How to Set Up Your Own Mock Technical Interview

For many positions in the Science, Technology, and Engineering cluster, technical interviews are a key component of the interview process. Technical interviews are typically conducted by employers who are hiring for computer science, engineering, IT or other technical roles and evaluate a candidate’s abilities to think creatively, adapt solutions, and find ways to solve technical problems.

As with all interviews, the more time you take to practice and prepare, the more confident you will feel going into the interview and the more likely you are to showcase your best self. A great way to prepare for an upcoming technical interview is to set up your own mock interview with a professional in your field of interest.

Did you know that Eagle Exchange, BC’s online mentoring platform, can be used to set up your own mock technical interview? Follow these five simple steps to learn how!

1. Activate your Eagle Exchange account and complete your profile. Use our Eagle Exchange guide to get started.

2. Go to the “Explore the Community” tab to view a list of alumni on the platform. Use the filters to narrow down your search. I recommend filtering by “Industry Expertise” to select industries such as computer networking, electronic & computer hardware, internet & software, etc. and by “Help Topics” to select mock interviewing.

First filter by “Industry Expertise”

Then filter by “Help Topics” and select “Mock Interviewing”

3. Once you find an interesting alum, click on the message button within their profile. You can craft your own message or choose a pre-written template and make it your own. Here’s a sample outreach message:

Hi [BC alum],
My name is [name], and I’m currently a [class year and major] at Boston College. I’m searching for a BC alum with industry experience in [field] to conduct a mock technical interview with me. I noticed you selected mock interviewing as a help topic and would like to know if you would be willing to meet next week so I can practice my technical interviewing skills. I look forward to hearing from you!
Sincerely,
[your name]

4. Choose to request a meeting or simply send a message. If you do request a meeting, you will need to select a topic you would like to discuss and decide how you would like to meet (phone, video, etc.). 

You can request a meeting time or send the message.

5. Click send and monitor your email to wait for a reply. Eagle Exchange will prompt alumni to respond to you within a timely manner. 

Note: You may come across an alum that you are not able to send a message to. Alumni can set quotas based on the number of students they are able to help at a single time. If you find you can’t send a message, the alum is at their quota. You will need to wait a week or two before messaging them.

At the conclusion of your mock technical interview, openly accept any feedback from the alum and use that feedback to inform areas of improvement. Additionally, be sure to thank the alum for their time by sending them a personalized note within 24 hours. Tips for writing thank you notes can be found in this detailed article.

For additional support, I encourage you to check out our Guide to Technical Interviews and the interviewing page on our website.

—By Kayla Pelland, Assistant Director, Career Education