Students Turn the Tables in a Mock interview

Students recently had a unique opportunity to practice career readiness skills during a classroom lesson from Stephen P. Hancock, Assistant Superintendent for Human Resources. Dr. Hancock was a guest teacher in Kayla Corvino's SUPA Personal Finance class discussing what employers look for during the hiring process. Dr. Hancock discussed resumes, cover letters, and conducting interviews, offering insights from his experience overseeing hiring across the district. 

During the lesson, Dr. Hancock shared advice on how students can present their experiences clearly and professionally on a resume, when those experiences come from school activities, volunteer work or part time jobs. He also explained the role of a cover letter and how it allows applicants to communicate their interest in a position while highlighting their strengths. 

To help bring these lessons to life, students then participated in an interactive mock interview exercise. In a creative twist, students took on the role of interviewers while Dr. Hancock was the interviewee. Students asked both common and uncommon questions and Dr. Hancock modeled both strong and weak responses. He then allowed students to evaluate what made answers effective and what could be improved. 

By placing students into the role of interviewer the exercise removed pressure often associated with mock interviews. This allowed them to engage in thoughtful discussions about what makes a candidate stand out. The format gave students an opportunity to experience the interview process from the position of a leader and allowed them to see how someone may answer questions that they found difficult to answer. 

Experiences like this reflect the district's ongoing commitment to preparing students for life beyond high school. Connecting classroom learning with real world expertise helps students develop their skills and confidence they will need as they pursue future academic opportunities.

Dr. Hancock's visit provided students with valuable hands-on experiences reinforcing the importance of preparation, professionalism and thoughtful communication in the job application process.