Senior exit interviews have been taking place at Hughson High School annually for over 20 years. The interviews prepare students for experiences that they will have to go through as adults. They act as job interviews, giving students insight on what it will be like when they inevitably search for a job. This experience is necessary, because if students did not know what it was like to be interviewed, they would go into a job interview blind without any familiarity.
Students were nervous going into their interviews, but were pleasantly surprised that the experience itself went against their expectations. Amy Alvarado, a senior at Hughson High stated, “I thought the interview was going to be way more scary and very long but it wasn’t either so that was a pleasant surprise.” Students went into the interviews with expectations that the interview would be scary and hard, but everyone was met with the opposite outcomes. Naomie Avila, another senior here at Hughson High School, stated that the interviews were “easier than I thought it would be.” The interviewers were all kind, which made the process easier for students, especially those who had a lot of nerves going into it. Students said their interviewers were “very sweet.”
The interviews were a beneficial experience for students. It taught them the ins and outs of an interview, and how to handle them when it inevitably comes up in their futures. Avila stated that it was “good practice for future interviews.” All students can agree on the fact that practice is necessary for success, especially in interviews, and this experience was just that. Alvarado said that “it showed me what to do and what to do better next time.” This interview was low stakes, as there is no job on the line. It served as an opportunity to improve when students search for jobs of their own.
The students felt prepared before going into their interviews. Government and economics teacher, Mrs. McAndrews, had her students practice with each other in class. She taught them how to greet the interviewer, what professional attire looks like, and how to appear as an expert throughout the entire interview. McAndrews also provided the students with the most commonly asked questions in an interview. She did a great job getting her students ready for a major learning experience.
Overall, all of the students here at Hughson High School can agree that being required to interview was necessary. It was an opportunity to learn how to be successful at something that is inevitable to happen in the real world, and is also relative to growing up. Seniors here at Hughson High School have been taught how to be adults, and are better off from it.
