A mock interview is the closest thing to the real one, but many students freeze when asked to improvise in front of the class. Scripting it first takes away the fear. In this activity, students storyboard a mock interview as a comic: the interviewer asks a question, the candidate answers, and the interviewer gives feedback. Then partners act out the script, swap roles, and try it again without the board.
The example continues Jordan's interview for a part-time job at TagBack with the manager, Ms. Grant. The feedback cells model what a real interviewer is listening for, so students learn to judge an answer, not just give one.
| QUESTION | JORDAN'S ANSWER | MS. GRANT'S FEEDBACK |
|---|---|---|
| "Tell me about yourself." | "I'm a junior at Lincoln High. I run the register at our school store twice a week, and I like keeping things organized." | Strong: short, and it connects to the job. Next time, add why TagBack in particular. |
| "Why do you want to work here?" | "TagBack found my hoodie last year, so I know the product works. I'd like to help other families get their things back." | Great: a real story that shows you care about customers. |
| "Tell me about a time you made a mistake." | "I gave someone the wrong change at the school store. I told my advisor, we fixed it, and now I count change out loud." | Excellent: you owned the mistake and showed what you learned. |
(These instructions are completely customizable. After clicking "Copy Activity", update the instructions on the Edit Tab of the assignment.)
Create a storyboard comic that scripts a mock job interview, then act it out with a partner.
Pick one question about the student, one about the job, and one about experience.
Students storyboard each question, a specific answer, and the interviewer's feedback in one row.
Assign an interviewer, a candidate, and an observer with a short checklist.
Run the script, give feedback, and rotate until everyone has played each role.
Students rewrite one answer using the feedback and try it again without the storyboard.
Many students freeze when asked to improvise in front of classmates. Writing the questions, answers, and feedback first gives them something to hold on to, so the role-play becomes practice rather than a test. After one scripted round, most students can try the same questions again without the storyboard, which is the real goal.
Start with one question about the student ("Tell me about yourself"), one about the job ("Why do you want to work here?"), and one about experience ("Tell me about a time you made a mistake"). Those three appear in almost every first-job interview and need different kinds of answers, so together they make a well-rounded practice set.
The observer watches with a short checklist: eye contact, a specific example in each answer, answers under one minute, and a question at the end. They share one strength and one thing to improve after each round. Rotating so every student plays interviewer, candidate, and observer builds the judgment students need to coach themselves.
Ask your CTE advisory board, local business owners, school staff who hire student workers, or alumni to play the interviewer for one class period. Give them the three questions and the observer checklist in advance. Even one visit helps, because students take feedback from a real employer more seriously than feedback from a classmate.
Score the storyboard and the role-play together: 1 point per answer that includes a specific example, 1 point per feedback cell that names a strength and an improvement, and up to 3 points for revising one answer after feedback. Grading the revision rewards growth rather than a polished first attempt.