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BYU–Hawaii Plays Host to Kahuku High School Futures

Excited, energetic, and hopeful, 58 Kahuku High Schoolstudents participated in a mock interview workshop the morning of Thursday, April 23, on the BYU"Hawaii campus. "This is just the beginning for these kids, and we need to do as much as we can to help prepare them for after high school," said Kahuku High School Career Awareness and Events Coordinator Barbara Jean (BJ) Smith.

Fifteen professionals in various fields, from Detective Dave Do (at right) of the Honolulu Police Department to Michael Van Lear, Associate Director of Campus Operations at Heald College, took time to individually interview and then critique each of the students.

Detective Do, who works in the Human Resources Department of HPD, said he personally interviewed six students, was very pleased with the potential employees he talked with at the workshop. "It's exciting to come to workshops like these because we get to see tomorrow's employees today, and it's good to see that with this particular group, quite a few of them are prepared for the job market." Of the six students he interviewed, Do remarked that he felt he would hire all six of the students he interviewed if they were applying with him for entry level positions.

"I signed up for the workshop because I wanted to figure out what I need to know for a real job interview," commented Kohl Nauahi, a senior at Kahuku from Laie. He said he is working on submitting his application to serve as a full"time missionary for the LDS Church, but he eventually wants to attend college outside of Hawaii. When asked about what he learned from the mock interviewers he said, "They told me that I should remember to express myself clearly and communicate better." Overall, Nauahi believed the experience to be "positive," and said he would encourage other students to attend future workshops.

Seniors Keana Grover, from Sunset, and Charnelle Palama, from Hau'ula, said they were involved in the workshop for their human physiology class, part of a larger Health Academy Program, which prepares them for careers after high school. Palama said the experience helped her "see how it feels to be in a professional interview setting." Grover added that the whole workshop seemed "pretty professional," and appreciated the feedback that was given after each interview, telling the students specific items to improve on. Both Grover and Palama were interviewed three times, they said. Both girls said their goals were to go to college and eventually become nurses.

In a debriefing session after the interview workshop, some of the interviewers addressed general situations during the interview session and provided further advice. Gaylene Lolofie (pictured above left), President and CEO of Coaching for Success, said the most successful applicants she has interviewed have: •Passion for the job •Knowledge about the company they are applying to •Knowledge about themselves, and •Preparation for the job and interview, including work or volunteer experience

To the last part she added, "I know that as high school students you haven't had the opportunity for a lot of work experience, but you can start now with volunteer work. If I see that an applicant has spent a good amount of time volunteering, I will know they are proactive and concerned."

Another of the interviewers, Nyla Lolotai (at right), encouraged students to be confident. "Sometimes you feel unqualified, but you can still be very successful if you sell yourself." She shared one of her own experiences from the interviewee perspective when she applied for a job at Nordstrom, saying that at the time the only job she had on her application was working as a cook in her father's restaurant. But, she explained that she was confident and sold herself, and she got the job, despite her lack of qualifications. "I don't always hire the most qualified individual," she added, "but the candidates who speak up, are confident, and can sell themselves."

Jodi Chowen, an academic advisor to undeclared majors at BYU"Hawaii arranged the facilities and logistics for the event, and remarked that, from what she saw, the program was a great benefit. "While we haven't sponsored an event like this recently, it could be something we'll consider doing or some variation of it for our students," she said. "Career Services currently offers a Job Interview Skills workshop which covers many of the same principles the interviewers shared during the debriefing today. However, nothing beats experience, which is what this event provided. Given the feedback of the high school students I spoke with, this event appeared to have a great impact for them in their career preparations. I would love to see all of our students participate in something similar."

--Photos by Ryan Bagley