Starting this week, students enrolled in consumer education will participate in mock interviews to gain valuable experience for future jobs.

Students prepare for the interview during class by completing paperwork, such as a resume, cover letter, and application form. There is also the opportunity to ask questions for anyone wondering exactly how the process will go. One teacher to ask is Darren Rothermel, consumer education teacher.

“The interview process is one of the units, but it’s also so important to learn the skills of interviewing for scholarships, internships, or just actual job applications. It’s also a niche in the school that is very helpful,” Rothermel said.

To further give students as real of an experience as possible, interviewers with valuable experience in the real world volunteer to participate in this activity.

“There’s something called the C.A.C., which stands for the career advisory council,” Rothermel said. “A lot of adults that interview are part of that group. The goal is to get someone who is experienced at interviews, that are community members, or here at the school that can be trained a little by us, but overall give students a good experience. There’s an email sent out, and they decide whether they want to participate. [If yes,] then they choose the time that they’re available. It’s totally up to them, and it’s completely voluntary, so it’s all people who truly want to help lz students.”

Most students are very grateful for the professional experience, such as Alexander Matijevic, junior.

“If you have done an interview before, you should be more comfortable than someone who has not done an interview,” Matijevic said. “I was able to pass with flying colors.”

One piece of advice both Matijevic and Rothermel give to student who still have yet to complete the interview is to review over common interview questions such as how would a peer describe you or what is your greatest weakness.

Overall, the interviews are here to just help students in the future, according to Rothermel. Matijevic agrees that his interview has made him more prepared for real interviews for jobs.

“Humans learn from experience, whether it be failure or success,” Matijevic said. “Any experience is valuable, and should be learned to a degree that you repeat the positive and discard the negative. In that case, the [interview] was very insiteful.”