How to use AI to practise for a job interview (UK, free)
Nervous about an interview? A free AI chatbot can be a patient practice partner. It can read the job advert, guess the questions you'll be asked, play the interviewer one question at a time, and tell you how to make your answers clearer. This guide gives you copy-and-paste prompts, how to practise out loud, the job scams to watch for, and where to get free help from a real careers adviser.
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What AI can (and can't) do for interview practice
- It can pick out what an employer is looking for in a job advert, suggest likely questions, run a mock interview, help you shape real examples into clear STAR answers, suggest good questions to ask at the end, and help you write a thank-you email afterwards.
- It can't know what this particular employer will really ask, check facts about the company, or know your experience unless you tell it. It can also make things up, including “facts” about an employer and achievements you never had.
Think of it as a friend who's read a lot of interview books: great for practice, but the answers have to come from you.
Which free chatbot to use
Any of the big free chatbots will do. Pick the one you already use:
- ChatGPT – a good all-rounder, and the free plan includes a limited amount of voice chat for practising out loud. New to it? See our beginner's guide to ChatGPT.
- Google Gemini – free with a Google account. Gemini Live, in the Gemini phone app, lets you talk back and forth by voice.
- Microsoft Copilot – free, and handy if your CV is in Word.
- Claude – free tier, good at gentle, detailed feedback on written answers.
You don't need a paid plan or a special “AI interview coach” app. Free versions have usage limits that change over time, but a practice session fits easily within them. Wondering whether paying is ever worth it? See our free vs paid guide.
Before you start: keep your details private
The chatbot needs the job, not your identity. Before you paste anything:
- Take your name, address, phone number, email and date of birth off your CV. Type [MY NAME] if it needs a placeholder.
- Never share your National Insurance number, passport or driving licence details, or bank details.
- Don't paste confidential information from your current job – customer names, figures or internal documents. Describe your work in general terms: “I manage a team of 6 in a busy café”.
- Leave out health details you wouldn't want stored. You can still practise how to talk about them in general terms.
Many chatbots let you switch off using your chats to train their AI in the settings. More tips in our AI safety guide.
Step 1: work out what they'll ask
Start with the job advert and the job description (sometimes called a person specification). Copy this, fill in the [brackets] and send:
“I have a job interview in the UK for a [job title] role at [type of employer, e.g. a large supermarket / a GP surgery / a small building firm]. Here is the job advert and person specification: [paste]. 1) List the 6 most important skills or qualities they're looking for, in plain English. 2) Give me the 12 questions I'm most likely to be asked, including ‘Tell me about yourself’ and 4 ‘Tell me about a time when…’ questions. 3) For each question, say in one line what the interviewer is really trying to find out. Use British English.”
Then add: “Here's my CV with personal details removed: [paste]. Which parts of the job do I have good examples for, and where are the gaps I should prepare for? Don't invent experience.”
Need to improve the CV itself first? See our guide to using ChatGPT for your CV and cover letter.
Step 2: run a mock interview
This is where AI really helps. Ask it to play the interviewer:
“Act as a friendly but professional interviewer for the [job title] role above. Ask me one question at a time and wait for my answer. After each answer, give me short feedback: one thing that was good, one thing to improve, and a score out of 5 for how clearly I answered the question. Don't write the answer for me unless I ask. After 8 questions, give me a summary of my strengths and the 3 things to practise most.”
- Make it harder: “Now be a tougher interviewer and ask follow-up questions if my answer is vague.”
- Panel interviews: “Play a panel of 3 people – a manager, someone from HR and a team member – and take turns asking questions.”
- Your first job or a career change: “I've never had a paid job in this area. Ask me questions that let me use examples from school, volunteering, caring for family or hobbies.”
- Going back to work: “I've been out of work for [2 years] because [I was caring for my mum / raising children / ill]. Help me practise explaining the gap briefly and positively, then moving on to my skills.”
Step 3: build STAR answers from real examples
Many UK employers use “Tell me about a time when…” questions. The STAR method keeps your answer clear: Situation, Task, Action, Result. Give the chatbot your rough notes and let it help with the shape – not the facts:
“Help me turn this real example into a STAR answer of about 1 to 2 minutes when spoken: [your notes, e.g. a customer was shouting about a late order; I listened, apologised, checked the system, found it had been sent to the wrong store, arranged for it to be delivered that afternoon, and the customer left a good review]. Keep my own words where you can. Don't add anything that isn't in my notes – if something is missing, ask me a question instead.”
