Monroe High School students in the Butler Tech Career and College Readiness course stepped into a real-world experience as they participated in a multi-round mock interview project designed to build confidence, professionalism, and essential career skills. The course, taught by Butler Tech satellite instructor Joellen Turvey, is a graduation requirement for all Monroe students in grades 10 through 12 and will soon become the prerequisite for a new senior-level course titled Internship and Industry Immersion, launching next year.
What makes this project stand out is the level of authenticity and the deep involvement of the community. Turvey recruited nearly 50 volunteers from local businesses, higher education, and service organizations to help conduct interviews and provide feedback. Their participation gave the students the chance to interact with real professionals and receive genuine insight into workplace expectations. Their guidance helped students step into an experience that mirrors what many of them will encounter in their future careers.
As the project has grown, so has Turvey’s approach. In past years, students participated in one long interview. After watching students reflect on their performance and express a desire to apply what they learned, Turvey redesigned the experience into three structured rounds that allow students to learn from early missteps, apply feedback quickly, and build a growth mindset. In the first two rounds, students alternate between conducting and receiving a peer-to-peer interview and participating in an interview with a business partner. This allows them to experience interviews from both sides of the table while still working through their nerves in a supportive environment. The final round shifts fully to a professional setting, where students interview the business partner themselves. Each stage strengthens a different part of the skill set students need in order to succeed.
Volunteers added encouragement and perspective throughout the day. Steve Whayne, Assistant Director of Employer Relations, Career Services & Professional Development for Miami University, and a mentor for the project, reminded students to view interviews as a level playing field and an opportunity to ask meaningful questions, build a connection, and recognize their own value. He encouraged students to remember that they are interviewing the employer just as much as the employer is interviewing them, and that they should not underestimate what they have to offer.
For junior Noah Hollar, the two-and-a-half weeks of preparation made a noticeable difference. Students worked on resumes, interview etiquette, posture, greetings, and strategies for keeping a conversation moving. Noah interviewed for a position in music education, the same field he hopes to pursue after high school. He felt confident in his ability to keep the conversation alive but admitted he was worried about stumbling over his words. One of the most helpful strategies he learned was simple but effective. He reminded himself to take a breath.
“Just take a breath every few seconds to decompress,” he said. “It really helped me not rush into the next question.” He discovered that conducting the interview himself was even more challenging than being the interviewee, especially when interviewing classmates. Still, he walked away with a valuable takeaway. He learned to keep going, ask for clarification when needed, and not be afraid to pause.
Senior Abriella Wan also found the experience to be far more encouraging than intimidating. She said her interviewer offered helpful feedback and made the process feel relaxed and supportive. She enjoyed building her resume, even with the typical formatting challenges, and said she now feels genuinely prepared for real job interviews.
“Mrs. Turvey can be intense, but she gives us great resources and makes sure we are prepared,” Abriella shared. Her advice to future students was simple and honest. “Do not be as nervous as you think you should be. It is really okay.”
The mock interview project serves as the culminating activity in a course designed to help students understand who they are, what they value, and where they want to go. Throughout the semester, students explore their interests, personality types, work values, and education options. They hear from guest speakers representing regional colleges, adult education programs, and the military. They compare potential career paths, build resumes, and learn the communication skills they will need beyond high school. Turvey partners closely with the Miami University Regionals Career and Employer Engagement team, who teach resume and interview best practices before returning as evaluators at the end of the project.
Turvey sees a dramatic shift in student confidence each year. “Students come in nervous and doubting themselves,” she said. “But they leave feeling like they can ace any interview in the future. Watching them shine is one of the greatest blessings of this work.”
To celebrate the effort and professionalism students bring to the experience, Turvey also presents two special awards each year. The “Out-of-This-World Award” is given to a student whom an interviewer says they would hire on the spot. The “Best Dressed Award” recognizes students who go above and beyond to present themselves in a polished and professional manner. Both recognitions reinforce pride, preparation, and potential that students display throughout the project.