriptions. You would be surprised how many people are unfamiliar with their own resume information. When asked about successes and valuable contributions, don’t be shy! The more you practice these questions, the clearer it becomes that with 5 or 6 basic stories, you can adapt them to answer quite a few of these questions.
Try to stick to examples where the outcome was positive, where you were able to turn things around in the end for both yourself and your employer. Have your mock interviewer read from a list (you can find them easily online, such as at ), and give thoughtful, complete answers. “Give me an example of a time you failed, and how you recovered or did not recover” is an example of one. The most common interview questions these days are the ones called behavioral questions. You don’t have to grin the whole time, but do smile as often as appropriate. A good interview handshake is firm without being aggressive, and your smile should feel natural and friendly to the recipient.
And yes, DO practice both the handshake and smile as well as your words. Example: “Hello, I’m Charles Smith and I’ve spent my career in the IT industry, I’m very interested in your Senior Analyst position, thanks for the opportunity to be here today.” The more relaxed and confident you are when introducing yourself, the better. Your smile, handshake, and the way you tell a brief story about yourself give the other person a great deal to think about and react to. Introductions are all about making a great first impression. Whether you practice with a friend, spouse, or with a career coach, your introductions, interviews, and interactions with recruiters and human resources personnel will be much smoother and more confident with some practice under your belt. Mock interviews are useful in a job search because they allow the candidate to practice their introduction, answers to common interview questions, review their resume information, and more.