When I made it to the state level of the Junior Miss scholarship competition, my coach, Tracie, decided to mandate two hours of mock interviews a few days a week. Tracie sometimes even videotaped (gasp!) my interview.
I actually found myself enjoying the challenge and learning how to improve my interview skills, even though the video revealed some regrettable and hilarious gaffes.
Still, I was a teenager and sometimes had other things I’d rather be doing.
I felt interviewed-out as my two hours were almost up during one session. My mind wandered to pressing teenage concerns of finishing my homework and what I should wear the next day.
While I was deciding whether to wear my hair wavy or straight, Tracie sprang one last question on me. Current events.
She asked about my position on the government’s involvement in the Abu Ghraib scandal. I snapped out of my mindless thoughts and back into the room.
“A blue grape?” I blurted out. I had no idea that the U.S. government was facing imminent attacks of blue grapes. Tracie raised her eyebrow at me and gave a you-better-stay-focused look.
It wasn’t until college that I really started to appreciate those mock interview sessions. I knew to take off my passion pink nail polish, dress conservatively and eliminate awkward “uhs” and “umms” from my responses. I understood my strengths and weaknesses. I knew how to gracefully tackle unexpected questions and knock the ones I had prepared for out of the ballpark.
Heather’s story on page 9 provides professional interview tips, some unbelievably bad interview experiences and how to schedule your own mock interview on campus.
You’ll be prepared for any question they throw at you.
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