Throughout the training, students learned skills such as resume and cover letter writing, PowerPoint presentations, professional dress and communication, job seeking, and interviewing. The goal of the training is to prepare students for job shadow and internship opportunities in 11th and 12th grade, and to help them build skills that will prepare them for success in college and careers.
On Thursday, November 17th and Friday, November 18th, the students had the opportunity to apply what they learned and receive feedback from professionals in the workplace during our first annual Mock Interview Days.
26 interviewers volunteered to spend a two-hour block meeting individually with 6-8 of the 154 participating 10th and 11th grade students. They represented organizations and corporations throughout the city, including: Alliance College-Ready Public Schools, California Community Clinic Association, California School Based Clinic Association, Charles Drew University, Crossroad Family Provider Network, Inc., Inglewood Police Dept., Kaiser Permanente Watts Counseling Center, Kaplan Test Pre and Admission, LASC Talent Search, Los Angeles County Department of Public Health, Memorial Hospital of Gardena, MullinTBG, Pacific Charter School Development, Teach For America and UCLA School of Public Health.
During the interview process, students were evaluated on their preparation, appearance, language and delivery, non-verbal communication and overall responses. Each student received a score and, more importantly, invaluable feedback and advice from their interviewers.
The hard work that the students put in to the project showed. "The students were fabulous and enthusiastic about the interviews," shared one interviewer. "Excellent academic and rigorous vocabulary used by all students in the interviews. I'm very impressed by their maturity and ease at speaking with a complete stranger," shared another.
After their interviews, the students were asked to complete the process by writing to thank their interviewers. Their notes showed just how impactful the process was for them. Following are just a few excerpts:
- "Your expertise is preparing us for the interviews we have to come, and I greatly appreciate your time and feedback." - R.E.
- "I would like to thank you for making my first job interview experience a great one. The tips that were given to me were really helpful and considerate of you." - C.O.
- "Thank you for your tips and guidance...With your help, I will be able to have a successful interview and be well prepared for my future jobs." - J.T.
- "It will be an experience I will never forget when applying for a job." - T.H.
- "Thank you for your time. Also, thanks for challenging me. The interview was intimidating, but I appreciate it. I hope to see you at HSA again or see me as a CEO being a hard interviewer too." - A.H.
- "Thank you for making arrangements in your busy schedule to come out and interview me. I greatly appreciate your advice and constructive criticism." - O.D.
- "I appreciate the fact that you have prepared me to be a more confident person with your feedback." - S.R.
- "I am thankful for the tips you gave me, which I'm not going to forget. You motivate me to keep on following my dream to become a doctor." - M.B.
- "Thank you for taking the time to help me improve my interview skills. I took a lot away from this experience and I hope that I will have a real interview with you some day." - I.G.
- "I really appreciate your feedback because it's going to help me prepare for future interviews. Thank you!" - M.Q.
The benefits of the training have already moved beyond the classroom as well. One of our juniors shared that she was using what she learned to help her father put together a professional resume and search for a job!
While originally organized by HSA staff members Erin Stryffeler, Kristen Rivas and Jennifer Drake, the student volunteers truly ran the event. They helped set up the event, greeted and checked-in interviewers, provided technical assistance, and made sure our guests were well taken care of throughout they day. They also helped their classmates - practicing interviews with them, preparing and processing them, and calming their nerves.
Thank you to all of our student volunteers for their hard work and dedication, and a special thanks to all of the interviewers who took time away from their busy schedules to share their expertise with our students.
Last, but not least, congratulations to all of our successful interviewees for a job well done!
For photos from the event, visit our photo album.