Chamber staff have had the pleasure of assisting many of our local high schools with conducting mock interviews for several years. Each year, more schools are realizing the value to students in meeting with local business representatives; to share their cover letter, resume and sample job application and then conduct an interview.

Prior to 2020, these were all held in person. Considering that many interviews have been held via video conference for years and most likely will in the future, the schools’ response to holding the mock interviews remotely has proven to be a very valuable learning experience.

It is encouraging to know that our local students will have the opportunity to experience an actual interview prior to seeking employment beyond high school. But the benefit is not only to the student. We often have a perception of student readiness based on what we hear or read in the media or on very brief interactions with young adults.

It has been our experience that most students are very social, prepared to meet with us and share what their strengths are. Those who are not as comfortable will only benefit from more interaction with business representatives.

If you have not had a chance to volunteer to participate in mock interviews and would be interested, contact the Chamber and we will introduce you to the educators who are working with students on career preparation

This article was published in the Venango Chamber’s May 2021 VenangoWorks! Newsletter.