I work directly with the students on their confidence level. It starts with a firm handshake, eye contact and smile. We practice this. This helps the interview start out on a positive note and eliminates nervousness. I also ask the student to come in before the interview, personal encouragement goes a long way, plus it allows opportunity to see what the student is wearing. More positvie feedback and encouragement. If they look good they will do good. I am very frank about how the student should dress, and present themselves. I am old enought to be the parent of most of the students so I make suggestions but back it up with an employer based reason. We also do mock interview and provide examples of a good employer interview and a bad one. Every interview is a chance to learn and be a better interviewer. Never never give up
Joshuah,
You are clearly heading your students in the right direction.
Elizabeth Kemler
Our college has 3 practice interviews so that it builds strength and confidence within the student. I have seen so many students gain strength in their communication skills and presentation by the time the 3rd interview is complete.
K.C.,
It's great that you do three; each time building their skills and confidence a little more.
Elizabeth Kemler
You should do as many mock interviews as necessary until the student is confortable and at the level needed to be successful. Sometime I will do mock interviews just before the real interview
ruth,
I agree with this and also recommend having the students do mock interviews with professionals in the field if possible, or at least someone other than their teacher to help them get comfortable speaking to different kinds of people.
Elizabeth Kemler
Elizabeth: Much of the information I have covered in this course and in the forums is on target. I have developed a 3 credit course based upon my text and another as well as my years assisting students and professionals seeking new careers or recovering from employment reductions. I am a believer of preparing yourself in many ways. Most important when the individual walks in the room is appearance and professionalism (difficult to make younger people understand). I have also developed a script and a video a numbers of years ago which takes a potential employment prospect from the initial encounter with a receptionest to the closing of the interview. It was done in manner which takes almost a comic approach to show students both the wrong and right way through the interview process. I am enjoying the course as it brings much insight and fortification to what many of us do on a daily basis.
Ralph,
You are so right about younger students not getting the importance of professionalism..definitely a generational gap there! Sounds like we're doing a lot of the same kind of work. I also have some (slightly) comedic videos on interviews that do & do not work-one highlighting presentation skills, the other highlighting wording. If you're curious, you can see them on my website under Resources for Book 3 at tblsuccess.com. Is there somewhere I could have a look at yours as well?
Elizabeth Kemler
No, I don't have anything on the web that you could look at. I had an unfortunate situation while taking the final exam. I completed it and submitted it but after doing so it came back with a login message. I had to login and take the exam over again. Much to my dismay, I did not have the opportunity to review questions I lost points for as it would not show me that screen. I called customer support and the said I could not get a copy of the overview of the test showing the aforementioned. Is there any way to retrieve the graded copy to see where I made mistakes with the correct answers?
Ralph,
How strange! So sorry that happened. I don't do anything on the technical end but will send your message to my tech contact and see if he can help.
Elizabeth Kemler
mock interview is the best way. and they really enjoy it.... Then i talk with our students and let them know what they did wrong. We keep doing until the Student feels 100%
Hector,
You can't beat the mock interview for helping to polish interviewing skills. Sounds like you have your students on the right track.
Elizabeth Kemler
By conducting mock interviews it helps students a lot, Helps them see what they are doing wrong and rite.
Hector,
It's also good for them to get consistent practice.
Elizabeth Kemler
Sometimes my students tend to get very nervous for interviews and feel that they have to say all the right things in order to get the position. I discuss with my students that they should think of the interview as just a "meeting"; a meeting that is used for the employer to get to know them as they get to know the employer. I explain the importance of them asking questions and that sometimes they can catch an employer off guard in a good way because the employer starts to see how interested the candidate is in the position. By mock interviewing my students, I am able to see how well they dress for an interview and we discuss their outfit and what works and what is inappropriate.
Ashley,
This sounds like a great approach. I love the idea of treating it like a meeting to take some of the pressure off.
Elizabeth Kemler
The best way to prepare mentally and physically for an interview will be having students doing
Mock interviews, also to write down interview questions-answers to employers.
Offering exercises over the year will allow students to feel comfortable the day of leaving the school and going for a real interview.
Nora,
I think its a great idea to do this over the course of the year. One of the biggest problems career service professionals face is having students arrive in their office totally unprepared.
Elizabeth Kemler
How I prepare our students for interviews we have a person who have worked in human resource this person does mock interviews with our students not just one time but several times, this also help the students when our school host job fairs, also as the job coach I coordinate an actual interview with a potential employer after the students have went through mock interviews, dress for success, and questions that are asked in an interview.
Felicia,
You seem to have a really good handle on how to prepare students for interviews; I love that you have them do a number of mock interviews and dress for success which I always recommend.
Elizabeth Kemler
