How mock interviews can help you get ready for the real thing.

Lately it seems like interviews have been a BIG topic of discussion within my UX Designer cohort. It definitely makes sense because before long we'll be scheduling our own interviews with the goal of securing our first jobs as UX Designers.

Moment of transparency: interviews give me anxiety.

There. I spoke it out loud.

To elaborate, once the interview is under way I'm actually fine. But during the time leading up to the interview I'm SO nervous that no matter how many deep breaths I take those nervous butterflies in my gut just won't settle down.

Last week during our class we did a mock interview exercise. We were lucky enough to have a group of UX professionals who are already in the field come in and look over our portfolios. They took the time to give us feedback on our interview skills and our case studies, both of which were helpful to receive.

Here's a few things I learned through this exercise:

1. Have your elevator pitch ready to go

An elevator pitch is a great tool to have when you're given the "tell me about yourself" task at the start of an interview. Normally your elevator pitch should be about 30 seconds or so (for quick networking), but for the purpose of an interview I believe you can extend it out a bit longer.

If you're switching careers like me, a great goal to set for the interview version of your pitch is to link your past to your present. Make sure you're drawing those connection lines for your interviewer so that they have a clear idea of how your past career has set you up for success with your future career.

2. Be open to critique

If someone is taking the time to give you feedback on something, be open to what they have to say. Be sure to differentiate between fact and opinion, and take opinions with a grain of salt. Remember: you don't have to take someone's advice or critique, but being open and at least considering their point of view can be helpful to make improvements.

3. Know thyself

Know your strengths, know your areas for improvement, and know how to communicate both of these effectively. If you're the type of person that hates self-promotion, you're going to have to get over that. You have to be able to speak about yourself positively and what you can bring to the company you're interviewing with. At the same time, you also need to be able to show your self-awareness and that you're open to the process of growth.

What tips have you found to be the most useful when it comes to interviewing? How do you usually prepare? Share any wisdom you have below and help the next person!