Beginner12 min read

Mock Interview Setup Guide

Set up your first AI-powered mock interview in 4 steps. Covers every setup option — including the new custom questions feature, interviewer archetypes, and resume-claim probing — plus what happens during your session and how to read your analytics report.

12 minute read
Perfect for beginners

Instant AI Feedback

Readiness score, STAR analysis, and per-question breakdown generated automatically after every session

20+ Practice Scenarios

Searchable scenario library — Technical, Behavioral, System Design, Negotiation, Leadership, Situational, and more

Natural Conversation

AI interviewer adapts follow-up questions to your answers, cross-checks resume claims, and stays fully in character

Deeply Customizable

Pick an interviewer archetype, voice, style, focus areas, level, question count — or add your own custom questions

Custom Question List

Add up to 10 specific questions you want to be asked. The AI delivers them naturally with follow-ups and scored feedback

Resume-Claim Probing

The interviewer automatically probes your stated resume claims every few questions — just like a real technical interview

Setup Guide

Choose your interview mode below — the steps update to match.

Web mock interview — full-featured 4-step browser session with 20+ practice scenarios, custom question lists, interviewer archetypes, focus area tags, voice preview, AI suggestion panel, and a complete analytics report.

1

What Are You Preparing For? (Step 1 of 4)

Enter your target company and role, then pick a practice scenario

  • Go to Dashboard → Mock Interview → New Session
  • Company name (required): e.g. "Google", "Stripe", "McKinsey"
  • Target role (required): e.g. "Senior Backend Engineer", "Product Manager"
  • Quick-start templates auto-fill common setups — click one to pre-populate everything
  • Practice scenario (required): choose from 20+ searchable presets across Technical, Behavioral, System Design, Negotiation, Leadership, and Situational categories
  • Each scenario has a recommended duration and a pre-written context description that shapes AI questions
  • Optional: set the interview language (English, Spanish, French, Portuguese, German)
2

Tailor It (Step 2 of 4)

Add resume, job description, level, question count, and duration

  • Resume (optional but recommended): upload PDF or paste text — AI extracts your experience and tailors questions to your actual background
  • If a resume is already on file, a banner confirms it — no re-upload needed
  • Job description (optional): paste the JD to align questions with the specific role requirements
  • Level: Junior / Mid / Senior / Staff+Principal — sets question depth and expected competency signals
  • Questions: 3, 5, 8, or 12 questions per session
  • Duration: 15, 30, 45, or 60 minutes
  • Session objective (optional): describe what you want to focus on this session
3

Personalize the Interviewer (Step 3 of 4)

Choose the interviewer archetype, voice, style, and focus areas

  • Interviewer persona (archetype): Silent Analyst (long pauses, pushes for ownership), Rapid-Fire Engineer (high tempo, tests precision), Friendly HR (warm tone, STAR-focused), or Default (standard style)
  • Voice: Neutral (Alloy), Female (Nova), or Male (Onyx) — click the ▷ play button next to each voice to hear a preview before choosing
  • Conversation style: Friendly / Warm / Strict / Curious
  • Focus areas: tag-based picker — select from Leadership, Conflict Resolution, Ownership, Communication, Problem Solving, System Design, Data Structures, Algorithms, Behavioral/STAR, Trade-offs, Past Projects, Failure & Learning
  • Custom AI instructions: add free-text guidance ("focus on leadership examples only")
  • Custom microphone instructions: tell the AI how to interpret your voice responses
  • AI model selector: choose your preferred AI model for the session
4

Your Questions — Optional (Step 4 of 4)

Add specific questions you want the AI to ask you

  • Add up to 10 custom questions you want to be asked this session
  • Leave empty and the AI selects the best questions from your context automatically
  • When filled: the AI asks your questions in order, rephrased naturally in its own voice — not read verbatim
  • The AI asks follow-up questions after each of your custom questions, just like a real interviewer
  • After your custom list is exhausted, the AI continues with auto-generated questions for the rest of the session
  • Each answer receives the same scored feedback and coaching as AI-generated questions
  • Important: custom questions override the "Questions" count from Step 2 while the list is active
  • Maximum 300 characters per question
5

Grant Microphone Access

Allow the browser to use your microphone for voice answers

  • Click "Allow" when the browser prompts for mic access
  • The mic button in the interview header controls when you are recording
  • You can also type answers if you prefer text input
  • Audio is never stored unencrypted — end-to-end secure
6

Start Your Session

Launch the interview and begin answering

  • Click "Start Interview" — AI introduces itself and begins
  • Status badge shows: Setting up → Interviewer speaking → Tap mic → Listening
  • Microphone button is disabled while the AI is speaking to prevent overlap
  • Tap the mic when the interviewer finishes to record your answer
  • Resume-claim probes: every 3 questions the AI asks a targeted question to verify something you claimed on your resume

During Your Session

What the interface shows you and how to interact with it during a web mock interview.

