Struggling with interviews? This AI-powered mock interview practice platform can help

Imagine you’ve been job hunting for months. You’ve sent out countless resumes and cover letters, and finally, you’ve landed an interview for your dream job.

But as you sit across from the interviewer, you feel nervous. You stumble over your words, using too many filler words, and speaking too quickly.

You leave the interview feeling disappointed and defeated. Then, you get rejected for your dream job. You wish you had someone to practise your interview skills and get personalised feedback.

Luckily, Aryan Panchal, a business student at the University of Calgary and the founder of InterviewPal has your back.

InterviewPal has created AI-powered voice agents that simulate real interviews and networking conversations, providing realistic practice and instant feedback.

It’s a fantastic solution for international students who struggle with this challenging but necessary step in their journey from academia to the working world.

Whether it’s navigating cultural differences, overcoming language barriers, or demonstrating skills effectively to employers, utilising mock interviews and strengthening your communication skills are essential to bridge the gap.

A 2024 study revealed that 84% of participants found interview preparation, including mock interviews, to significantly enhance their confidence and ability to articulate their value to employers.

Communication skills are important as well, especially for those competing in an unfamiliar job market. Bonnie Steward from the University of Prince Edward Island notes that tailoring communication to align with employer expectations is vital to breaking hiring barriers.

Panchal stands by this too.

Panchal lived almost his entire life abroad. Source: Aryan Panchal

Good communication skills will set you apart 

Panchal was born and raised in Saudi Arabia and attended the International Indian School for his primary and most of his high school years while living in Saudi Arabia. At 16, he moved to India to complete his final two high school years.

When Panchal first arrived in Canada in 2021, he was scared to talk to people because of his poor communication skills. To overcome this, he got his first work experience at a restaurant as a host to improve his communication skills and learn about Canadian culture.

As time went on, Panchal wanted to find a job in his field to continue developing his skills. However, after applying to countless jobs, he received rejection after rejection due to his poor interviewing skills and lack of work experience. He decided to change his strategy. 

“I started putting myself out there,” he says. “I attended networking events and built relationships with people, which helped me develop my communication skills and adapt to Canada’s culture.”

With his improved communication skills and the ability to build relationships, he started receiving job offers from various industries.

In Canada, Panchal saw that locals conversed more politely and kindly. Saying things like “please,” “thank you,” and “sorry,” even when it was not necessary, was familiar — a stark contrast to how conversations were like back home in India, where conversations were straightforward and blunt.

It’s something that he is even more aware of now, especially with the messages he receives on LinkedIn from international students worldwide.

“The way they would ask for a job is demanding,” Panchal shares. “Sometimes, they’ll ask me, ‘I’m looking for a job. Can you give me one? International students need to put themselves out there and develop new skills such as the ability to communicate and build relationships.”

Panchal took a break from university for 16 months, but he did not let it go to waste. He completed four internships within 16 months with several other part-time jobs. Source: Aryan Panchal

In his second year of university, Panchal took a 16-month break to gain real-world experience and save money for his tuition.

For international students, pursuing a four-year degree in business at a place like the University of Calgary would cost US$29,738 (41,798 Canadian dollars). Had Panchal pursued a degree locally in India, it would have cost him only US$2,960 (CA$4,244).

“When I first came to Canada, my parents helped me financially for my freshman year. I told my parents I would take care of myself after I landed in Canada,” he shares.

Panchal decided to take those 16 months and turn it into a learning opportunity. He sacrificed his social life and sleep to complete four full-time internships back-to-back and held several part-time jobs simultaneously.

It was exhausting, but working was the best thing that ever happened to him. Over 16 months, Panchal gained extensive experience in different fields, developed his skills, found his passion, and saved up enough for his tuition.

That’s not all; he even came up with a business idea.

Mock interviews: The best interview preparation method

When Panchal started applying for jobs in Canada, he was often rejected. The biggest reason? His lack of communication skills.

Ever the solutions-driven person he is, he started recording himself speaking over and over again.

Rather than listening to music or podcasts, Panchal would listen to recordings of his voice to analyse and figure out how to improve it. He would even write down scripts and common interview questions to practice. However, it was a lot of manual work, and no one was around to advise him.

During his time interning at AltaML, he learned about Machine Learning and AI and the impact they had on the world. After working with lots of different startups, Panchal considered the idea of starting something of his own.

His first question to himself was if he did start his own business, what would it be like?

That’s when he put what he learned at AltaML and his struggles when interviewing for jobs on the table. 

“I started asking myself what I could create to improve my communication skills, and I came up with an idea to create a mock interview practice platform, InterviewPal,” says Panchal.

When he started sharing his ideas with the people around him, he realised that he was not alone; others were going through the same struggles.

“Putting all my challenges and experiences together, I wanted to find a way to help international students, and even local students, to prepare themselves for job interviews,” he shares.

Inspired by his struggles during his job-seeking days, Panchal founded InterviewPal. Source: Aryan Panchal

With the help of AltaML, Panchal launched InterviewPal.

If individuals are struggling with interviews, feeling nervous, or unable to manage their responses effectively, InterviewPal is the platform for them to improve. Here, Panchal and InterviewPal addressed the most common issues people faced during their interviews: rambling, not being concise, and not getting straight to the point. 

No longer is winging an interview a thing. Panchal believes that mock interviews are a way for people to secure the dream job they want.

With InterviewPal, he hopes to improve the communication skills of students, job seekers, or individuals who want to migrate to a new country. Given the prevalence of other AI-powered resume makers and cover letter writers, InterviewPal is one way to help interviewees stand out.

“My long-term vision is to help people become better communicators with the use of AI and redefine the recruitment process”, says Panchal.

Today, InterviewPal has over 61,000 users and has helped over 20 students land jobs.

InterviewPal has also partnered with various post-secondary institutions, such as the University of Alberta’s Career Center, making it available for over 40,000 students.