Mock Interview Reflection

     Overall, I feel like the mock interview went well for me. I was nervous leading up to the experience and kept reminding myself it was low stakes. I liked that the interview only lasted 10 minutes, because if it happened to go really poorly, it would be over soon. Additionally, I appreciated getting feedback in real time right after the interview was over. This helped me to know what I could improve on next time, but also gave me feedback on what I did well. I prepared for the interview by thinking through and writing down my thoughts to help me process how I would answer questions. I also looked at the resources we were provided, such as top interview questions and questions to ask during an interview. I also verbalized out loud to a peer to practice saying my thoughts. I was not prepared to answer what my career goals were, so I would have responded with a better answer if I was more prepared. In a real-life interview situation, I will give myself time to pause and think how I want to answer the question if an answer doesn't quickly come to mind. I would rather answer directly instead of providing a long answer that only kind of gets to the point. I learned many things throughout the mock interview process and preparation, but one thing I will remember is to breathe. I could feel my heart beating and my voice shaking as I answered questions. This in return made me feel more nervous and less focused on the questions I was being asked. After a few minutes in, I decided to slow down and not rush through my answers. By doing this, I felt my voice strength, my heartbeat wasn't overpowering what I could hear, and I became less nervous. This carries over into becoming an occupational therapist because it is important to not appear nervous. If our clients observe this in us, it can make them feel nervous too or like we do not know what we are doing. 

     I am thankful for this experience and how it has prepared me for the future!