Status Badge — Always Visible

The header shows exactly what the system is doing at every moment:

  • "Setting up…" — AI is loading your session context and custom questions
  • "Interviewer speaking — wait" — do not tap the mic yet
  • "Tap mic to respond" — the interviewer finished, your turn
  • "Listening…" — AI is recording and transcribing your answer
  • "Processing…" — transcription in progress
  • "Thinking…" — AI is generating the next question or follow-up

Answering Questions

Two ways to submit your answers:

  • Voice: tap the mic button → speak → tap again to stop
  • Text: type your answer in the input box and press Enter
  • Microphone is disabled (dimmed) while the interviewer is speaking
  • Auto-listening mode available for hands-free turn-taking

Custom Questions in Action

If you added custom questions in Step 4, here is how they play out:

  • The AI asks your questions in order — each one rephrased naturally in its persona voice, not read verbatim
  • After each answer the AI still asks follow-up questions based on what you said
  • Each custom-question answer receives a score, model answer, and coaching feedback in the report
  • When all custom questions are done, the AI continues generating its own questions for the rest of the session
  • You will not see a visible indicator that a custom question is being asked — the session flows naturally throughout

Resume-Claim Probing

Every 3 questions, the AI automatically interleaves a resume probe:

  • The AI picks a claim from your uploaded resume (e.g. "You led a team of 8 engineers…") and asks you to substantiate it
  • These probes are indistinguishable from regular questions — the AI stays in character
  • Resume probes are skipped when you have custom questions active — so your custom sequence is never interrupted
  • Probe answers are scored and included in your final analytics report

AI Assistance Panel

The left panel shows real-time AI support:

  • AI-suggested answer structure visible while you think
  • Key points and STAR prompts to guide your response
  • Reference your resume and JD context inline
  • Collapse the panel to practice without prompts

Session Controls

Manage the session flow from the header:

  • "Repeat" button replays the current question via TTS
  • "Skip" button moves to the next question
  • End session early with the power button — report still generates
  • Per-answer timer shows how long you have to respond

Your Analytics Report

After every session — web or phone — your report is generated automatically. Here is exactly what each section measures and how to use it.

Interview Readiness Score

Composite 0–100 score calculated from six dimensions:

  • Answer Quality (35%) — relevance, depth, and accuracy of each response
  • STAR Completeness (20%) — Situation, Task, Action, Result coverage
  • Specificity (15%) — concrete examples, numbers, and named outcomes
  • Speech Clarity (15%) — filler word rate and articulation quality
  • Confidence Signals (10%) — assertive language and answer decisiveness
  • Topic Coverage (5%) — how many interview questions were answered

Category Scores

Four detailed category averages across all your answers:

  • Content Quality — relevance, depth, accuracy, completeness, example quality
  • Communication — clarity, structure, conciseness, coherence, confidence
  • Professional Impression — professionalism, enthusiasm, self-awareness
  • Strategic Fit — role alignment, company alignment, differentiator strength

Per-Question Breakdown

Every question is scored and analysed individually:

  • Your transcribed answer shown verbatim
  • STAR analysis — which phases (S/T/A/R) were present or missing
  • Specificity and agency signals extracted from your language
  • Verdict: Strong / Partial / Weak / Off-topic
  • Filler word count and speaking metrics

Strengths & Improvements

Actionable top-line takeaways generated from your session:

  • Top 3 strengths evidenced in your answers
  • Top 3 specific improvements with guidance on how to improve
  • Red flags — critical gaps (e.g., zero answers, off-topic responses)
  • Skills not demonstrated — missing competency signals

Recommendations & Action Plan

Personalised next steps based on your session results:

  • Numbered recommendations ranked by impact
  • 3-step action plan you can execute before your next session
  • Hiring recommendation: Strong Hire / Hire / No Hire / Strong No Hire
  • Focus areas for your next session to maximise improvement

Red Flags & Missing Signals

Signals that could cost you the offer, highlighted clearly:

  • Zero-answer sessions or incomplete participation flagged as Critical
  • Off-topic answers that did not address the question
  • Missing professionalism, enthusiasm, or self-awareness signals
  • Weak strategic fit — answers not aligned to the target role or company

View your Analytics Dashboard

Track readiness score trends, category improvements, and session history across all your mock interviews.

Open Dashboard

Pro Tips for Better Results

Treat It Like the Real Thing

Practice in a professional setting, speak out loud, and stay in character for the full session — even when an answer goes wrong.

Practice 2–3× Per Week

Consistency beats intensity. Two focused sessions a week with thorough report review outperforms marathon cramming.

Spend More Time on the Report

The post-session analytics are where the real learning happens. Review every question breakdown before closing the report.

Always Use Voice

Type only as a last resort. Voice answers train the speech clarity, pacing, and confidence signals that matter in real interviews.

Use Your Actual Resume & JD

Paste the real job description and your current resume every session — AI questions become dramatically more relevant and targeted.

Re-attempt Weak Questions

After reviewing your report, start a new session and add the questions where you scored lowest to your custom questions list for targeted re-practice.

Use Custom Questions Strategically

Before a real interview, add the questions you expect to be asked. The AI will ask each one naturally and give you scored feedback — so you arrive prepared.

Match the Archetype to the Real Interviewer

If you know your upcoming interview is with a technical panel, choose Rapid-Fire Engineer. HR culture-fit? Use Friendly HR. The archetype shapes every question's tone and depth.