Upperclassmen Bulldogs Participate in Mock Interviews

by Josh Lively, Assistant Director/Communications

STARKVILLE -- Student-athletes got one-on-one interview experience with professionals from across the southeast Monday night, as Mississippi State's Office of Student-Athlete Development hosted mock interview sessions.

The event was held for third, fourth and fifth year student-athletes and lasted an hour and a half. With more than 40 interviewers present, students went through 15-minute speed-dating style interviews to meet with as many employers as possible.

"The mock interview event is part of our 'Life After Sport' initiatives," said Ben Rodriguez, Assistant Athletic Director for Student-Athlete Development. "We chose the group that we did because that is the natural progression that we have outlined for our programming. Your first and second years are for personal development, while your third and fourth years are more geared towards professional development.

"This event is about practicing how to articulate what you bring to the table as a student-athlete. That is the biggest thing for us and is why it's speed-dating style. We chose that method so student-athletes could meet and interview with as many different people as possible."

With 95 student-athletes in attendance for the event, football's Darryl Williams and volleyball's Logan Brown spoke about the opportunities and the value of getting experience and practice like this as they begin thinking about their futures.

"I appreciate everyone that took time out of their evenings to come and help us practice interviews as we start preparing to apply for jobs," said Williams. "My goal is to play in the NFL, but if that doesn't work, I have a 'Plan B.' This experience helps out a lot because you have to be able to communicate well in interviews with NFL general managers, coaches and scouts the same way you would with an employer. You need to be able to talk with confidence, poise and look someone in the eyes and communicate at a high level."

After conducting the interview, student-athletes were evaluated by the interviewers based on professionalism, speaking voice, interpersonal skills, clarity, question answering and use of examples. They also received feedback and advice following each session.

"I think this event was important because it allows student-athletes to understand their weaknesses from a promotional standpoint," said Brown. "Knowing how to promote yourself is a big part of who we are as athletes to be able to purvey who we are as people in the workforce and not just on the court or field. I'm glad to have an opportunity like this because I like being challenged and learning my weaknesses. I think events like this point out those flaws and show you how to learn from them."

Companies and organizations represented during the event included the Southeastern Conference, C Spire, PACCAR and Republic Finance and featured several employers from the medical, business, engineering and public service fields.

For the most up-to-date information, follow MSU Student-Athlete Development on Twitter by searching for "HailStateSADev."

Mississippi State University Athletics

Upperclassmen Bulldogs Participate in Mock Interviews

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Logan Brown

Darryl Williams

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