The best 4 interview prep tools you need for success

For many people, an interview is the most stressful part of job searching. Preparing in advance can go a long way toward calming your interview nerves. If you’re not sure where to start, you can use interview prep tools to practice common questions and get insightful feedback about your interviewing skills.

In this guide, you’ll learn about some different tools you can use to prepare for your next interview. We’ll go over:

• The top four interview prep tools and their key features

• How each tool can help you prepare for an interview

• Answers to other frequently asked questions about interview tools

1. Career.io

Want to practice a tough interview question or receive feedback on your elevator pitch? Look no further than Career.io’s Interview Prep tool. Using artificial intelligence (AI), this tool provides comprehensive insights into your interviewing skills. During a simulated mock interview, you receive industry-specific questions and submit live recordings of your answers.

Once you’ve finished recording, you receive personalized feedback about the content, tone, and presentation of your answers. You might learn, for example, that you hesitate before speaking or rush through answers to difficult questions. With this feedback in mind, you can continue practicing and polishing your responses so you’re confident heading into your next interview.

The Career.io Interview Prep tool allows you to choose the position you want to interview for, such as a customer service representative or a software developer. There are interviews available for jobs in nearly every industry. Additionally, you can search for interviews by company, allowing you to learn more about the types of questions you can expect from a specific employer.

Key features of the Career.io Interview Prep tool include:

• You can practice industry- or company-specific questions that you’re likely to get in a real interview.

• A live recording allows you to review your answers and identify areas for improvement.

• Actionable AI-powered feedback lets you know what to work on before your big meeting so you feel prepared for anything.

Cost: Limited free access

2. Google Interview Warmup

If you want to discover patterns in your interview responses, check out Google’s Interview Warmup. With this tool, you use the microphone on your device to record your answers to interview questions. The tool transcribes your responses in real time and allows you to review what you’ve said.

The tool doesn’t grade or rank your answers, but it offers insights about the terms and words you use most often, as well as your interview talking points. For example, it may highlight the skills or experience you mention. After you receive some insights into your responses, you can continue practicing as many times as you want to keep improving.

Interview Warmup offers some general interview questions, but it only has industry-specific questions for a few fields, such as data analytics, digital marketing and e-commerce, information technology (IT) support, and project management. It asks a combination of technical, behavioral, and situational questions to allow you to practice different types.

Some other key features of Google Interview Warmup include:

• You can do a practice interview with random questions, or you can choose the specific questions you want to practice.

• After recording an answer, you can review the AI transcription to evaluate your response and make adjustments.

• It’s a good way to spot patterns in your answers and learn whether you’re making the points you want to emphasize.

Cost: Free

3. Free Virtual Interview Preparation

Are you nervous about getting your first job or returning to the workforce after a break? Get some extra interview help with Free Virtual Interview Preparation. This pro-bono service aims to help people with little or no work experience prepare effectively for interviews. It’s available for anyone who makes $40,000 or less per year, including students, entry-level professionals, and individuals reentering the workforce after gaps in employment.

If you qualify, you can schedule a 30-minute session and fill out a questionnaire to tailor the meeting to your needs. During your session, you meet with a tenured professional or a student pursuing an advanced degree. They provide an assessment of your interview performance, including your strengths and weaknesses. They also offer helpful tips and strategies for answering behavioral questions.

The goal of Free Virtual Interview Preparation is to make you feel more comfortable in interview settings. It allows you to practice and build your skills in a real-world environment, so you feel less intimidated when meeting with an actual employer.

The key features of Free Virtual Interview Preparation include:

• It provides a no-cost way to get helpful interview feedback if you’re a student or you meet the income requirements.

• All volunteers have experience going through interview cycles in various industries, including law, medicine, and finance.

• You can learn some tools for answering tough behavioral questions.

Cost: Free

4. LeetCode

Before your next interview in the IT field, consider using LeetCode to prepare. The LeetCode tool focuses specifically on helping candidates applying for technical jobs, like a software engineer or a developer. You can choose the areas where you want to prepare, such as dynamic programming or system design.

With LeetCode, you can practice questions ranging from easy to difficult, depending on your level of experience and skills. It’s heavily focused on coding questions, and you can complete each question multiple times to improve your code.

LeetCode also offers mock assessments, allowing you to practice random questions from real companies. At the end of your assessment, you receive a score report so you know how you did. If you subscribe to the premium version, you can unlock more assessment questions from specific companies, including Google, Facebook, Amazon, and Microsoft. 

Here are some key features of the LeetCode tool:

• You can practice questions for different programming languages, such as Java, C++, and Python.

• It’s a good way to research the types of technical questions you can expect in an interview.

• A premium account gives you access to video solutions, company-specific questions, and cloud storage.

Cost: Free for a basic account; $35 per month for premium

FAQs about interview prep tools

Why should you use an interview prep tool?

An interview prep tool can provide guidance as you get ready for your next interview. It allows you to learn what questions employers may ask and prepare your responses. When you have some practice under your belt, you’re more likely to feel confident when discussing your skills and experience with employers.

Additionally, many interview prep tools, like Career.io, can tailor questions to your industry or position. This customization can give you targeted advice and feedback to help you shine in an interview so you can get your dream job.

How can AI help for interview preparation?

Many interview prep tools use AI technologies to enhance the services they provide. Some tools, like Interview Warmup, use AI to transcribe your answers, while others use AI technology to determine questions you’re likely to receive. AI technology can also offer detailed insights into your interview responses, such as the words you use or your tone of voice.

What other ways can you prepare for an interview?

In addition to using interview prep tools, here are some other ways you can prepare for an interview:

• Research the company. Do an online search to learn more about the company’s mission, culture, goals, and employees.

• Prepare your own questions. Come up with some questions you can ask the interviewer about the position or the organization.

• Know the logistics. Well before the interview, make sure you have all the logistical details figured out. For example, write down the directions to the company or test your technology if you’re doing a virtual interview.

An interview is just one part of your job search. Take control of your future with Career.io’s Job Search Strategy and plan your roadmap for career success!

Key takeaways

1. Career.io’s Interview Prep is one of the top tools on the market, along with Google Interview Warmup, Free Virtual Interview Preparation, and LeetCode.

2. While some interview tools target all industries, others focus on specific positions or industries.

3. Using an interview prep tool can give you a better idea of what to expect and make you feel more confident.