Fall 2014 Mock Interview Program Report

Table of Contents

Program Overview, Outcomes, & Report

Orientation

3

Overall Program Data

4

Participant Survey Data

9

The Mock Interview Mentor Internship

12

Program Recommendations,

Goals, and Initiatives

16

Program Overview, Outcomes, & Report Orientation The Mock Interview Program is a Career Center service for current Florida State University students and recent alumni to practice their interview skills and receive feedback on their performance. The mock interview program allows participants to focus on how well individuals can reflect and articulate personal values, interests, skills, and past experiences. The objective of the program is to provide a quality, professional interviewing experience that prepares students and recent alumni for future success with companies and organizations.

The program is an initiative that contributes to learning outcomes for both the Florida State University Institutional Research department and the ’Noles Learn Project on behalf of the Division of Student Affairs. Overall, the program three overarching learning outcomes for participants:

Individuals will be able to articulate key academic and professional experiences in a focused, concise manner

Individuals will be able to distinguish specific skills and competencies that are needed for an industry specific interview

Individuals will be able to explain how experiences and transferrable skills relate to specific jobs, industries, and occupations

The purpose of this report is to provide data , feedback, and overall reporting on the Fall 2014 program and provide goals and recommendations to implement with the 2015 calendar year.

Section 1:

Overall Program Data

Overall Program Data

The Fall 2014 Mock Interview Program occurred in the Dunlap Success Center from September 2

through November 21. Through the course of 10 weeks, the Career Center was able to facilitate In-Person, Panel, Skype, and Phone mock interviews. Participants were required to submit a resume and focused letter that provided guidance on how to prepare the interview for the participant’s needs.

The following information highlights specific demographic data that displays the diversity of

participants and program.

Total Number of Interviews 292

In-Person Interviews 279

Panel Interviews 2

Phone Interviews 10

Skype Interviews 1

Monthly Completed Interviews

September 97

October 116

November 79

Course Requirement

Yes 160

No 132

Citizenship

International Student 10

Domestic Student 281

Classification

Freshman 3

Sophomore 36

Junior 61

Senior 126

Graduate 49

Alumni 7

Participant Gender

Female 196

Male 96

College Participant Allocation

College of Arts and Sciences 35

Actuarial Science 1

Biological Science 6

Biostatics 1

Computer Science 2

English 5

Exploratory 2

History 2

Middle Eastern Studies 2

Oceanography 1

Philosophy 1

Physical Chemistry 1

Psychology 6

Religion 1

Spanish 1

Studio Art 3

College of Business 80

Accounting 14

Assurance Services 4

Business Administration 1

Entrepreneurship 4

Finance 12

Hospitality 6

Human Resource Management 2

Management 11

Management Information Systems 3

Marketing 14

Professional Sales 7

Real Estate 1

Risk Management & Insurance 1

College of Communication 19

Advertising 1

Communications 1

Information Technology 1

Information, Communication, & Technology

1

Media and Communications Studies 13

Public Relations 2

College of Criminology and Criminal Justice

6

Criminology 6

College of Education 39

Counseling & Psychology 2

Foreign Language Education 2

Higher Education 2

Sport Management 32

Sport Sciences 1

College of Engineering 7

Chemical Engineering 2

Chemical/Biomedical Engineering 1

Civil Engineering 2

Mechanical Engineering 2

College of Human Sciences 83

Child Development 1

Exercise Science 5

Family and Child Sciences 2

Retail Merchandising Product Development 75

College Participant Allocation

College of Social Sciences and Public Policy 22

Applied Economics 3

Economics 2

International Affairs 11

Political Science 3

Public Administration 1

Social Science 1

Sociology 1

College of Social Work 3

Social Work 3

Year-By-Year Comparison Semester Number of

Interviews

Fall 2014 292

Fall 2013 241

Fall 2012 275

Employer Program Involvement

During the Fall 2014 semester, the mock interview program provided the opportunity for Garnet & Gold Placement Partners to participate by sponsoring employer based mock interviews. Through this process, companies and organizations were allowed to promote their brand, discuss potential employment opportunities, and build a network of informed students on campus. Additionally, employers were charged to give industry specific feedback for students to improve their skill set for the future. The following list contains companies who provided sessions for Florida State Students.

Section 2:

Participant Survey Data

Participant Survey Data

Mock Interview program sessions are one hour in length and have three distinct components. First,

students participate in a structured, simulated interview for 15-20 minutes. Second, students par-

ticipate in a 20-25 minute feedback session in which the participant discusses their overall

performance within the interview setting. Finally, the participant completes an evaluation on their entire experience of the session. The following information highlights the data from the 217

completed surveys by students.

Survey Question Strongly Agree

Agree Neutral Disagree Strongly Disagree

The interviewer created an experience that made the process as “real” as possible

139

(64%)

68

(31%)

4

(2%)

3

(1%)

3

(1%)

The critique session offered helpful information and feedback that will assist in my preparation for the

future

181

(83%)

28

(14%)

2

(1%)

3

(1%)

3

(1%)

The interview questions were insightful, relevant, and typical of an actual interview

174

(80%)

36

(17%)

2

(1%)

2

(1%)

3

(1%)

The interview was helpful in my preparation for an actual interview

172

(79%)

39

(18%)

2

(1%)

1

(1%)

3

(1%)

The mock interviewer was attentive and well prepared

187

(86%)

23

(89%)

2

(1%)

2

(1%)

3

(1%)

The registration process was convenient and efficient

128

(59%)

54

(25%)

15

(7%)

15

(7%)

5

(2%)

The mock interview program should continue to offer different types of mock interviews

163

(75%)

40

(20%)

9

(3%)

1

(1%)

3

(1%)

Participant Survey Data

This survey question directly relates to a learning outcome that is reported the Department of Institutional Research at Florida State University

Survey Question Yes No

Overall, after participating in the mock interview program I feel more confident in my interview skills.

