Stepping into a job interview can be daunting for anyone, but Year 12 students at Eastern Goldfields College had the chance to practise before the real thing thanks to volunteers from the Monadelphous Goldfields team.
HSE Advisor Harrison Morgan Lobb and Quality and Welding Coordinator Damien Knight recently took part in a mock interview program for Careers and Employability students, sharing practical interview experience and providing personalised feedback to help students prepare for entering the workforce.
The opportunity came after Eastern Goldfields College approached the Kalgoorlie branch following networking at a recent careers expo. The Goldfields team regularly supports local schools through initiatives including work experience placements, community donations and local projects.
The session began with introductions and interview tips, followed by students rotating through a series of 20-minute mock interviews. Harrison and Damien asked a combination of standard interview questions and role-specific questions based on each student's career interests. Before the session concluded, they also completed feedback forms for each student, offering words of wisdom for their future endeavours.
A highlight for Harrison was meeting students who already had a clear vision for their future.
"One of the things that stood out for me was a handful of students who knew exactly what occupation they wanted to do and were clearly very passionate about it, which was impressive to me,” Harrison said.
“I didn't have a clue what I wanted to do at that age!”
The day also had its lighter moments.
"The topic of expected salary was a memorable one and the keen interest of what my salary is from some of the students. I quickly changed the subject," Harrison said.
Harrison was enthused to support similar initiatives in the future, as he found the session insightful and rewarding.
"I would happily take part in these sorts of exercises again. Hopefully the students got some valuable experience out of it and feel more confident for when they do the real thing,” he said.
“For me, it was interesting to see how much students have changed from when I was at school and speak to them about their perspectives on working and some of the different challenges they face."