CADILLAC — Wexford-Missaukee ISD high schoolers put their job interview, necktie and handshake skills to the test Friday during the district’s Mock Interview Fair.
The annual Career Technical Center event teaches essential face-to-face communication skills to a generation defined by social media, text chats and Zoom classes, said fair coordinator and ISD Career Skills instructor Laura Gornicki.
“The single biggest thing that our employers are identifying as what they need is good communication skills,” Gornicki said. “Oftentimes, if they don’t have that in an interview, they’re eliminated before they even have the chance to get a job.”
Teaching such skills is more important now than ever, she added, as many high schoolers had to isolate during a critical period for social development during the COVID-19 pandemic.
At the fair, students from districts across the two counties arrived on buses throughout the day, shifting between breakout groups and interviews with ISD staff and community volunteers.
The breakouts are where students learned about the formalities of the business world — like how to provide introductions and shake hands, and which knots to use on their neckties.
The Mock Interview Fair’s namesake activity took place in a large conference room, where students took turns interviewing a group of staff and community volunteers, who had experience interviewing prospective workers.
“It’s nerve-wracking to start talking to somebody for a lot of people, even adults,” said volunteer Miranda Grunow, a local realtor who got interview experience while serving in the military. “So, for the kids to come into the event really nervous and to leave thinking, ‘Hey, it’s OK,’ is amazing.”
Each interview and many questions are tailored to different professions, from food service jobs to medical work and the Chamber of Commerce. Some, like ‘If you were a car part, which one would you be and why?’ are used to help students creatively identify their strengths, Grunow said.
One student, Pine River High School sophomore Aaron Hess, said the fair helped him find the confidence he wants when pursuing a degree in religious studies.
“Throughout the interviews, I noticed that I did very well with composing myself, hiding away the nervousness and going forward with what I was doing,” Hess said.
The Mock Interview Fair will be followed by Mock It and Rock It in the spring, Gornicki said, providing students another chance to prepare for a job search.
“We know that companies are looking to hire in the spring, so we want our kids to have as many opportunities as they can to experience these real-life situations,” she said.
Daniel Schoenherr’s position is funded through Report for America and local fund-raising. To help continue local reporting please consider contributing to the Cadillac Area Community Foundation’s Local Journalism Fund at www.justgiving.com/cadillacareacommunityfoundation.
Daniel Schoenherr’s position is funded through Report for America and local fund-raising. To help continue local reporting please consider contributing to the Cadillac Area Community Foundation’s Local Journalism Fund at www.justgiving.com/cadillacareacommunityfoundation .