More than 83 high school seniors at the Academies at South Mountain, Phoenix Coding Academy, and Metro Tech High School participated in ElevateEdAZ’s Mock Interview Workshops. Students in various career pathways had the opportunity to connect with industry professionals while practicing their behavioral-based interviewing skills.
Throughout the fall semester, students studied the STAR behavioral-based interview method to prepare for interview opportunities after graduation.
“Through the STAR (Situation, Task, Action, Result) interview method students learn to provide thoughtful, all-encompassing responses that reflect personal experiences, and address relevant metrics and lessons learned” – Kaycee O’Neill, ElevateEdAZ College & Career Coach
During the workshops, students exemplified their understating of the importance of being able to answer behavioral-based questions by following the STAR format while including important metrics and details in their responses.
“Their dedication to practice and attention to detail showed when the day of the Mock Interview Workshop arrived.” – Kaycee O’Neill, ElevateEdAZ College & Career Coach
Students participated in a 15-minute interview that concluded with 5 minutes of employer feedback. Employers from businesses across the Valley offered real-time feedback focusing on body language, attire, professionalism, and quality of responses.
“I was so impressed by this student’s honesty and preparedness. She was very self-aware, well-spoken, and knew how to tailor her answers to my career field.” – Kathlyn Carney, Employer Participant, Progressive Systems Inc.
Over a dozen Metro Tech High School seniors participated in the workshops. Students from the Auto Collision and Repair, Business Management, Sports and Entertainment Marketing, and Welding programs attended professional development sessions through the month of November to prepare them for their internship interviews.
“The weekly sessions are held to elevate the students’ strengths in essential skills such as workplace etiquette and professionalism, resume building, and interview behavior.” – Vanessa Burry, ElevateEdAZ College & Career Coach
Metro Tech students engaged in an interview speed round managed by their college and career coach. It allowed students to travel through stations and complete virtual and face-to-face interviews. This format allowed students to troubleshoot technology hurdles and practice their in-person interview presence.
Across all the schools, students and staff left the experiences with a better understanding of the next steps to prepare for real interviews and expressed feeling inspired and grateful for the experience.
The Greater Phoenix Chamber Foundation and ElevateEdAZ are thankful for the following employers who dedicated their time to developing Arizona’s students:
Copper State Credit Union, Screencastify Lockheed Martin, Deloitte, Slalom, American Lung Association of Arizona, Mayo Clinic, Adelante Healthcare, St. Joseph the Worker, Gateway Community College, JPMorgan Chase & Co., Iron Mountain Data Centers, UMOM New Day Centers, McDonald’s, Progressive Systems Inc., Chandler Police Department – Main Station, Greater Phoenix Chamber Foundation, Latino Pilots AssociationK2 Electric