Practice makes perfect

Role-playing can prepare job seekers for interviews

Have you ever been amazed how smooth Hollywood actors and actresses are at giving their lines and filling their parts? What we, as the audience, don’t often realize is just how many retakes are done on movie sets before a scene is deemed screenworthy, and how many times movie professionals role-play those lines prior to the actual shooting.

Perhaps it’s time to employ a little roleplaying in your job search. You may consider practicing or role-playing interviews as either fun or burdensome. Either way, that practice can be a very valuable exercise for your job search process.

Role-playing is a great way to prepare yourself for an all-important interview. If you’ve invested the time, energy, resources and effort it often takes to be called in for an interview, a few additional minutes of preparation can help make the difference. It’s possible that one additional phrase may make the difference between you getting the job versus someone else.

Of course, you don’t know every question that’s going to be asked. However, the majority of the time you’ll be asked questions similar to the ones listed here. Have a friend or relative ask you the following questions and evaluate your responses. You might even want to record the “rehearsal” interviews to see how prospective employers will view you.

• Why do you think you’re qualified for this job? • What are your strengths? • What are your weaknesses? • Why did you leave your last job? • Why would you hire yourself? • What do you know about our company? (This could include the history, services/products, etc.)

• Do you have any questions? (Be sure you have questions that show you have done your homework on the company and the position.)

• Where do you think you’ll be with your career in the next three to five years?

• What would your previous boss say about your performance?

• What has been your greatest accomplishment at a job?

• What has been your greatest failure at a job?

• What would your co-workers say about you as a worker and team player?

• Who was the best boss you ever worked for? Why?

• Who was the worst boss you ever worked for? Why? (Be very careful here.)

Have your friend provide feedback on how well you answered the questions. Ask for additional suggestions about how you can create a stronger answer for any questions you stumbled on so you’re prepared when the real interview takes place.

Whenever possible, state your answers in such a way that they add potential value to the company for which you’re seeking employment. Keep in mind, the interview isn’t really about you; it’s about the results the hiring company can expect to receive by hiring you.

Having a friend sit in when practicing responses to common questions can help job seekers perform well during a job interview.