CAES2202

A skilled interviewer can learn a great deal in a limited time. The interview you conduct on your Career Exposure Day should allow you to clarify uncertainties, and learn about the more subtle aspects of the career and the workplace–things that would not be written in a color brochure! You may also be able to arrange a mock job interview for yourself.

Learning about interview skills

Visit the Interviewing section of the EPC web, read the advice, and watch the mock interview videos. Take note of both the interviewers’ and interviewees’ skills. If you are able to understand interview skills from both sides of the table, you will be a much more capable interviewee.

You can also practice interviewing and being interviewed by others with your classmates. If possible, arrange to videotape and view yourself in action. You can borrow a camera to use in the Language Resource Centre.

The Career Exposure Day interviews

You will need to interview your work-shadow contact on Career Exposure Day. The information that you gain from this interview will be an important resource for your project presentation.

Prepare your questions carefully. Try to include broad questions about the employment field as well as specific questions about your host’s day-to-day work. Think carefully about what you wish to learn about the career and the workplace and think of follow-up questions that you can ask you host based on the replies that you receive.

If you are better prepared based on your research into the field and the workplace, you are more likely to impress your host and enjoy a successful day. You may find the Career Research Questions on the EPC web helpful in designing your own questions.

Requesting a mock job interview

Request your work-shadow host to arrange a mock job interview for you. This may be difficult for the host to arrange but if he or she agrees, it will be a valuable experience for you. Be sure to prepare carefully for the interview.

Tasks
Learn how to participate in an interview. Prepare for your Career Exposure Day interview.

Resources
The EPC web – Interviewing
Career Research Questions

Deadline
Prepare your interview questions before week 6 so that your teacher can give you feedback.

Click on Lavinia’s photograph to hear about the kinds of questions she asked when she interviewed her work shadow host at a hotel.