Getting rid of your pre-interview jitters

I hate interviews. I think I would be right in saying that I’m not the only one. If someone said to me that they loved being grilled by a panel of strangers, I would probably stare at them with a look of disgust and disbelief. We all know the interview process can be daunting, especially when you are applying for your first job right of university. This is where Interview Stream comes into play.

If you are not sure what employers would be asking you for a particular position, or are just terrified of interviews in general, Interview Stream was made to take some of the pressure off and make practicing easier. All you need is a computer with a web cam and a quiet room. Visit the Interview Stream link from the Career Services website to get access as a Brock student and set up a free account. This gives you full access to the website and all of its resources.

We suggest that you view the tutorial before using Interview Stream to make sure everything on your computer is working correctly before beginning. The idea is that when you click “conduct interview” an interviewer will appear on your screen and ask you questions related to your program or job you’re applying for. You then record your response on your web cam and have the opportunity to email others for feedback. It’s a great way to see and hear yourself, and to catch “filler” words like “umm,” which is my personal interview downfall.

Many people don’t realize that interviewers also watch what you are doing as well as what you are saying, so recording yourself is a great way of seeing your non-verbal response to a question. Our Senior Career Assistants are trained to give feedback from these videos, so if you would like someone to view your responses, email career@brocku.ca and someone will respond within 48 hours. If you would rather have a one-on-one mock interview with a real person, you can book an hour session with one of our full time staff members by calling 905-688-5550 x3242 and set up an appointment. We do ask for at least 48 hours notice for this service to prepare. The Resource Centre also has a lot of print services on interview tips and tricks for you to check up.

Happy practicing!
-Rachel