Interview Season Is Upon Us…DUN DUN DUN!
Along with much anticipated warm weather and the blooming of beautiful spring flowers comes the stressful and sometimes scary season of interviews. College applications, scholarship opportunities, summer internships, April and May are deadline central. Like get out and smell the roses… but then it’s back to the grind.
At Environmental Learning for Kids (ELK), we know the importance of acing these important and sometimes life-changing interviews. That’s why we spend every March hosting a well-attended mock interview workshop for our late high school/early college aged Leadership Corps students. Engaging volunteers from our Board of Directors, staff, community partners, community leaders, and beyond, mock interviews empower students to feel comfortable in the interview process, identify how they can best answer the dreaded “so, tell me about yourself” question (seriously, we need to stop doing this. I can’t summarize what I had for breakfast this morning, least of all who I am as a human being in under 90 seconds), and practice amongst several different interviewing styles.
This year, we were honored to have interviewers join us from Montbello Walks, Next100Coalition: Public Lands for All Colorado, Denver Preschool Program, The Wilderness Society, and many more. Mock interviews are one of the many ways that ELK helps young people prepare for college and career. Prior to this activity, we also toured CU Denver and went over the necessary components of a well-written resume.
So hopefully you’ve been following our blog thus far. And if you have, you know we love us some tips. Who doesn’t like a good tip to make life a little easier? Incidentally, we never say no to monetary tips either, via donations made at www.elkkids.org ;)
Anyways, back to life tips. Following mock interviews, we had our students fill out post-activity surveys. And from there, we’ve extracted some pretty awesome words of the wise to help you during this season of epic interviewing proportions.
Tip #1: Do you.
Don’t be nervous! Just be yourself.
Tip #2: Apply away.
Any scholarship you apply for is helpful. Small scholarships add up and are just as important as big scholarships.
Tip #3: It’s all in the details.
When asked about a problem that you’ve had and how you solved it, add as many details as you can so the interviewer can really visualize the situation and how you resolved it.
Tip #4: Take a breath.
Be calm during your interview. And don’t forget to brag!
Tip #5: Prepare, prepare, prepare.
A good interview is an interview well prepared for. Put in the time to thoroughly research the scholarship, company, or school you are applying for. Also research the interviewers and know a little about their professional background if possible.
And there you have it. Your five tips for braving this sometimes daunting season. We’re sure you’re busy, so we won’t take up too much more of your time. Except to say…
If you would like to learn more about our programs and other creative ways to set our next generation up for success, you can go to the programs page of our website (https://elkkids.org/programs/)and learn about many other pathways for students, youth, and their families to become better stewards of themselves, their community, and each other.
About Environmental Learning for Kids (ELK): Environmental Learning for Kids (ELK) is a Denver-based, nonprofit organization established in 1996 to address the growing need to introduce and educate Colorado’s racially diverse youth about science, leadership, and careers. Twenty-six years later, ELK continues to provide strong educational support, good role models, and opportunities for positive community action for youth, helping them to become engaged, productive, and successful members of society. Learn more at elkkkids.org.
About the Author: Kristina Gray received her Bachelor of Art degree in Political Science from MSU Denver in 2011. She has been a part of the nonprofit sector for over 10 years. She is an alumnus of the Corporation for National and Community Service’s AmeriCorps VISTA program and the Hispanic Chamber Foundation’s Aspiring Leaders Program, Class of 2017. Kristina spends her free time advocating for justice and equity for all of Colorado’s youth & families and going on adventures with her husband and young daughter. Contact Kristina @kopre@elkkids.org.
