For many people searching for a job, interviews can be one of the most challenging and important parts of the process. Going into an interview unprepared can often cost someone a job.

To help students prepare, the Career Center is having a “Mock Interview Fishbowl” tomorrow at 8 p.m. in room 113 of Olscamp Hall.

At the event, which is open to all majors, there will be four mock interviews.

The Career Center selected the interviewees and gave them the questions ahead of time to prepare. Other students are invited to watch the interviews and learn from the examples.

Employers from Buckeye Cable Systems, BG Visitors Bureau, Owens Corning and Westfield Group will interview students.

After the interviews, employers will provide feedback to the students, telling them what they did well and what they still need to work on.

Wendy Stram, an executive director at the BG Visitors Bureau, will attend the event as one of the interviewers.

Stram believes one of the most important aspects of the interviewing process is for the interviewee to be honest in their responses and to be self-assured.

“You don’t want to come off as being qualified if you’re not,” Stram said.

Sue Young, assistant director of the Career Center, said the interviews are called behavioral interviews.

The behavioral interview is used by employers to find out a potential employees’ strengths. The interviewer will focus on personal experience and see if the person meets the qualifications the job requires.

Some students planning to participate in the mock interviews know the practice will be a good experience for them before they have a real job interview.

Kelly Bowman, a senior majoring in interpersonal communications, said she thinks interviewing for the “Mock Interview Fishbowl” is a good opportunity to network and to gain experience interviewing.

“It’s always good to have practice in interviewing so when the real deal comes in May I will be prepared,” Bowman said.

Nicole Foster, a senior majoring in Asian Studies, is also participating in the interviews. She has experienced the interviewing process first hand when she was applying for an internship.

“I went through an eight month internship from January through August 2007, and the [mock interview] questions are pretty standard,” Foster said.