Carmen High School of Science and Technology students participate in mock interviews

Carmen High School of Science and Technology mock interviews

MILWAUKEE -- Two hundred ninth graders at Carmen High School of Science and Technology sat down for mock job interviews Thursday, April 27th. Some of them doing it for the very first time.

Most understand that when you're talking with a potential employer you need to impress them. But what happens after you sit down and the focus becomes about you?

"The things going through my head was don't mess up. That was what was going through my head," said Saylor Bauer, Carmen High School of Science and Technology freshman.

Carmen High School of Science and Technology mock interviews

The entire freshman class at Carmen High School sat down for a mock interview.

Carmen High School of Science and Technology mock interviews

"It's hard, and unless you are coached and put in these kinds of environments and experiences early on, it can be something that's really intimating," said Alicia Dupies, Milwaukee Bucks.

"So we want our students to be prepared for college and a career - and not just academically. We want them to have the soft skills that are also very important," said Bevin Christie, Carmen High School of Science and Technology.

Fifty Milwaukee area business leaders interviewed the students one-on-one -- asking questions related to their hypothetical career choice.

After students finished their ten-minute interviews, the hallway cleared and the interviewers filled out surveys critiquing the students. The surveys then get handed back to the students at a later date so they're able to improve from their conversations.

Carmen High School of Science and Technology mock interviews

After her round of interviews, Bauer was glowing. She says the interviews helped her immensely.

Her advice for the next round of students:

Saylor Bauer

"You should just push yourself. Even if you feel like it's hard, and you're kind of scared, you've got to push through it and be your best," said Bauer.

It was announced Wednesday by the U.S. News & World Report that Carmen High School of Science and Technology was ranked number one in the state for public high schools. Staff and students say its programs, like the mock interviews they experienced, that help them stand out from their peers.