Students were asked to write and submit a CV beforehand, and these were provided to the interviewers. They were also asked to apply to one of five fictitious jobs and provide a covering letter.

The atmosphere in the room was full of nervous tension as the students signed in and waited to be called. They were given a short 10-minute mock interview and then provided with verbal feedback. They have also been provided with written feedback on their interview technique as well as their submitted CV and covering letter.

The interviewers were all volunteers from amongst our parents, Caterham Rotary Club and local businesses who gave up their time to support this opportunity. This event would not have been possible without their help, along with the team behind the scenes in the school.

The students did us proud with; we had numerous students identified as being particularly strong and earning the accolade of being immediately employable. It was impressive to see them put so much energy and thought into how they presented themselves and how they came across in the interview. It was clear that they were determined to make the most of this opportunity.

 

Here is what some of our employers had to say:

“Really enjoyed the event. Very impressed with the quality of the pupils and their efforts.”

“An extremely interesting and worthwhile event.”

“Great day - good students / applicants - glad to be given this opportunity, thank you.”

“Personally I thought all the students interviewed well even the shy ones.”

 

Linus J, from year 10 had this to say:

“My preparation for work experience was made easier by the helpful documents put up on to Satchel by the wonderful Mrs Langley, guiding me for what write on my CV and Covering Letter, including helpful key words and sentence starters. We were given a small booklet to write down our time of interview and what desk we would be at. The interview was in the LRC and I was greeted by a very kind lady who interviewed me. I was asked multiple questions, such as where I saw myself in five years’ time, my hobbies and personal aspirations and what I did in my free time. We had a very nice conversation and the whole experience wasn’t as stressful as I thought it would be!

Overall, it was all very well prepared with the right guidance and a nice interviewer. This has helped me to prepare for my later job interviews and how to write a CV, helping my life skills and understanding of jobs more. I can use this newly-learnt skills for my summer work experience now as well!”

 

Alice B also said this:

“On Tuesday 23rd of January I attended an mock interview. I completed a full cv and covering that I can use in my future jobs. I was asked many questions about my cv and my skills. I also asked questions about the job I was applying for. The mock interview gave me an insight to what my future interviews would look like. I learnt to have a formal way of communicating and good eye contact. Overall, the mock interview had a good impact on me because seeing what I can improve on in my cv can teach me to develop more skills and better grades.”