For many graduate students, the hiring process for their first post-graduate job can be daunting and unfamiliar. Interviews, a key component of the hiring process, can be particularly stressful—especially for those who have never had to formally interview for a position. Successful interviews require substantial practice and preparation, and it is important to begin preparing well before you are offered your first interview. Luckily, there are valuable resources and support available to graduate students as they navigate interview preparation. Big Interview is a powerful job preparation tool that graduate students can use to practice and refine their interviewing skills. Whether you are preparing for a career in academia, industry, nonprofits, or government, Big Interview provides structured guidance to improve your interview responses and build confidence. We talked to the Associate Director of Graduate Students and Special Projects at UC Berkeley’s Career Engagement, Andrew Green, about how graduate students can best leverage the platform. Below are five key steps you can take to make the most of this resource. Steps for SuccessStep 1: Learn Best Practices and Strategies for Acing Your Interview Big Interview offers several resources and mini-courses designed to help job seekers learn the essentials of interview preparation. First, Big Interview offers comprehensive written guides to interview preparation on their resources webpage, including guides on how to prepare for the most common interview questions, why and how you should use the STAR Method in interviews, and the eight steps of interview prep. These resources can be accessed without a Big Interview account. Second, Big Interview offers a variety of mini-courses called “Interview Playbooks,” which can be accessed by making a Berkeley account for the platform. These playbooks provide structured, situation-specific guidance for scenarios like transitioning to a new industry or addressing resume gaps. For graduate students, these courses offer valuable insights into presenting their skills effectively, avoiding common interview pitfalls, and building the confidence needed to succeed in competitive job markets. Step 2: Access Industry-Specific Question Sets After learning the basics of interview preparation, you can try Big Interview’s AI-powered mock interview tool. You can access hundreds of question sets tailored to different industries, job levels, and interview formats. Each question set offers insight into what you may be asked during an interview for a particular position or industry. Graduate students can navigate these customized practice sets by searching for specific job roles or sectors. For example, those targeting faculty positions can see specialized question sets based on real faculty interview experiences, developed in consultation with experienced interviewers. You can also find question sets for other industries graduate students often pursue, such as management consulting, biotech, the nonprofit sector, and communications. If you don’t find a relevant question set—such as for UX research or policy analysis roles—you can create a custom set or reach out to Berkeley’s Center for Career Engagement for additional resources. Step 3: Practice Your Interview Skills Interviews are inherently high-pressure situations, and without prior experience, it can be difficult to convey your qualifications clearly and effectively. Big Interview allows you to simulate real interview scenarios, helping you become more comfortable with the process. You can practice responses to general questions or industry-specific question sets, record your answers, and watch the playback to assess your delivery, tone, and body language. Since many job interviews now take place remotely, this feature is particularly valuable for learning how to speak to a camera instead of a person. Step 4: Receive AI-Powered Feedback One of the unique aspects of Big Interview is its machine learning capabilities, which analyze your recorded responses to question sets and provide feedback on elements such as pacing, filler words, and facial expressions. This can help you identify habits that may distract from your message, such as excessive hand gestures or an inconsistent speaking pace. While AI feedback is not perfect, it serves as an initial step in improving self-awareness before moving on to live mock interviews with career advisors or mentors. Step 5: Supplement Your Practice with Career Advising While Big Interview is an excellent tool for self-directed learning, it is most effective when combined with additional resources, such as mock interview appointments with career advisors. Big Interview allows you to share practice interview recordings with mentors, colleagues, or anyone else for feedback. To do this, navigate to “My Videos” from the practice dropdown menu, select the videos you want to share, and click the “Share” button. You can share via email or by copying a link. If you struggle with crafting responses or want personalized feedback on your mock interview recordings, consider scheduling an appointment with a Career Educator at Conclusion Big Interview offers a structured way to develop one of the most critical skills for career success. By leveraging these resources, graduate students can reduce interview anxiety, improve their performance, and enter job interviews with greater confidence. Reuben Perez is a Professional Development Liaison at GradPro and a PhD student in Sociology.
