Mock Interview Programme

Dr Gemma Morgan is involved with  the ‘Mock Interview’ programme. It has been running within all secondary schools in South Central for around 20 years, and is now well embedded within the schools’ World of Work Curriculum. 

It helps pupils understand the recruitment process and prepare them for interviews in the future.  As part of the process, pupils are tasked with completing a mock application form where they have to learn to sell themselves on paper as they would in the real world. 

Depending on the size of the school, a number of days are allocated to conduct the interviews. These are held on the school premises (usually in a hall, library or several large classrooms) Interviewers are never left alone with a pupil.  Employers / organisations (we like to call them our ‘Business Ambassadors’) are asked to come along to conduct the interviews with pupils. Timings on the day can vary depending on the schools but usually the Business Ambassador can conduct 9 / 10 interviews over a full school day or 6 /7 interviews during a morning session.  

Each pupil is allocated a 30 minute time-slot, which generally involves a 15 - 20 minute interview, with time at the end for verbal feedback and completion of the feedback sheet. The pupil will receive the feedback sheet at a later date for review.   

The interviews are not job-specific but they really do help the pupils gain experience of the recruitment process and gives them an opportunity to practise performing at interview before they have to do it for real.  Feedback from the pupils after the event is always positive and schools very much appreciate the time the Business Ambassador can give.