Back to school—not to learn, but to give job application training to a group of students today.

In collaboration with JINC—because, according to JINC, every child has talent. That’s why JINC works with businesses and schools to create a society where your background doesn’t define your future.

Together with Tess Heerkens from Team Rockstars IT, we were paired with a class from Christoffel in Breda. The class, consisting of 16 students, was divided into smaller groups to allow for more interaction. We conducted two sessions.

After a brief introduction, we discussed three statements. By standing up or sitting down, students indicated whether they agreed with the statement or had experienced it before.

• Statement 1: I have been to a job interview before.
• Statement 2: You can just wear a tracksuit to a job interview.
• Statement 3: I can name a positive trait about myself.

Next, we demonstrated a job interview as an example for the students. Taking turns in the role of the applicant, we highlighted what not to do during an interview. For example, entering with a casual “Hey, what’s up?” and admitting you had a massive hangover after a night out at NAC, avoiding eye contact with the interviewer, and so on. The students were tasked with observing body language, speaking style, the questions asked, and overall behavior. They didn’t hold back and gave the “applicant” all the negative feedback they could spot.

The students had prepared in advance by providing a job posting, a CV, and a motivation letter. What made it special was that they had all applied to real vacancies for roles they would like to pursue in the future. Then came the moment where they had to conduct a mock interview in front of two strangers and the whole class. Most of them found it incredibly nerve-wracking. Since we knew we wouldn’t have time to interview everyone, we asked, “Who would like to volunteer?” Bravely, a few hands went up. Amazing! The students who stayed seated observed and gave feedback afterward.

We had some surprising conversations, each with strong motivation behind it. For instance:

• One student was passionate about working in a care facility for the elderly, as she had previously interned in childcare and wanted to compare the two to see which she liked better.
• Another student combined his studies in economics with aspirations to become a store manager at Jumbo, having already gained experience as a shelf-stacker at Albert Heijn.
• A third student, who was creative and practiced twirling, wasn’t afraid to speak in front of a group. She wanted to work with the animation team at Beekse Bergen.

We held several interviews, and the students received honest feedback from their classmates. A big compliment goes out to all the students! Those who, despite being nervous, had the courage to step forward and participate in the interview. And also to those who observed, offering their classmates valuable feedback and tips.

Would you like to learn more about JINC and contribute to a society where your background doesn’t define your future? Contact Emma van Dam or visit www.jinc.nl.