Preparing to prepare, eighth-graders took part in mock interviews as though they were seeking employment.

Exploring Careers, a required half-semester course in Killeen ISD, helps students assess their interests and consider possible jobs and salaries. It also leads eighth-graders through creating a four-year high school plan and a portfolio through college.

Going a step further, Rancier Middle School students in Katherine Paris’ career class interviewed Wednesday with volunteer school leaders and soldier and community members to get practice in the art of interviewing.

The eighth-graders dressed a little nicer than usual and sat outside their classroom, resumes in hand.

One by one, they entered the classroom, shook hands with their interviewer and answered questions about personal strengths and weaknesses, reasons for applying, past successes and future plans.

Over 11 years teaching the career class, Paris said the interviewing exercise has become a challenge among a generation of students who are rarely still.

“Eleven years ago kids didn’t have (digital) devices like they do now,” the teacher said. “These are the millennium children. They move fast. They find that they have to slow down to interview. It makes them nervous, gets them out of their comfort zones.”

“Some of the questions I wasn’t ready for,” said eighth-grader Daimarkus Kimbroegh, interviewing for a sales clerk job in the exercise. “Overall, I thought I did good.”

Eighth-grader Rebecca Richard said she struggled to come up with a good answer when asked about her weaknesses. “I couldn’t think of a flaw,” she said. “I had to find a way to work around it.”

“I was nervous and jittery, but it was OK after I got the hang of it,” said eighth-grader Aspen Anderson, who was interviewing for a camp counselor job.

The young interviewee said she focused on her babysitting experience in selling herself in the job, which would be heavy in interacting with children.

“I think this will benefit us,” said Anderson of the mock interviews. “We’ll know what to look for, what they will ask, what we should say and not say, how to dress.”

During class, Anderson said she and her peers learned the importance of body language communication in interviews and the value of a good attitude.

Volunteer interviewer Ernesto Chee-Chong, a civilian safety office worker for the Operational Test Command at Fort Hood, said he was impressed with students’ preparation.

“I was surprised how well prepared they were,” he said. “This is very relevant. These skills you can’t get anywhere else. They had resumes ready and knew the flow of the interview. It was impressive.”