I tried Google's new job interview practice tool and I want to cry - ZDNet

Google wants to help you succeed in interviews.

I'll admit I'm out of practice.

I merely feared that the first question would be: "Tell me a little about yourself.".

So when I saw that Google had released a new online tool to help you practice for job interviews, my mind was intrigued, and my soul prepared to be saddened.

Google's Interview Warmup promises it'll help you practice key questions, get insights about your answers, and get more comfortable interviewing.

What I subsequently discovered is that you can actually type your answers rather than have Google listen to them and type them down for you.

What I also discovered is that Interview Warmup lets you practice for interviews in all kinds of areas -- everything from data analytics to e-commerce.

For data analytics, the first question was: "Can you please tell me a bit about yourself?"?

Still, this tool -- because every technology must categorize -- offers insights into three different areas: job-related terms, most-used words and talking points.

It also told me I'd used no job-related terms.

I'll leave you to analyze that while I tell you that I also practiced for an interview in e-commerce.

If I need to learn to swim, I Google 'swimming instructor'.

And if I need to learn Serbo-Croat, I get hold of those wonderful new Google translation glasses.".

I couldn't believe it when I got this question while preparing for an e-commerce interview: "Explain the benefits of e-commerce platforms to someone who is completely unfamiliar with e-commerce.".

One question in my data analytics interview was: "Tell me about a time you had to deliver on multiple competing priorities?

Having waded through quite a few questions in different job areas, I wondered just one thing: "Is this what it's like to be interviewed at Google?".

Indeed, this tool was specifically created to help people get Google Career Certificates, by means of which UK citizens could enhance their digital abilities.

It may well be that those who are especially nervous in interviews may enjoy being able to practice by talking to a robot.

Google has certainly enhanced that impression in the past.

I still can't help wondering whether the best job interviews are those that are unstructured when two people begin to talk, find each other interesting and discover the experience extremely pleasurable

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