Last week, our Year 11 and Year 13 students took part in CV writing workshops and mock interviews, giving them the opportunity to practise presenting their experiences, skills and ambitions in a formal interview setting.
The sessions were made possible thanks to the generosity of parents, governors and members of our wider College community, who gave their time to meet with students, share their experience and provide thoughtful feedback.
For many students, it was their first experience of a formal interview. While the prospect may initially have felt daunting, the feedback from both interviewers and students was overwhelmingly positive.
Our students should be congratulated on the way they presented themselves, demonstrating authenticity, passion and ambition, while also showing a willingness to listen, reflect and learn.
What our interviewers said
The feedback from those conducting the interviews highlighted the impressive range of qualities our students brought to the conversations:
“He was well mannered and articulate.”
“Extremely engaging young lady, very well-rounded. Oceans of experience and fascinating stories on her trips.”
“Especially like her commitment to being open to many different avenues of future careers. Very mature and an excellent first interview.”
“He is very clear on what he wants to do and how to get there.”
“Brilliant interview – demonstrated excellent communication skills, clarity of thought, empathy and enthusiasm.”
“She sounds like she has a high level of resilience and a good can-do attitude.”
The comments reflect not only students’ academic and co-curricular experiences, but also their ability to communicate clearly, think thoughtfully and engage confidently with someone new.
Learning from the experience
Just as valuable was the feedback from the students themselves. The interviews gave them an opportunity to reflect on their strengths, consider how they might improve their answers and, importantly, realise that they do not need to have their entire future mapped out just yet.
Students told us:
“I found it very informative.”
“I really enjoyed it and feel much better and less nervous now about future interviews.”
“Thank you for your feedback. Your feedback is really helpful and the experience was useful.”
“I really appreciate your advice – it was very helpful and the reassurance of not needing to know exactly what I want to do.”
“It was very helpful to talk to somebody with a lot of experience in their work and great to receive practice in talking about my experiences and skills.”
“Thank you so much for my first mock interview, it gave me such a good first impression.”
“It was incredible for me as it was my first interview, and your warm and friendly attitude helped me feel more relaxed.”
“I really appreciate your feedback and advice, I found it really helpful and it was a great experience that will definitely help me in the future. You are lovely and your friendly attitude helped me feel more relaxed.”
“The advice you shared throughout the interview gave me a better understanding of how I can improve my answers and build my confidence.”
As well as developing practical interview skills, the sessions provided a valuable reminder that confidence comes with practice. Being able to talk about experiences, recognise personal strengths and respond thoughtfully to questions are skills that will serve our students well, whether their next step is university, an apprenticeship, employment or something they have not yet decided upon.
We are enormously grateful to everyone who gave their time to support our students. Their willingness to share their experience and encouragement has helped our Year 11 and Year 13 students take another confident step towards whatever comes next.
