This week, 11th grade Economics and Personal Finance students at Eastern View High School (EVHS) and Culpeper County High School (CCHS) participated in Mock Interviews. The Mock Interview program, sponsored by Career Partners, Inc., aims to give students practice applying and interviewing for a job in a simulated environment where they can practice their skills and obtain real-time feedback from their interviewer.
Interviewers are local business and community members who volunteer their time to work with students. Mock Interviews take place at both high schools each fall and spring. In 2023, 100 volunteers have participated between the spring and fall interview days. Ashley Carter, President of Career Partners, Inc. is grateful for all of the volunteers who support the Mock Interview program. She said, “We are fortunate to have a business community dedicated to the development of our future leaders coupled with a school system that supports that mission.”
For the students, Mock Interviews is not just a short interview on the day of the event. Prior to interview day, students create a resume and write a cover letter for the hypothetical job they choose. During the event, interviewers review the students’ written material before facilitating a 10-minute job interview. After the interview, students received feedback on their written materials and their responses to interview questions. The feedback portion is valuable because students learn what they are doing well and what they need to work on so they will be better prepared when they face interviews on their own.
Career and Technical Education Director Randi Richards-Lutz praised Career Partners, Inc. for sponsoring this program for our students. “Mock Interviews empowers our juniors to navigate their future job opportunities with confidence. The interviews are an extension of the classroom where our business and school professionals provide a simulated experience with our students. By embracing this, our students not only refine their communication skills, but also cultivate the resilience needed to thrive in their future career endeavors. This experience is much more than resume writing and an interview, it's life shaping.”
During the event, held at Eastern View on Tuesday and Culpeper County High School on Wednesday, the students were the shining stars. Carter shared, “Witnessing students confidently applying their classroom skills in real-life scenarios is awe-inspiring. After each interview session, it is not uncommon to hear a business leader state that they would hire that student on the spot!”
Some students already have jobs and have been through an interview process, but for many, Mock Interviews is a first interview experience. Regardless, the experience is beneficial because they get on the spot feedback from the interviewer. CCHS student Maddox Lane said, “It was a very well thought out and helpful tool for future job interviews.” Classmate Georgia Gibbons said, “Man I’m glad it’s over! But I’m so glad it happened. My interviewer was very nice and made me feel at ease.”
The Economics and Personal Finance course is part of the Career and Technical Education program and is a requirement for high school graduation. In addition to fulfilling that requirement, Richards-Lutz explained that Mock Interviews is an important component in preparing students for their futures. “The goal of our Career and Technical Education program is to graduate productive members of society and this is a proven way to prepare our students for their first or next interview,” she said. “I was so proud to see students boost their confidence and refine their interviewing skills. We cannot thank Career Partners, Inc. enough for their time and support!”