Your resolution: run one solo mock interview every week.
Less than 15 minutes. That’s it.
You do not need a coach to prepare for interviews. You don't even need an actual interview yet. You need a system you can repeat on your own.
Yes, I coach people.
And no, you do not need a coach for this part.
This works because of something called Exposure Therapy.
You practice interview conditions without consequences.
You hear the questions.
You feel a little pressure.
Nothing bad happens.
Over time, your brain stops treating interviews like a threat.
That’s the goal.
Step 1. Pick 5 common questions
Start here. These come up everywhere.
I've added a little guidance on how to answer below each question.
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Tell me about yourself
(Say what you do well now. Skip your life story.) -
Why are you leaving teaching?
(Talk about what you want next, not what you are leaving.) -
What is your biggest strength?
(Name one strength and say how it helps others, nothing about just yourself.) -
Tell me about a time you solved a problem.
(Say what went wrong, what you did, and what changed.) -
What would your current colleagues say about you?
(Say how people count on you when things get busy.)
Step 2. Record yourself answering
Use your phone or laptop camera.
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One question at a time
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One minute per answer
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No script
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No notes
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Just speak
Interviews are not reading exercises. They are thinking-out-loud exercises. Your first few recordings are going to be bad. Accept it and do the work.
Step 3. Play it back
Do not be mean to yourself. Don't judge. Don't roll your eyes.
Look only for these three things.
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Did you answer the question?
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Did you speak clearly and calmly?
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Did you sound like a future teammate?
Do this once a week
That's the resolution.
By the third week, most people notice they start to breeze through these questions.
This works because repetition replaces anxiety with familiarity.
Voila- Exposure Therapy.
How to use this all year
Keep the same questions until they feel boring. Swap in job-specific question when interviews are actually scheduled.
That is it.
Save this. Make it your New Year’s resolution.
Before you go, think about the last interview you had. There was one question where your brain went blank. You know the one. Hit reply and drop that question in your message back to me. I read every reply, even if I can’t respond to all of them.
I may cover your question next.
That's all for this week. Hope you'll give this a try.
Steph Yesil
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