According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, 97% of young people, in between the ages of 17-22, have had a job. So if the majority of high school students are destined to get a job after getting their diploma, isn’t it necessary for all of us to have the proper skills to obtain these jobs? In order to practice these skills I held fake job interviews with some Tallwood students. After conducting them, I selected the best one that I thought would actually get hired for the fake job.

In order to conduct these fake interviews, I selected some of the most commonly asked questions by interviewers and added one interesting question as well.

Rachel Mcgraw, 10th grade:
What can you tell me about yourself?
I’m organized and I have good time management skills because I have gymnastics and I’ve learned how to get my work done when it needs to get done.
Can you tell me what you consider to be your strengths?
I guess time management is always a strength
And, what would you consider to be your weaknesses?
I’m a perfectionist sometimes, so it can cause me to take too long making things perfect.
Where do you see yourself in 5 years from now?
In college
Do you have a specific major in mind?
Something in the liberal arts, but I don’t know exactly.
What makes you a good team player?
I’m willing to work with others to help them figure things out.
Why do you want this job?
Because I want to be prepared to have a job when I get out of college and I would already have some experience.
If you were a kitchen utensil, what would you be?
A fork, It can be used to cut things and it can be used to pick things up. So, multi purposeful.

Julie Adams, 10th grade:
What can you tell me about yourself?
My name is Julie, I’m 16 years old, I have no experience with any sort of jobs. I go to Tallwood, I’m in the academy. I’m an honor roll student.
Can you list your strengths?
I’m really good at self-motivation, like if I set a goal, I can usually get it done without too many people telling me what to do, and I’m smart and creative.
What are your weaknesses?
I’m not so great at working in teams or talking to people.
Why should I consider hiring you?
You should consider hiring you because I need money.
Where do you see yourself 5 years from now?
I want to go to college.
What are your salary expectations?
I don’t really want to work for less than $12 an hour but I expect around $8.
What motivates you?
Fear of failure.
How would your friends describe you?
Probably annoying, a little bit stuck-up, but a hard worker, gregarious, and goal oriented
If you were a kitchen utensil, what would you be and why?
A spork because I’m not really good at what I’m supposed to do.

Scott Morelli Jr, 10th grade:
What can you tell me about yourself?
I’m an honor student at Tallwood student. My grades are currently very high, except for math, I’m not very good at that. I’m involved in a lot of clubs, including French Honor Society and French Club. Also, I’m taking two languages right now.
What would you consider to be your strengths?
Intellect, problem-solving abilities, and leadership.
And on the opposite hand what are your weaknesses?
Other people and anxiety.
So why should I consider hiring you?
I feel like I’m a very good candidate for this and also because I need a job. I kind of need the money.
Where do you see yourself in 5 years?
I see myself in college. At least to get a degree.
Why do you want to work here?
I hear it’s a good environment, your work is very nice, and everyone is accepting of each other. No one is oppressive, it’s more of an open environment.
What motivates you to work?
One, I need the money. Two, I’m ready to take on the responsibility of a job as I just turned 16 and I’m gaining more responsibility at home and at school.
What would you consider to be your greatest achievement?
I would say traveling overseas for the first time. I would say that that was a very eye-opening experience for me.
If you were a kitchen utensil, what would you be and why?
I would say a spatula, because you can use those for everything.

Emily Noel, 10th grade:
What can you tell me about yourself?
I like to work really hard and it feels good when I get good grades, and I like to play music.
Why do you want this job?
I want this job because I want the chance to impact my community and especially being a part of the global studies academy, I really want to help out my community and I want service hours and I want to be able to give back to what I’m learning about in my academy.
What are your strengths?
I’m very timely, I’m always on time. I’m very task-oriented, so I don’t waste time on anything, and I’m very determined to finish my work.
What do you consider to be your weaknesses?
I’m hot-headed. If I get frustrated, then I have to take 5 minutes just to cool off before I can start to work again.
Considering your strengths and weaknesses, how would your friends describe you?
Very organized and very responsible, and very trustworthy.
What’s your greatest achievement?
I guess to myself, knowing that I can work really hard and rely on myself to get a job done.
Where do you see yourself in 5 years?
Probably in college, studying a major of mine, maybe learning music theory or composition to be a teacher. That’s a big goal of mine.
What would you say motivates you?
The things that I like to do motivate me. When I get to go to certain classes that I enjoy, it makes me work harder. And it doesn’t really feel like work when it’s something you really love.
What makes you a good team player?
I like to work well with others and I like to make sure that everyone in the group is contributing so that everyone receives a fair grade.
How do you deal with pressure?
With pressure, I personally keep a planner and try to organize everything out so then I can organize time for myself to relax. And I know when I have that time for myself to relax, then it makes me work harder to get to those periods of when I have no work.
If you were a kitchen utensil, what utensil would you be, and why?
I would be a ladle, because I’m always lifting everybody up.

Mason Marcelo, 10th grade:
What can you tell me about yourself?
I like to play basketball and school. I like school.
What are your strengths?
I like to do school.
What are your weaknesses?
Failing. I’m afraid to fail.
Where do you see yourself in 5 years?
Probably in College. Either to become a doctor or a businessman.
What motivates you?
My family.
You said you play basketball, so what makes you a good team player?
My teammates. They help me become a better player.
How would your friends describe you?
Funny and happy.
What is your greatest achievement?
Getting honor roll.
If you were a kitchen utensil what would you be and why?
A spoon because I use it a lot.

Michael Gilbert, 9th grade:
What can you tell me about yourself?
People label me as charismatic, I’m an all around fun to be with person, and I’m also pretty intelligent as well. I’m also a very good problem solver.
What do you consider to be your strengths?
Problem solving, good old-fashioned street smarts, my ability to make impressions in any room
On the other hand, what would you consider to be your weaknesses?
I haven’t thought about these in a while. One of them would be that I find it hard for myself to sit back and watch when something is going wrong and I know that I can fix it.
How would your friends describe?
Some people call me a hypebeast even though I don’t see myself as a hypebeast. I see myself as a good person overall, just a well-rounded person. Some people call me the clout god so.
How do you deal with pressure?
Usually with regular pressure like nervousness, the more you go through it, the easier it will be able to deal with it the next time so I just.. Since I was seven I had been doing piano auditions and things like that, I’ve gotten used to it and I’m able to control my nerves and still perform to the best of my abilities.
Where do you see yourself in five years?
Well in five years I would be 19 so I would be at getting ready to go to college.
What kitchen utensil would you be and why?
Actually, I would be a pair of tongs. The reason why I like tongs is that they are just a very versatile tool.

After carefully reviewing each of the candidates, I would hire Emily Noel and Scott Morelli. I feel both of these candidates have the skills necessary for a working environment. However, because all candidates were underclassmen, I would suggest all could use more practice to be job-ready when getting out of high school, and that isn’t a bad thing. High school is a great way to gain experience in a number of different areas, and we are here to prepare ourselves for independent living. But since most students get jobs, I have no hesitation that any of these students will fail at succeeding in their future.

Bureau of Labor Statistics, U.S. Department of Labor. (2010). America’s youth at 22: School enrollment, training, and employment transitions between ages 21 and 22. News Release. USDL-10-0099. January 28, 2010. Retrieved from http://stats.bls.gov/news.release/archives/nlsyth_01282010.pdf

Click here for more stories in Volume 3, Issue 6.