Preparing for a job or education-related interview as a teen is never an easy task, but in East Meadow, local business leaders make the process just a little bit smoother.
For 17 years, the Chamber of Commerce has worked with the East Meadow School District to host the Millie Jones Mock Interview event, renamed in honor of a longtime chamber member, who died in 2019.
Professionals in East Meadow, as well as community and organizational leaders, volunteer to interview dozens of students from both East Meadow and W.T. Clarke high schools.
The students are part of the school district’s Academy of Finance program, and the experience aims to get them familiar with the interview process. The program seeks to prepare students who may be getting ready to apply to their first job, volunteer position or internship, by instructing them how to best answer the questions they are likely to be asked and how to present themselves to prospective employers.
The Academy of Finance is a three-year program that requires students to take four credits of business classes, as well as participate in additional learning experiences.
More than 30 business professionals participated as interviewers, meeting with over 70 students who cycled in and out of East Meadow High School’s cafeteria on the morning of Feb. 27. Most interviewers had previously volunteered in the program.
“I think we’re the only school district to do this type of thing, mock interviews for our students, whether they are going to use the process for college interviews, part-time (job) interviews, interviews for summer jobs — that type of thing,” attorney Alan Hodish, the event’s co-chair and chamber’s past president, told the volunteer interviewers. “These students get a leg up. We’re proud of that. I am proud of all of your having taking place in this before, and presently.”
“I try to match the students with your businesses,” Debra Kirsh, the event’s co-chair, explained, “but it’s not always that way. It’s a mock interview, so they’re interviewing for your companies.”
For the fourth time, the East Meadow Herald not only covered the event, but also participated as an interviewer for students in the Academy of Finance program.
Interviewers are presented with guidelines and some sample questions to ask students, including: “Tell me about yourself.” “When and why you decided to pursue this job?” “What are your strengths and weaknesses?” “Tell me about any prior work or volunteer experience.”
Students are also instructed to come prepared, and learn things about the person who’s interviewing them, and where they work. At the end, they can ask interviewers questions about their profession, education and workplace.
Hodish emphasized that interviewers should look at students’ poise and how well they prepared for the interview. The students worked on creating strong resumes, which were provided to the interviewers.
Overall, the process is meant to provide constructive criticism, so students can learn where they did well, and what they may need to work on for future interviews. Each interviewer fills out a rubric that scores students out of 20 points and provides commentary in different areas, such as clarity of response, resume strength and presentation, so students can hold on to notes for their first “real” interview.
Toni McIntosh, the school district’s chairperson of business and technology, said the students, who are only juniors, are often nervous heading into their interviews. But once their interview is complete, most remark that it’s an amazing experience.
“They’re always hesitant about doing this process, but once they do it, they’re coming out like, ‘This is great — I love the person I interviewed with,’” she previously told the Herald at the culmination of the mock interview event. “It’s such great feedback.”
