Published: May 5, 2025 by Aryn Prestia

An interview can be intimidating, whether it’s in-person, over the phone, or held as a video call. The only true way to improve interviewing skills is through practice, but if you are not in the active job search process it can be hard to find scenarios in which to do that. This is where Big Interview comes in. 

Big Interview is a free service provided to all SJSU MLIS students through the Career Center. This multidimensional tool includes a combination of video lessons, quizzes, and interactive assignments that revolve around answering real interview questions through a video-recording. 

Within the program, you can opt to complete the “Fast Track” course in less than two hours to touch on all the most common interview topics, or you can guide yourself through individual lessons and scenarios based on your interests. 

While SJSU offers many career resources like Linkedin Learning, Career Workshops, or even the Spartan Career Closet, Big Interview is especially helpful to Special Session students who need active interview practice on their own time. 

Topics covered in the Big Interview modules include best practices, common mistakes, how to handle different types of interviews (phone vs. video vs. in-person), non-verbal cues, and even what to wear. 

After completing the Fast Track for myself, I took note of a few topics that resonated with me: 

• Don’t just practice your interview answers, but actually write down what you’d like to say. Use a bullet-point rather than scripted format to ensure that you sound thoughtful but natural.
• When answering the classic “Tell me about yourself” prompt, break down your answer into who you are, why you’re qualified, and why you’re here as opposed to trying to give a summary of your resume. 
• Even when not in the active job-search, keep a running list of your “greatest hits” or your proudest professional accomplishments. These can be used as examples and stories when constructing answers to future interview questions. 

To check out Big Interview for yourself, please visit the Career Center page here and activate your SJSU-sponsored account: https://ischool.sjsu.edu/practice-big-interview 

Two More Things!

Don’t forget to keep up to date with job openings on Handshake.

Also, remember that internships can be an especially valuable part of your learning experience at the iSchool while also helping you when it comes time to look for jobs. Learn more about the iSchool’s internship program here, where you can check out the INFO 294 Student Handbook as well as the Internship Sites database.