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May 6, 2009
In a wavering economy the rarity of job opportunities is quickly becoming the frustration of many individuals in all age groups. Under such conditions, the importance of first impressions and strong interviews has only increased.
On March 12, in effort to improve such necessary skills, more than 650 Salem-area high school students attended the annual Job Interview Fair for Youth at the Salem Conference Center.
JIFFY allows students a valuable opportunity to explore various career areas as well as to practice their job interviewing skills in a real world environment.
"The objective is to give students the opportunity to mock interview with different types of interviewers, learning how they could improve their skills, and gain confidence in the way they talk to future employers," Dorothy Cope, South Salem High School Career Specialist, said.
Businesses in the area send representatives to interview students for a variety of jobs, giving students the opportunity to experience a variety of interview types. Several businesses also set up booths in order to inform students of career opportunities for young people.
"We have a lot of entry level positions that students can apply for, such as seasonal employment that starts at 16," Mary Logan, hosting the Oregon Department of Forestry booth, said. "We feel like it's our chance to give back because we've been given so many opportunities ourselves."
Originally organized by Salem high school Career Specialists nearly 25 years ago, JIFFY gives students the unique opportunity to immediately receive feedback on an interview, letting them know what they did right and where they need to improve. Students are provided with questions to study in preparation and are required to create résumés to submit to their interviewers.
"Most students were well prepared. I am impressed. This environment definitely prepares them for real world job interviews, it's a great opportunity to get feedback on how they can improve for real world job opportunities," said interviewer Grady Corr, of Central Willamette Credit Union.
In addition to providing students with interview experience that may help them gain a position in their dream career, Cope feels that JIFFY acts as a valuable resource for local businesses as well.
"Businesses benefit by teaching their future workforce things they may need to get a job with their company," Cope said. "The more prepared our students are for the world of work, the better for businesses and our community."
Kayla Harr is a senior at South Salem High School. She can be contacted at kay.harr@hotmail.com.
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