209

(96%)

8

(4%)

This survey question directly relates to a learning outcome that is reported to the ‘Noles Learn Project within the Division of Student Affairs

Survey Question Strongly Agree

Agree Neutral Strongly Disagree

Disagree

After completing a mock interview, my level of confidence in describing my critical thinking skills to prospective employers

increased.

95

(44%)

100

(47%)

10

(5%)

8

(4%)

3

(1%)

Selected Qualitative Student Feedback

“There were several questions that asked about real-life experiences, which is something I expect in actual interviews. These questions gave me

an opportunity to prepare myself to think about real-life experiences I can use in interviews .”

“It had very genuine questions and made me think critically just as previous interviews had. This mock also simulated "thinking on your feet"

strategy. “

“It was obviously less nerve-wracking than a real interview. However, I believe the questions were fair and relevant to questions I would be

asked in a real interview. Also, the feedback was constructive criticism that I could use. I like that my interviewer wasn't just singing my praises,

and let me know the mistakes I made.”

“Great feedback, confidence booster, able to run possible interview questions by mock interviewer. “

“While I've had other interviews, none were this formal. The mock interview was my first time really sitting down and being asked more in depth

questions. This experience was probably much more beneficial for future interviews..

“It's been so long since I've had an actual interview, but I'd say that now I'm just more confident since I have a much better understanding as to

where I want to go professionally.”

“I felt it was an accurate portrayal of how an interview process would go. My interviewer was attentive and great with communicating areas of

improvement for myself.”

“The mock interview seemed very real and was just like an actual interview. The setting felt like a real interview which is why I enjoyed the

experience.”

Section 3: The Mock Interview Mentor Internship

The Mock Interview Mentor Internship

The mock interview mentor program is a unique internship opportunity that is offered through the Career Center for any undergraduate or graduate student. Mock Interview Mentors facilitate all types of interviews for current students and recent alumni. As a requirement of the internship, mentors execute 5-7 interviews per week, conduct specific research in regards to companies,

industries, and organizations, and participate in monthly supervision and professional development opportunities through the FSU Career Center. Additionally, mock interview mentors are trained to

facilitate feedback sessions for students on how to improve their interview style and technique and how to prepare for future successes.

Students who are selected for the internship must be in good academic standing with the university, participate in either the Experiential Certificate Program or an academic internship course, facilitate

superior customer service for all program participants, and possess essential critical thinking, interpersonal skills, and basic technology troubleshooting skills. During the Fall semester, the

interns were able to facilitate 292 interviews as a team.

Fall 2014 Mock Interview Mentors

Ashley Lamb Junior, Retail Merchandising &

Product Development

Samantha Yorke Graduate Student, Higher Education

Hannah Weinbaum Junior, Human Resource Management

& Marketing

Staci Sims Junior, Hospitality Management

Nicole Ramos Graduate Student, Higher Education

Edmine Delva Senior, Finance & Marketing

Daniel Flynn Senior, Physical Science

Michelle Hurst Junior, Human Resource Management

Angelie Duran Junior, Human Resource Management

Alexandra Matos Junior, Economics

Mock Interview Mentor Professional Reflections

“From this experience, my professionalism has improved through my speech and non-verbal communication. The experience has provided me with the knowledge and skills that will benefit me throughout my career. -Ashley Lamb

“My biggest professional takeaway from [the mock interview] experience is learning the do’s and don’ts during the interview. This internship experience help me learn how to properly conduct myself in a professional setting as well.

-Angelie Duran

“The biggest take away from the mock interview program internship was that I was able to leave with more confidence. I feel better and more comfortable now having a conversation with people I do not know and how to present myself to employers. -Michelle Hurst

I have been able to see how big of an impact my facilitation of the Mock Interview process has been on the students that participate. I have had

follow up emails personally thanking me for investing in their professional development… it has truly been a rewarding experience. Also,

I have become more confident and effective in giving constructive criticism to others, which I definitely feel will benefit me in the long run.

—Samantha Yorke

Section 4: Program Recommendations,

Goals, and Initiatives

Program Recommendations Based on the feedback from both participants and

interns, the program have slated the following goals for the 2015 year:

Implement a continued experience for interns who

still wish to be involved in the program

Provide more interview opportunities through the

hours of 10 am—3 pm to accommodate student needs

Implement more employer sponsored mock

interview sessions for students Program Initiatives

The Mock Interview Program will continue the following initiatives and partnerships across the

Florida State Campus for the 2015 year:

Interviewing Workshops for the Center for Intensive English Studies for visiting international students

Interview Course Requirement within courses within the College of Business, Communication and Information, Education, and Human Sciences

Providing mock interview options for students attending the Panama City campus

Program Goals Based on the feedback from both participants and

interns, the program have slated the following goals for the 2015 year:

Conduct at least 550 mock interviews for all FSU

students

Provide experiences and options for Distance

Learning Students

Facilitate positive and impactful internship

experiences for Mock Interview Mentors

Kelvin Rutledge

Assistant Director, Mock Interview & Employer Relations

Sean Collins

Program Assistant, Employer Relations & Recruitment Services

The Fall 2014 Mock Interview Program report was a collaborative effort to highlight specific results and outcomes that contribute to the success of the Florida State University Career Center, To express any questions, comments, or concerns, please feel free to reach out to one of the following program

staff members: