Middle School news
Year 9 'Employable me' program
During Personal Learning classes, year 9 students have created a cover letter and resume to apply for one of two mock job positions. They have submitted their application via a Google Form uploading the documents they have created as PDFs – to mimic a typical job application process.
All students that submitted their cover letter and resume have participated in a 1:1 mock job interview with a Career Consultant from the Box Hill Institute Skills and Jobs Centre. Interviews have been held online using WebEx meetings each day this week.
This role play scenario has created the opportunity for students to feel the nervous anticipation of preparing for a job interview and meeting with someone they have not met before. It have given them the experience of responding in the moment to a selection of typical job interview questions.
It’s provided our students with an invaluable experience that included feedback on what they’ve done well and coaching for improving their prospects in future job interview situations.
Amanda O'Hara - Director of Middle School
Karen Garton - Careers and Pathways Coordinator
The mock interview experience
On Monday, I completed my mock interview for the position of a salesperson at HYPE DC. The interview was a great experience and gave me a clear insight on what employers look for in an employee and the retail industry’s requirements. I found the interview to be very helpful and a great starting point for my future jobs. During the interview, I was asked five questions regarding myself and why I would be a suitable candidate for the role. Once I finished talking, we went through my answers to the questions and additional information that I could’ve talked about. After that, my interviewer and I went through my resume and cover letter to ensure that all the details needed were there and that the cover letter was appropriate for the job and job type.
One of the many benefits that I gained from this experience was getting some helpful feedback on my answers but also great suggestions on what I could say to answer the question more accurately according to the job advertisement and to the employer’s inclinations. Another benefit I got was gain some experience in interviews and an idea of the questions that might be asked, but it also helped me gain more confidence and acquire skills needed to get a job offer. Additionally, the interviewer was very kind and went through everything in detail, with the intention to ensure that I thoroughly understood everything.
Overall, this was an amazing experience and a very informative session!
Raf S. 9G