Mock Interview

What is a mock interview?

Also known as a practice interview, a mock interview is a simulation of an actual job interview, allowing you to gain experience beforehand. Mock interview's have many positives, such as:

• Helps you learn how to answer 
• Develop interview strategies
• Improve communication skills 
• Receive feedback 
• Reduce stress before an actual job interview 

How to prepare for an interview

• Research into the industry / company 
• Prepare for common interview questions 
• Remember to be yourself 
• Line up questions for the interviewer 
• Think positively 
• Have experiences ready to talk about 
• Review your skills
• Think ahead to the future, prepare answer 
• know why you fit the role 

An example of researching into a company - The BBC

The British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC) is the national broadcaster of the United Kingdom. Headquartered at Broadcasting House in London, it is the world's oldest national broadcaster, and the largest broadcaster in the world by number of employees, employing over 22,000 staff in total, of whom approximately 19,000 are in public-sector broadcasting.

The BBC interests me because they make content for diverse audiences, a lot of their content interests me and has done for many years. I also think with the company having radio, iPlayer, tv, etc. it gives them more opportunities to create content for diverse audiences. 

Roles 

• Senior journalist reporter 
• Reporter 
• Journalism assistant 
• Broadcast journalist 

'As a Broadcast Journalist, you will originate and develop ideas and help in planning material for future programmes as well as carrying out research across the whole range of news and current affairs output.  You will be expected to write scripts for TV, radio and online. You will interview and report under direction, in both recorded and live situations, in studio and on location. You will help produce items for programmes and prepare and edit radio and TV packages.'

'You will have the drive and instinct for intelligent, lively and creative journalism. You will need strong writing skills and a well-developed knowledge of Northern Ireland. Those journalists who wish to be considered for an on air role will also need a good broadcasting voice and an ability to present on television.'

When going for an interview, you may be asked to bring:

• Birth certificate
• Passport
• NI Number
• Provisional / driving license 

Company we are being interviewed for - Channel 4

In 1982, Britain only had three television channels - BBC1, BBC2, and ITV. Petitions for a fourth had begun as early as the late 1950s, and for what people assumed would be ITV2, came Channel 4. Channel 4 is a free-to-air public service broadcaster, freely available to all of the UK, whose purpose is to create change through entertainment. The channel began with shows like Countdown, Book Four, Channel 4 News, and more, bringing in a wide range of different audiences. As well as this, the channel's investment played a large part in the blossoming of British animation in the 1980s and 90s - British animators featured heavily in the regular Four-Mations (1990-98), a regular animation series featuring short animated films, tributes, and sometimes a documentary on animation.

My Mock Interview

Feedback and Evaluation

'You showed passion in the theory part of media. You also showed that you are good at independent working and having responsibility in completing your own work to a good standard. You also showed that you have organisation skills by having your footage before the lockdown period and this helped you have a better outcome for your work. You showed a personal connection with Channel 4 by saying you were raised with the channel which is great. You also were able too mention shows from Channel 4 showing you do have interest with the company. You showed that you were able to work in a team and were open to collaboration of ideas with others.'

Watching my mock interview back, there are definitely things I would like to improve on - one thing in particular being my pronunciation. Unfortunately when I'm nervous I repeat the word 'like' a lot, which is mentioned one too many times in the interview, so this is definitely a habit I need to try to refrain from as when it comes to a genuine interview in the industry, it doesn't come across as professional. Meanwhile, something I believe I did well was preparing my answers. Going into the interview I prepared potential answers for the planned questions, as well as researching into Channel 4, so there were different topics I could discuss that perhaps others didn't. Researching into the company you are being interviewed for, I believe, is the most important part of the process, since it shows that you have took the time to learn more about the company and its history. I also made sure that I had different experiences in mind which I had faced during college to show how I have gained certain skills which would help me in the role and with my future in the industry.