How to do a mock interview with someone?

Mock interviews are a powerful way to hone your interviewing skills before stepping into the real deal. Conducting a mock interview with a friend, colleague, or mentor simulates the pressure, format, and expectations of an actual interview—minus the high stakes. Below is a step-by-step guide on how to set up and execute an effective mock interview session.

1. Define Your Goals and Focus

Before you even schedule your mock interview, clarify what you want to achieve:

• Identify Interview Type: Are you practicing a technical interview, a system design discussion, or a behavioral conversation?
• Outline Key Objectives: Zero in on what you need to improve—problem-solving, communication skills, time management, or all of the above.
• Choose Relevant Topics: If you’re prepping for a coding interview at a FAANG-level company, for instance, ensure you’re practicing questions that mirror that difficulty level.

Tip: If you’re looking for a structured curriculum to complement your practice, consider Grokking the Coding Interview: Patterns for Coding Questions (for a coding focus) or Grokking the System Design Interview (for a system design focus) by DesignGurus.io.

2. Find the Right Interviewer

The quality of your interviewer plays a significant role in how effective your practice will be:

• Knowledgeable Peer: Pick someone familiar with the domain. If you’re practicing system design, choose someone who understands distributed systems.
• Industry Professional: A mentor or ex-FAANG engineer can simulate real-world interviewing styles.
• Objective Feedback Provider: Ensure your interviewer is willing to give honest, constructive criticism.

Pro Tip: DesignGurus.io offers specialized Coding Mock Interview and System Design Mock Interview sessions with ex-FAANG engineers for hyper-relevant practice sessions.

3. Create a Realistic Environment

Simulate the actual interview as closely as possible:

• Set a Time Limit: Typical technical interviews range from 30 to 60 minutes. Respect these constraints to build time-management skills.
• Use Video Conferencing Tools: If your real interview will be remote, conduct your mock interview using Zoom, Google Meet, or a similar platform.
• Eliminate Distractions: Silence notifications, find a quiet space, and treat the session with the same gravity as a real interview.

4. Prepare Relevant Questions and Scenarios

• Tailor Questions to the Role: If you’re practicing for a Backend Software Engineer role, focus on backend-specific problems.
• Include Behavioral Components: Even technical interviews often include “Tell me about a challenge you’ve faced” or “What are your career goals?” to assess cultural fit.
• Simulate Follow-Up Questions: Good interviewers dig deeper after the initial answer to assess depth of knowledge. Encourage your mock interviewer to do the same.

5. Conduct the Interview Step by Step

Introduction (2–5 Minutes)

• Ice Breaker: Start with a friendly greeting, just like a real interview.
• Brief Overview: The interviewer explains the structure and the type of questions you’ll tackle.

Main Interview (25–40 Minutes)

• Technical or Behavioral Questions: You solve problems or respond to scenarios while articulating your thought process.
• Clarifying Questions: Ask questions if any requirement is ambiguous—this shows communication skills.
• Time Check: Keep track of time to simulate real-world pressure.

Feedback and Debrief (5–10 Minutes)

• Immediate Insights: Your interviewer shares first impressions—what went well, what to improve.
• Detailed Discussion: Focus on the approach, solution correctness, communication style, and areas you can refine.
• Action Plan: Agree on next steps—additional practice problems, deeper study of certain concepts, or more mock interviews.

6. Evaluate Your Performance

Right after your mock interview, jot down notes while the experience is still fresh:

• Strengths: Identify what you did well—were you articulate, calm under pressure, or particularly strong in certain algorithms?
• Weaknesses: Did you struggle with time constraints, data structures, or clarifying the problem? Highlight these areas to drive your future study plan.
• Metrics: Track your progress over time. Measure improvements in problem-solving speed, clarity of communication, and solution efficiency.

7. Iterate and Improve

Mock interviews are most effective when done repeatedly:

• Schedule Regular Sessions: Create a routine (e.g., weekly) to build interview muscle memory.
• Vary Interviewers: Different people have different styles, so this helps avoid predictability.
• Incorporate New Challenges: If you nailed arrays and strings, shift focus to graph algorithms or advanced system design to broaden your skill set.

Additional Resources to Bolster Your Prep

• System Design Primer: The Ultimate Guide by DesignGurus.io – A thorough introduction to tackling distributed systems, scalability, and other high-level design considerations.
• Grokking System Design Fundamentals – Perfect for beginners seeking a strong baseline understanding of system design concepts.

Why Mock Interviews with DesignGurus.io?

While practicing with a friend is great, sometimes you need professional guidance:

• Expert Mentorship: Sessions conducted by ex-FAANG engineers who know the intricacies of top-tier interviews.
• Realistic Questions: Stay updated with the latest industry trends and question formats.
• Targeted Feedback: Each session includes a personalized post-interview discussion, letting you pinpoint exactly what to work on next.

Conclusion

Conducting a mock interview with someone is one of the best ways to build confidence and refine your interviewing technique. From setting clear goals to creating a realistic environment, every step ensures you’re prepared for the real thing. Combine these mock sessions with robust, structured resources—like those offered by DesignGurus.io—to maximize your readiness. By continually practicing, iterating on feedback, and solidifying your technical and behavioral skills, you’ll be well on your way to acing your next interview.

Ready to level up? Check out Coding Mock Interview or System Design Mock Interview at DesignGurus.io for personalized feedback that can make all the difference in securing your dream role!