WALTON CAREER COACH PROGRAM

Interview Tips for Students

Tips for Acing an Interview, an entertaining and informative presentation and panel discussion that was designed specifically for Walton students who are preparing for the Governors Honors Program, college entrance and first time job interviews. Three of our most talented Walton parents and Career Coaches in the fields of recruiting, outsourcing, and outplacement services delivered a teen focused message about the importance of:

Interview preparation, the 4P’s Perspective on the Interview, Prep by doing your homework, Package yourself, and Practice,
What not to do in an interview,
What informational and behavioral questions an interviewee should expect.
Post interview actions

Click HERE to check out the powerpoint presentation and entertaining video links.

Engage one of our career coaches to get one on one help with interviewing practice.

Mentors available for Walton students

Through the Walton Career Coach program, students can sign up to be matched with up to 3 professionals of their choice. Students can choose Coaches whose career fields are best suited to their interests and career goals. Coaches offer opportunities for students to exchange emails and phone calls, conduct informational interviews and visit their place of work. We have a diverse group of Coaches and this is a great opportunity for our students to get hands on experiences that can help them make better choices of high school courses, colleges to investigate and careers to pursue. To get started, parents and students please visit the Walton Career Coach webpage.

Tips for Parents to help make the Career Coaching program most effective:

You and your student can decide how you want to communicate with the coach after reviewing the communication options they are able to provide (these options are included in the email sent with the Coach’s contact information). Some Coaches may want to communicate via email or telephone only, while some are able to provide in person interviews/discussions and shadowing opportunities.
Whatever is offered, start by emailing the Coach within a few weeks of getting their contact information and include your student in that correspondence. You can introduce yourself and your student and let the Coach know that your student will be following up with his/her own email. We recommend that you remain a part of the communication between your student and the Coach.
Help your student think through the questions he/she wants to ask the Coach. Discuss what your student hopes to learn from the process.
Encourage and support your student through this exploration by asking questions and sharing your own experiences.
This is a unique opportunity for our students and sometimes they need a nudge to fully take advantage of it. It also can be a great deal of fun and a way for them to envision how all their hard work will eventually pay off.

Tips for Students when communicating with your Career Coach:

Do some research about the career you are investigating before communicating with the Coach. This will allow you to get the most out of the exchange.
Do some thinking and prepare a list of questions for your Coaches. Naviance has some great information and tools to help guide you.
Be respectful of your Coach and his/her time. Respond promptly and courteously. If you meet your Coach in person, be on time, dress appropriately, and make eye contact.
Make some notes about your thoughts and any follow up questions you have from the communication with your Coaches.
Always follow up after contact with your Coach to thank him/her for his/her time and guidance.

List of sample questions to ask your Coach:

How did you become interested in this type of work?
How did you get your job with this company?
What are the requirements for this job, including education, training, work experience?
Is the work you do representative of the kinds of jobs available in this field?
How would you describe the career path of someone who pursues work in this field? What ongoing training or education is required?
What personality traits are important for this job?
What technical skills are required for this career?
How many hours do you work in a typical week? Do you travel?
What do you do on a typical day?
What are the salary ranges for this field?
What types of fringe benefits are offered to you for your job?
What is the opportunity for advancement in this area?
What is the outlook for this career area?
What do you like best about your job?
What don’t you like about your job?
What advice would you give to a student interested in this career?