Mock interviews boost confidence, skills for first-time interviewees
TOM PINNEY/DAILY FORUM
Interviewing candidates Employers conduct mock interviews with students during Wednesday’s mock interview day at Northwest Missouri State University. Nearly 40 employers were in attendance, conducting 363 interviews with students over the course of the event.
Each semester, Northwest Missouri State University Career Services hosts a mock interview day to allow students to get rid of the butterflies they may have about interviewing with potential employers.
With the Fall Semester Career Fair and Education Expo two weeks away, Northwest hosted their mock interview day Wednesday on the third floor of the J.W. Jones Student Union.
Career Development Coordinator – Employer Relations at Northwest Renee Riedel said she was pleased with the turnout.
“There are nearly 40 employers on campus and we have 363 interviews scheduled for today,” Riedel said. “The interview slots filled quickly as well.”
The employers came from very diverse backgrounds, with representatives from Farmers Insurance, the United States Department of Agriculture, and Hy-Vee – among many others – present to conduct interviews with students. There were also several educational employers in attendance, with representatives from Maryville R-II School District, St. Gregory’s School, and several others present to interview future teachers.
The employers all said there were many benefits to holding a mock interview day. Eric Niemeyer, 2010 graduate of Northwest and county operations trainee with the USDA Farm Service Agency said mock interviews give students an idea of what employers are looking for during interviews.
“Students get an idea of the questions they will get in the real world,” Niemeyer said. “90% of the questions I ask are questions anyone can expect in the real world.”
Maryville Middle School Assistant Principal Kate Lydon said it was all about gaining real life experience.
“It lets students get those first jitters out and lets them know what to expect in an interview,” Lydon said.
Some employers were looking for more than just giving experience. Farmers Insurance claims adjustor Meghan Argent and claims manager Catherine Connor said they used mock interview days to seek out potential employees as well.
“We’re looking for people we would want to hire,” Connor said. “If we can get someone to hire down the road for an internship or even a full-time position, it’s a bonus.”
“We ask the same questions we would during a normal interview for that reason,” Argent added. “The only difference between the mock and the normal interviews is that we give lots of feedback on how to improve their interviewing skills and resumes.”
Argent and Connor are alumni of Northwest; Argent graduated in 2007 while Connor graduated in 1989. They said they love coming back to Northwest.
“Northwest is one of our favorite feeders,” Connor said. “We keep coming back because we find quality here.”
“[Farmers] looks for people like us, in management positions, to send on visits like this,” Argent said. “They also look for alumni of the school to send out.”
The benefits of a mock interview day were not lost on the students. Sophomore Agricultural Business major Jared Clough interviewed with the USDA’s Farm Service Agency because he was interested in what they did.
“I wanted to get to know more about [the Farm Service Agency] and get some experience interviewing with them,” Clough said. “I also wanted to get more comfortable doing interviews.
“Mock interviews give you the ability to think about things you wouldn’t normally think about and see things you wouldn’t normally.”
Junior Agriculture Business major Mason DeVooght agreed, saying the mock interview has more of a first-draft feel.
“I love the informality of the mock interviews,” DeVooght said. “It gives you the opportunity to mess up without much consequence, which eases nerves.
“Sometimes you forget something in the regular interview because you were nervous; the mock interview day gives you that first interview feel so that you can remember what you need to.”
Senior communication major Jessica Feltner interviewed with global marketing firm VML. She said her interview was rather unconventional.
“The person I interviewed with asked situational and experience questions,” Feltner explained. “He wanted to get to know what I had learned in classes and at work.
“He also explained a lot about what VML does. He said it was less about me convincing them they wanted me, and more about him convincing me that I wanted to work for them.”
The feedback the employers gave, according to Riedel, was the most important part of the day.
“The process included a 20-minute interview with up to 20 minutes of feedback on how the students did,” Riedel said. “The employers giving feedback and sometimes professional development tips is priceless.”
The Career Fair and Education Expo takes place Tuesday, October 18 at Lamkin Activity Center.
TOM PINNEY/DAILY FORUM
Waiting, waiting… Students wait for their scheduled interviews outside the Tower View dining room on the third floor of the J.W. Jones Student Union. The Tower View dining room was exclusive to representatives from schools interviewing potential teachers.