Tenth Graders Put Their Interview Skills to the Test with Miami University

In October, learning beyond the classroom took on a new meaning for a group of Upper School students. For more than 80 Seven Hills sophomores, it meant sitting across the table from a real person and putting their interview skills to the test — all thanks to an idea sparked by a fellow student.

The concept began with junior Ava Yang, who recognized a gap in students’ preparation for the working world: many would face their first job interview without ever having practiced one.

While brainstorming for her final project in her leadership class, Yang saw an opportunity to help her peers build a skill they would eventually need but might not have the chance to practice. After the class ended, she decided to take the idea beyond the classroom and turn it into a real opportunity for Seven Hills students.

Yang brought her proposal for a mock interview experience to Dan Polifka, dean of students, and refined it based on his feedback. She also reached out to Tom Mobley, a professor at Miami University’s Farmer School of Business, whom she had met while shadowing his summer program. After meeting with Mobley to discuss the idea, Yang worked with Polifka, Karen Glum, director of experiential learning, and Leesa Pruett Ceron, entrepreneur teacher, to finalize the plans and coordinate the experience.

To prepare for the interviews, Miami students created a fictitious company hiring for positions filled by high school students. Sophomores submitted their resumes for the different roles, while students in Mobley’s talent management class reviewed the applications and prepared to interview candidates.

The Miami students then visited campus to conduct mock interviews, asking open-ended, behavioral, and situational questions. Afterward, they offered feedback on students’ interview performance, critiqued resumes, and answered questions about their college experience.

For the Seven Hills sophomores, the project provided an opportunity to practice interviewing in a supportive environment before facing the stakes of a real job search. For the Miami students, it offered a chance to put their talent management studies into practice.

Student feedback reinforced the value of the exercise. According to Glum, every sophomore recommended repeating the program.

“We exit-interviewed each Seven Hills 10th grader; every student — not a single dissent — said we should repeat the program with next year’s 10th grade,” said Glum. “Most frequently, they mentioned the value in ‘practicing with real people,’ receiving immediate feedback, getting resume and interview coaching, and having after-interview conversations about college pathways. It’s rare to plan an educational experience that lands with every student, but Tom and his students nailed it.”

Yang heard similar feedback from her peers, particularly about the confidence they gained through the activity. Having the opportunity to practice helped make an otherwise intimidating process feel more familiar.

“My main goal was to help as many students as possible gain interview experience before having to navigate the process on their own. Knowing that more than 80 sophomores were able to participate makes me really happy, because I was able to turn an unmet need in my school community into an actual opportunity for students,” Yang said.

Seven Hills plans to continue the initiative with future sophomores, extending an opportunity that began with Yang’s idea and grew through collaboration between two schools.

“What means the most to me is that this project could continue for years to come,” Yang said. “By taking the initiative to develop the idea and work with the staff to bring it to life, I was able to help establish an opportunity that future Seven Hills students can benefit from, even after I graduate. I’m happy that I could make a contribution to my school that extends beyond my own time there.”