Last Thursday, business leaders from the community interviewed LCHS students in C106/107 to give them insight and invaluable experience as they prepare for the real world. The classroom was mostly quiet. Outside the classroom, however, many nicely-dressed students sat (and some paced back in forth) nervously along the first floor cranberry hallway. The LCHS business education program, once again, conducted its mock interviews.
The three veteran business teachers—Loretta O’Dea, Marcia Zboril, and Chris Snyder—first had students prepare resumés. Then, our business teachers invited parents and members of the community to conduct these interviews. Leading up to the big day, students practiced crafting responses using what is known as the ‘STAR’ method, Situation, Task, Action, and Result. “The STAR method of interviewing is, within five to eight seconds, they process the question they were being asked, come up with a situation. What was their role in it? What did they do to solve the problem?” Personal Finance teacher Marcia Zboril said. Students were also given tips on body language, appearance, and how to craft answers to interview questions.
It isn’t uncommon for business classes to have students create resumes. This experience gives students insight into what comes after. “Students put their resume together but then they often don't know what to do next,” Zboril said. “The whole community supports this activity. We had 25 volunteers respond this year.” The Booster Club and Kim Connelly (LCHS Student Information Systems Administrator) worked alongside business education teachers to connect the school and community to provide students with this experience. One by one, students are called in to interview for example jobs.
Writing ‘thank you’ notes is the last step for the activity. Lakes business classes have offered this activity since 2014 but took a two-year hiatus because of COVID-19. “Actually, the last time we did [these interviews], it was the Thursday before we were shut down [in March of 2020]. We wrote thank you notes, but then we had all gotten left in school for two weeks,” Zboril said. In total, this activity walks students through the process from beginning to end of landing that first job.
If you have any questions or would like to get involved next year, contact our Consumer and Technology Education Department Chair, Ms. Jennifer Harrington, at jennifer.harrington@chsd117.org
