Northwest Arkansas Democrat-Gazette
Prairie Grove students practice job interviews
PRAIRIE GROVE — More than 60 Prairie Grove High School students recently participated in a hands-on experience on how to apply and then interview for a job.
Stephanie Ceniceros, who teaches professional communications, said her class focuses more on the professional aspect of communications and helping students improve their interpersonal skills to make them marketable in the real world.
She said students learn about writing professional emails, job interviews, filling out applications, creating resumes and how to conduct themselves in a professional manner in group meetings.
Ceniceros wanted to set up mock interviews for her 63 students so they would not be afraid of the process but would be familiar with it.
“I want them to be confident going out and getting a job, whether it’s a summer job or a career for a lifetime,” she said. “This gives them the job interview without the pressure of actually worrying about getting the job.”
Students in her spring semester classes each developed a resume, filled out a general application and then interviewed with a professional in the business world. Ceniceros said 14 people from the community and Northwest Arkansas volunteered to participate in the mock interview experience.
“The people we asked to come in were so gracious, kind and helpful,” Ceniceros said. “They were patient, generous and couldn’t wait to help our kids.”
Prior to the interview, she said she talked to her students about the importance of shaking hands and making eye contact, asking their own questions and wearing appropriate clothes for an interview.
Ceniceros said her students received a grade on their resume and also received a grade and feedback from their interviewer.
Tables were set up around the perimeter of the high school basketball court, with a student and business professional, both wearing masks, sitting across from each other for the mock interview.
Students in her class said they appreciated the mock interviews.
Garrett Bishop, a tenth grader at Prairie Grove High, said it gave him more experience in interviewing for a job.
Bishop said he tends to play with his hands when he’s nervous. He interviewed with Doug Bryant of Pick-it Construction, and Bryant picked up on that.
During the feedback after the interview, Bishop said Bryant told him not to play with his hands during an interview. Another suggestion was more eye contact, Bishop said.
The student also took advantage of the interview. Bishop asked Bryant for a summer job with the construction company.
Sophomore Cerenity Benson had not planned to participate in the mock interviews because of a softball game scheduled that day. At the last minute, she was able to have her interview.
One thing she will do next time, she joked, is not to wear her softball uniform.
“It showed me what I need to know in order to get a job and how to prepare for an interview,” Benson said.
Benson is interested in being a nurse practitioner and interviewed with Karen Fitch from Prairie Grove Health and Rehab. The interview must have gone well, Benson said, because Fitch said she would hire her for a job when she’s finished the qualifications for a certified nurse assistant.
Ceniceros said she talked to the students about knowing their strengths and weaknesses and also to be prepared to ask their own questions during the interview.
Jackson Tag, a junior at the high school, said the mock interview was his first time to interview with anyone for a job. He interviewed with someone from David’s Roofing.
“I thought it was a good experience,” Tag said.
The advice he received was to have more questions prepared for the interview and also to be able to talk about his weaknesses.
Tag, who is interested in being an electrician or an electrical engineer, said he believes his strengths are good communication skills and leadership skills, following instructions and work ethic.
He said he had not really thought about his weaknesses prior to the interview.
Ceniceros is retiring at the end of the year after teaching for 30 years, 21 years in Prairie Grove. She said she hopes the next teacher will continue to hold mock interviews for students in professional communications.
“The students loved it and they got to know what to expect and they heard it from people who interview others all the time,” Ceniceros said.
The class is the state’s revamp of oral communications or speech, a course required to graduate, Ceniceros said. Districts can either have professional communications or personal communications. Prairie Grove High decided to teach professional communications.