Practice Interviews

Having a chance to practice interviewing can make you feel much more prepared for the real thing.

There are two options for practice interviews. You can do a mock interview (in person with an employer) or use InterviewStream (online practice interviews that you record).

InterviewStream

All JMU students and alumni can use InterviewStream to conduct free, online mock interviews with a webcam. You will have access to frequently asked interview questions, or you can choose your own questions. You can record yourself responding to each question, retry, and review the final product to improve your performance.

Features and benefits of using InterviewStream include:

• Convenience: You can practice online, any time of the day or night, from the comfort of your own room. (You also have the option of reserving a room in Sonner Hall to use InterviewStream if you don’t have access to a laptop, computer, or tablet that has a webcam.)
• Interview Questions Specific to your Field: You have the option of conducting an interview with questions that are specific to your future career field. InterviewStream organizes practice interview questions by industry. This allows you to create your own practice interview related to Business, Education, Technology, Sciences, Health Care, Communications, Art, Non-Profit, Social Services, Military, Recreation, and more.
• Expert Advice: InterviewStream also offers videos where recruiters provide advice and strategies for answering difficult interview questions and making the best impression in the interview, overall.
• Getting Feedback: After you conduct a practice interview on InterviewStream you’ll have a video of the entire interview that you can access later. You can send anyone (professors, family members, friends, mentors) the link to this video and ask for their feedback on your responses and non-verbal communication. You also have the option of reviewing the final video yourself and revisiting any of your responses to improve your performance.

To learn more about InterviewStream and preview how the system works, check out the InterviewStream intro video.

To access InterviewStream, login to your Recruit-A-Duke account and look for the InterviewStream logo in the announcements section of your home page.

Mock Interviews with Employers

JMU's Mock Interview Program can help you gain valuable experience interviewing with actual employers without leaving campus!  The employer will offer you professional feedback on your performance. All Mock Interviews happen in the Sonner Hall Interview Center, on the lower level.

Many mock interviews include behavioral interview questions. These questions are open-ended and ask you about past work or life experiences. Learn more about behavioral interviewing and other common interview questions, so you'll know what to expect.

Student Feedback

97% of students who participated gained valuable experience from their mock interview. Here are some student comments:

• “The recruiter provided a lot of great input that I will carry with in future interviews. It was a great experience.”
• “It was a meaningful learning experience. I definitely advise other students to use this resource.”
• “This was my first professional interview. I think that it was very helpful and thank you for giving me the opportunity! I plan to sign up for more in the future.”

Sign-Up

Mock Interviews are by appointment only, and are booked through Recruit-A-Duke. You must complete the online Recruit-A-Duke tutorial first, in order to be an authorized user of the system.  Once you’ve completed the workshop and are an authorized user of the system:

• Go to Recruit-A-Duke and enter your username and password.
• Click Job Opportunities > On Campus Recruiting.
• Type in "Mock" under the keyword search.
• Sort list by clicking on Deadline heading. Deadlines are always 2 days prior to the event- so if you want to interview on September 15th, look for September 13th deadlines.
• Click on the name of a company to sign up for an interview. You do not need to be interested in that organization to interview with them.