For many graduate students, the hiring process for their first post-graduate job can be daunting and unfamiliar. Interviews, a key component of the hiring process, can be particularly stressful—especially for those who have never had to formally interview for a position. Successful interviews require substantial practice and preparation, and it is important to begin preparing well before you are offered your first interview. Luckily, there are valuable resources and support available to graduate students as they navigate interview preparation. Big Interview is a powerful job preparation tool that graduate students can use to practice and refine their interviewing skills. Whether you are preparing for a career in academia, industry, nonprofits, or government, Big Interview provides structured guidance to improve your interview responses and build confidence. We talked to the Associate Director of Graduate Students and Special Projects at UC Berkeley’s Career Engagement, Andrew Green, about how graduate students can best leverage the platform. Below are five key steps you can take to make the most of this resource. Steps for SuccessStep 1: Learn Best Practices and Strategies for Acing Your Interview Big Interview offers several resources and mini-courses designed to help job seekers learn the essentials of interview preparation. First, Big Interview offers comprehensive written guides to interview preparation on their resources webpage, including guides on how to prepare for the most common interview questions, why and how you should use the STAR Method in interviews, and the eight steps of interview prep. These resources can be accessed without a Big Interview account. Second, Big Interview offers a variety of mini-courses called “Interview Playbooks,” which can be accessed by making a Berkeley account for the platform. These playbooks provide structured, situation-specific guidance for scenarios like transitioning to a new industry or addressing resume gaps. For graduate students, these courses offer valuable insights into presenting their skills effectively, avoiding common interview pitfalls, and building the confidence needed to succeed in competitive job markets. Step 2: Access Industry-Specific Question Sets After learning the basics of interview preparation, you can try Big Interview’s AI-powered mock interview tool. You can access hundreds of question sets tailored to different industries, job levels, and interview formats. Each question set offers insight into what you may be asked during an interview for a particular position or industry. Graduate students can navigate these customized practice sets by searching for specific job roles or sectors. For example, those targeting faculty positions can see specialized question sets based on real faculty interview experiences, developed in consultation with experienced interviewers. You can also find question sets for other industries graduate students often pursue, such as management consulting, biotech, the nonprofit sector, and communications. If you don’t find a relevant question set—such as for UX research or policy analysis roles—you can create a custom set or reach out to Berkeley’s Center for Career Engagement for additional resources. Step 3: Practice Your Interview Skills Interviews are inherently high-pressure situations, and without prior experience, it can be difficult to convey your qualifications clearly and effectively. Big Interview allows you to simulate real interview scenarios, helping you become more comfortable with the process. You can practice responses to general questions or industry-specific question sets, record your answers, and watch the playback to assess your delivery, tone, and body language. Since many job interviews now take place remotely, this feature is particularly valuable for learning how to speak to a camera instead of a person. Step 4: Receive AI-Powered Feedback One of the unique aspects of Big Interview is its machine learning capabilities, which analyze your recorded responses to question sets and provide feedback on elements such as pacing, filler words, and facial expressions. This can help you identify habits that may distract from your message, such as excessive hand gestures or an inconsistent speaking pace. While AI feedback is not perfect, it serves as an initial step in improving self-awareness before moving on to live mock interviews with career advisors or mentors. Step 5: Supplement Your Practice with Career Advising While Big Interview is an excellent tool for self-directed learning, it is most effective when combined with additional resources, such as mock interview appointments with career advisors. Big Interview allows you to share practice interview recordings with mentors, colleagues, or anyone else for feedback. To do this, navigate to “My Videos” from the practice dropdown menu, select the videos you want to share, and click the “Share” button. You can share via email or by copying a link. If you struggle with crafting responses or want personalized feedback on your mock interview recordings, consider scheduling an appointment with a Career Educator at Conclusion Big Interview offers a structured way to develop one of the most critical skills for career success. By leveraging these resources, graduate students can reduce interview anxiety, improve their performance, and enter job interviews with greater confidence. Reuben Perez is a Professional Development Liaison at GradPro and a PhD student in Sociology.