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There is now a CONTENT FREEZE for Mercury while we switch to a new platform. It began on Friday, March 10 at 6pm and will end on Wednesday, March 15 at noon. No new content can be created during this time, but all material in the system as of the beginning of the freeze will be migrated to the new platform, including users and groups. Functionally the new site is identical to the old one. webteam@gatech.edu
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Atlanta, GA | Posted: March 31, 2011
Ralph Mobley
Director, Career Services
Perhaps one of the most nerve wracking and anxiety invoking events we face in our professional lives is the interview. Students in particular can get stressed to the panic point when faced with this seemingly incomprehensible event. They donât know what to expect and donât know how to prepare. Too often they "wing it" and fail to make a good impression.
Career Services at Georgia Tech www.career.gatech.edu offers programs to make the interview less daunting and more manageable in a number of ways. One of those methods is to offer students the opportunity to practice interviewing online. Studentsâ ability to interview well and make a positive impression, like almost anything else, improves with practice.
Optimal Interview, offered via the Georgia Tech Career Services website (look for the Career Research Tools section under the Students tab) helps job seeking students hone their interviewing skills online with real-to-life, multimedia interview scenarios. Armed with a computer, a microphone, and webcam, students can experience the kinds of questions they will be asked, see and hear themselves as the interviewer will see and hear them, and get coached on thoughtful answers to tough questions.
With Optimal Interview, job seekers can easily practice a number of different interview scenarios, including:
* Screening interviews
* Behavioral interviews
* Initial face-to-face interviews
* Hiring manager interviews
* Tag team panel interviews
* Pressure interviews
* Final interviews
* Medical and law school interviews
Students are in full control of each interview session: they choose the length of the practice session, the type of interview, and even the interviewer. Hundreds of interview questions are available. Students can create their own set of interview questions or let Optimal Interview pick questions at random for them.
All interviews are conducted by professional actors and use thoughtful sequencing that makes each interview fresh and different. Virtual coaching is available with recommended tactics for responding to challenging interview questions.
Students can save their practice session and e-mail their interview to others for feedback. It's easy to use and prepares job seekers for face-to-face or virtual employment interviews.
Career Services employs Optimal Interview as an important tool to help make sure students are prepared to tackle their next job interview, internship interview, or admissions interview.
For more information, visit the Career Services website www.career.gatech.edu.
