Ada High students were recently given a taste of the “real world” they’ve been told so much about.  All juniors participated in mock job interviews.

To prepare for the interviews,  students created resumes and cover letters as part of their English classes.  Students had to choose a resume template and modify it with their own information and experiences.  Junior English teacher, Jamie Weston feels this has been good practice for her students.

“It helps them get an idea of what will be expected of them in the near future.  For some, it was definitely a chance to see areas of growth and room for improvement,” Weston said.

In addition to creating resumes and cover letters, classes also practiced interviewing techniques and question/answer preparation.

On the day of their interview, students were expected to dress professionally and be prepared.  While students awaited their interviews, they were given a scoring rubric for the interview. Students would be scored on their resumes, presentation, appearance, etc. with a maximum score of 20.

The mock interviews were developed as a component to State Senator Susan Paddack’s Career Discovery program. All high schools in Pontotoc County participated in the interviews, where they were interviewed by various business professionals from the community.

Guidance counselor Ali Lawson organized the event at Ada High.  This is a project she feels can only benefit the students.

“By students practicing to have the mock interview, it will give them an edge up so they will know what to expect in the future,” said Lawson.