High school students and members of the business and educational community recently joined forces to overcome a process that strikes fear in the hearts of employees and employers alike — the job interview.

Students at Apache Junction High School, 2525 S. Ironwood Drive in Apache Junction, underwent mock job interviews in an effort to help prepare graduating seniors for life after graduation.

Prior to the mock interview, Kathy Allyn from the school’s College & Career Center helped prepare students by going over the interview process, discussing proper attire and professional interview behavior. She discussed how to create a resume and provide examples for reference.

The senior interview event, which had been a mainstay at the high school for more than a decade, went on hiatus during the COVID-19 surge. The reinstatement of the mock interviews was particularly important this year as Allyn told the volunteer evaluators that many students were still adjusting to in-person learning and were especially nervous about face-to-face communication.

The community participants were supplied with potential questions that ranged from questions about the students’ work and volunteer experience to more complex inquiries such as to provide an example of when they took a negative situation and turned it around.

Students were given feedback so they had the opportunity to improve their skills in a real-life situation.

Not all the interview process was scripted.

Christa Rizzi, a local business owner and vice mayor of the Apache Junction City Council, intentionally created a disheveled appearance, chewed gum and added massive amounts of dog hair to her T-shirt to demonstrate a point.

“Do you think first impressions are important?” Rizzi asked the students who came to her table for their interview. “Bad first impressions are hard to undo. Once I explained what I was doing the kids laughed. But what was really interesting was how some of the adults looked at and treated me.”

Following the interview process the interviewers and student volunteers were treated to a lunch provided by Apache Junction Unified School District’s food services staff.

AJHS emphasizes a well-rounded education where academics, sports and extracurricular ctivities allow students to grow scholastically, physically and emotionally. AJHS graduates have access to more scholarships per student than in most communities in the Valley and qualifying students have access to Promise for the Future to earn a tuition-free education at Central Arizona College.

Registration for all new students who wish to enroll in Apache Junction Unified School District schools are currently being accepted at all school locations. For more information about AJUSD or its schools or departments visit ajusd.org.

Editor’s note: Sally Marks is the public relations specialist for Apache Junction Unified School District.