What Are Mock Interviews?
Every year, Clairemont High School holds a Mock Interview Day where we pair each of our 10th grade students with an industry or community partner volunteer who will give them a mock, one-on-one, ten-minute job interview. This is an invaluable chance for our students to practice resume writing and interviewing skills. Many of our students have told us they have interviewed for real summer internships and jobs using the skills they practiced at this event and were then hired!
2026 Mock Interviews Details:
Register to be a Volunteer Mock Interviewer:
To become a Volunteer Mock Interviewer for this event, please fill out and submit our online CHS Mock Interview Registration Form. The deadline for volunteer registration is Friday, April 17, 2026.
Dates & Times:
Clairemont High School will hold Mock Interviews on Tuesday, April 21, 2026 and Wednesday, April 22, 2026. There will be multiple volunteer sessions available on each day: Register for one or more sessions on either or both days. Check-in orientation for volunteers is 10 minutes prior to each session.
STUDENTS BEING INTERVIEWED:
The students who are participating in these mock interviews are 10th graders from our four academies. They must complete this interview activity as a graded class assignment, and they are competing against each other for the “job.”
Students will be nervous because this will be a new learning experience for them! An academy teacher prepares them ahead of time with sample interview questions and information about dress and etiquette, but the real learning starts once they are seated in front of an industry or community partner.
LOCATION CHECK-IN:
Clairemont High is located at 4150 Ute Drive, San Diego, CA 92117. Volunteers should plan to arrive at Clairemont High at least 10 minutes prior to the start time of their interview session. Check in at the main office (located near the flagpole and marquee). The front office will direct interviewers to the school library where the interviews will be held. (see campus map).
BEFORE THE INTERVIEW SESSION:
On the day of the interviews, volunteer interviewers are provided with a folder containing all materials needed for the day. Interviewers will find a table sign with the interviewer’s name and company. Student “applicants” are scheduled to rotate in at their assigned interview time. Interviewers will remain stationary as students show up for their “appointment.”
DURING THE INTERVIEW SESSION:
While conducting the interviews, volunteers are asked to consider using questions from our list of sample interview questions (provided at the event) and conduct each interview as if it were real. Volunteers should maintain an “interviewer” persona throughout the interview session (i.e.: don’t break the interview persona to give tips, feedback, etc. during the interview).
Interviewers are encouraged to take notes on each interviewee to share at the conclusion of the interview. Interviews will run about 7 minutes and leave 3 minutes for the interviewer to provide feedback to the student on how they did. This would also give time for the interviewer to share feedback on the student’s resume as well.
Questions: please contact the event coordinators, Tanya Morrison at [email protected] and Jeanne Cantwell at [email protected]