Mock Interview Practice

This is a new activity within the Leaving Lancing Programme and has been introduced following research with recent leavers. All students received one-to-one work mock interviews which were conducted by a group of experienced parents, which was followed by individual feedback.

Later in the morning students took part in three workshops focusing on:

• Branding for Success – students learnt about personal branding and how developing your own brand could be incredibly powerful – connecting to others, helping to make an impact, and opening opportunities for the future.

• Preparing for an Interview – students learnt that the key to a successful interview is in the preparation. In this session students talked about practical logistics, researching the organisation, and considering potential interview questions.

• Business Etiquette – in this interactive workshop students role-played making introductions and how to make the most of business events. The session also covered networking principles and workplace ‘dos and don’ts’.

The current Leaving Lancing Programme includes Finance, Street Safety, Cooking and Professional Networking (LinkedIn) and is an integral part of our three year My Future Programme This important programme aims to give all our students a comprehensive understanding of the world of work, the opportunities and inspiration to explore career options and possible destinations, and the skills to thrive and succeed in adulthood.

We are incredibly grateful to the parents who came forward to volunteer for this ambitious project – our objective was to put students in the real-life situation of being interviewed by someone they did not know. In a survey following the event, 84% of students said it was valuable, and 78% were able to learn from the experience. Our parent interviewers have commented on the quality of interviewees as being impressive, polite, confident, and talented. The individual feedback will also enable the team to support those students where further coaching will

Diana Cree, Executive Director External Relations