- Say “I”, not “we”. Interviewers want to know what you did. Ask: “Rewrite this so it's clear which parts I did myself.”
- End with the result – a number, a thank-you, a problem that didn't happen again.
- Prepare 5 or 6 good stories you can adapt: dealing with a difficult person, solving a problem, working in a team, a mistake you learned from, going the extra mile, and handling pressure.
- Don't memorise a script. Learn the bullet points so it still sounds like you.
Step 4: practise out loud
Answers that look good on screen can come out jumbled when you're nervous. Saying them out loud makes a big difference.
- Use voice chat: open the ChatGPT app or the Gemini app and start a voice conversation. Say: “Interview me for a [job title] job, one question at a time, and give me feedback after each answer.” Then answer as you would on the day.
- Record yourself on your phone and play it back. The National Careers Service suggests checking that your voice is clear, you're not talking too fast, and you sound keen.
- Time yourself. Most answers should be around 1 to 2 minutes. If yours run long, ask the chatbot: “Cut this answer to the 4 key points.”
- Practise with a person too – a friend or family member can read out the AI's questions, which is closer to the real thing.
Tricky questions to prepare for
Ask the chatbot to coach you on the questions people dread:
- “Tell me about yourself”: “Help me plan a 60-second answer to ‘Tell me about yourself’ for this job, using these points: [3 or 4 bullet points about your experience and why you want this job]. Keep it about work, not my life story.”
- “What's your biggest weakness?”: “Help me answer honestly using a real weakness – [e.g. I used to find it hard to say no to extra work] – and what I do about it now. No fake weaknesses like ‘I'm a perfectionist’.”
- “Why are you leaving your current job?”: “Help me answer positively without criticising my current employer. The real reason is [reason].”
- Salary expectations: “How could I answer a question about salary for a [job title] role? The advert says [range]. Give me 2 polite ways to answer.” Check typical pay yourself on job sites and the advert rather than trusting the chatbot's figures.
- “Do you have any questions for us?”: “Suggest 6 good questions to ask at the end of an interview for this role, about the team, training and what success looks like – nothing that's already answered in the advert.”
Phone, video and recorded interviews
- Phone interviews: find somewhere quiet, keep your CV and a few prompt cards in front of you, and charge your phone. Ask the chatbot: “Turn my STAR answers into short prompt cards with 3 bullet points each.”
- Video interviews: test the link, your camera and microphone the day before, and check what's behind you. Look at the camera when you speak, not your own picture.
- Recorded (one-way) video interviews: some employers send questions that you answer on camera with a time limit and no interviewer. Practise with: “Give me 5 questions for a recorded video interview for this job. I'll have 30 seconds to think and 2 minutes to answer each.”
- Tests and assessment centres: if there's a written exercise, group task or online test, the invitation usually explains what to expect. Ask the chatbot to explain the format in plain English, then practise similar tasks.
Use AI to practise, not during the interview
Some people are tempted to have a chatbot open during a video interview or an online test. Don't, unless the employer has said it's allowed. Reading out AI answers is usually obvious, it's hard to answer follow-up questions, and many employers treat it as cheating – which could lose you the job, even after an offer.
- Check the employer's rules. Some employers say in their application guidance whether and how you can use AI. If unsure, ask the recruiter.
- Keep it true. Never let AI add qualifications, job titles or results you don't have. Employers may check references and certificates, and a false claim can cost you the job later.
- Know your examples well enough to talk about them without notes – that's what practice is for.
If you need adjustments for the interview
If you're disabled or have a long-term health condition, you can ask for changes to the interview or tests, such as extra time, questions in writing, a step-free room or a sign language interpreter. Under the Equality Act 2010 (England, Scotland and Wales), employers must make reasonable adjustments for disabled applicants; Northern Ireland has similar protections under its own law. You don't have to tell an employer you're disabled, but you'll need to explain what you need to get an adjustment. GOV.UK says you may be able to get an Access to Work grant for communication support at an interview, such as a BSL interpreter.
A chatbot can help with the wording: “Write a short, polite email to [recruiter] asking for [extra time in the written test] at my interview on [date] because of [a condition that affects my reading speed]. Keep it brief and factual.” Acas, Scope and GOV.UK have more on asking for adjustments.
After the interview
- Say thank you: “Write a short thank-you email to [interviewer's role, e.g. the hiring manager] after my interview today for the [job title] role. Mention that I enjoyed hearing about [something from the interview]. 3 or 4 sentences, British English.”
- Write down the questions you were asked while you remember them, and ask the chatbot to help you prepare better answers for next time.
- Didn't get it? “Write a polite email asking for feedback on my interview for [job title], and saying I'd like to be considered for future roles.” Then practise the questions you found hardest.
- Got an offer? Ask the chatbot to explain any jargon in the offer letter or contract, but get proper advice if something worries you – Acas has free, impartial advice on employment rights. Our guide to writing emails with AI has more prompts.
Watch out for job and interview scams
Criminals use fake job adverts and “interviews” to steal money and identities – and AI makes their messages and websites look more convincing. Warning signs:
- You're offered a job or interview you didn't apply for, often by WhatsApp, Telegram or text.
- The “interview” happens only by text chat, or you're offered the job straight away with very high pay for easy work.
- You're asked to pay – for training, a DBS check, equipment, a uniform or to “register”. GOV.UK says recruitment agencies cannot charge you a fee for finding or trying to find you work.
- You're asked for your bank details, passport or National Insurance number before you've had a proper interview and a written offer, or asked to receive and send on money (this can be money laundering).
Check before you share: look up the employer yourself (not through links in the message), and contact them using the details on their own website. A real employer will check your right to work in the UK, but through a proper process after an offer. A chatbot can point out warning signs in a message, but it can't confirm a job is genuine.
- Forward scam texts free to 7726, and suspicious emails to report@phishing.gov.uk.
- Report fraud to Report Fraud (reportfraud.police.uk, 0300 123 2040) in England, Wales and Northern Ireland, or to Police Scotland on 101.
- If you've shared bank details, call your bank straight away – you can dial 159 to reach many UK banks safely.
More in our AI safety guide.
Free interview help from a real person
A chatbot is handy at midnight before the big day, but a trained careers adviser is free and knows the local job market:
- England: National Careers Service – 0800 100 900, or webchat on nationalcareers.service.gov.uk. Open 8am to 8pm Monday to Friday, and 10am to 5pm on Saturdays.
- Scotland: My World of Work (Skills Development Scotland) – 0800 917 8000, Monday to Friday 9am to 5pm.
- Wales: Careers Wales – 0800 028 4844.
- Northern Ireland: the Careers Service – 0300 200 7820, or webchat on nidirect.gov.uk.
- Claiming a benefit? Your Jobcentre Plus work coach may be able to help with interview practice, travel costs and clothes for interviews – ask what's available.
Contact details and opening hours can change, so check the official website before you call.
Frequently asked questions
Can I use ChatGPT to practise for a job interview?
Yes. The free versions of ChatGPT, Microsoft Copilot, Google Gemini and Claude can play the interviewer, ask you likely questions for the job one at a time, and give feedback on your answers. Paste the job advert, not your personal details, and build your answers from things you have really done.
Can AI interview me out loud?
Yes. ChatGPT's free plan includes a limited amount of voice chat, and Gemini Live is free in the Gemini phone app with a Google account. Ask it to act as the interviewer and answer out loud, as you would on the day. Limits change, so if you run out, type your answers or try another chatbot.
What is the STAR method?
STAR stands for Situation, Task, Action, Result. It's a simple way to answer “Tell me about a time when…” questions: set the scene, say what you needed to do, explain what you did, and finish with what happened. UK employers often use these competency-based questions, and the National Careers Service recommends STAR for planning answers.
Is it cheating to use AI to prepare for an interview?
Using AI to practise, like a friend asking you questions, is fine. Problems start if you memorise answers about things you haven't done, or use AI during a live interview or an online test when the employer hasn't allowed it. Read the employer's guidance on AI, and keep every example true.
What should I not tell an AI chatbot when preparing?
Leave out your full name, address, phone number, date of birth, National Insurance number, and your current employer's confidential information. Use the job advert and your skills and examples in general terms. Many chatbots let you switch off using your chats to train their AI in the settings.
Where can I get free interview help from a real person?
In England, the National Careers Service (0800 100 900). In Scotland, My World of Work from Skills Development Scotland (0800 917 8000). In Wales, Careers Wales (0800 028 4844). In Northern Ireland, the Careers Service (0300 200 7820). If you claim Universal Credit or another benefit, ask your Jobcentre Plus work coach too.