web01.fireside.fm Mon, 09 Mar 2026 13:43:19 -0500 Fireside (https://fireside.fm) Chad Cargill's ACT Test Prep - Episodes Tagged with “Interview” https://podcast.chadcargill.com/tags/interview Thu, 28 May 2020 02:00:00 -0500 Chad Cargill took the ACT test 18 times in high school raising his score 13 points and scoring in the 99.5 percentile. He is the nation's leading ACT test prep workshop presenter having taught nearly 250,000 students over the last 32 years. He travels the Midwest each school day teaching students, faculty, and parents how to beat the ACT. His full workshop schedule can be found at calendar.chadcargill.com. His website is chadcargill.com. en-us episodic Practical tips to increase ACT scores and win scholarships Chad Cargill Chad Cargill took the ACT test 18 times in high school raising his score 13 points and scoring in the 99.5 percentile. He is the nation's leading ACT test prep workshop presenter having taught nearly 250,000 students over the last 32 years. He travels the Midwest each school day teaching students, faculty, and parents how to beat the ACT. His full workshop schedule can be found at calendar.chadcargill.com. His website is chadcargill.com. no act, chad cargill, high school, prep, qualify, scholarships, test, classes Chad Cargill chad@chadcargill.com Episode 16: Part 4 of 4: Scholarships - How to Lose in an Interview https://podcast.chadcargill.com/16 748adf68-735a-47eb-ab11-433b530df454 Thu, 28 May 2020 02:00:00 -0500 Chad Cargill full 1 Chad Cargill Learning what not to do in an interview is maybe more important than what you do. Avoid these mistakes or kill your interview. 25:32 no Avoid these interview mistakes: • Glance at watch • Chum up with friend on interview staff • Only look at one person when answering • Hold pencil or pen and play with it during interview • Chew gum • Lounge, slump, or recline in chair • When brought into interview room (area), interviewee just grabs a chair without being told where to sit • Elaborates on one answer too long • Starts questioning interviewer with questions like the following: -"Well, what would you do?" -"What are your thoughts on this subject?" -"Tell me what is your biggest weakness?" • Gets overly excited about an answer (ex. A football player talking about a game.) • Say phrases like (you know, yah, honestly, okay, sure, man, etc.) Not that being personal is bad, but overusing these phrases takes away from the quality of you and your answers. • Set like a statue with a moving mouth and blinking eyes only • Many exaggerated movements with hands, arms, back (leaning), and legs (crossing and shaking). • Repetitive finger movements like twiddling thumbs, cracking knuckles, or taping fingers. • Use large words that you really don't know what they mean (proverbial, paradigm, diabolical, etc.) If you really know what they mean and they are appropriate, then use them. • Blame someone else for a problem you had. Make excuses for your actions. • Be overly arrogant. Just brag on yourself beyond what is appropriate. • Correct the interviewer's grammar or pronunciation of a word. • Interrupt the interviewer's question with something you want to say. • Answer a different question than was asked. • Answer a question by talking negatively about yourself • Answer every question in very general terms. Never be specific about any experience or quality you have. • Get noticeably frustrated with the interviewer when he/she asks very specific questions about an uncomfortable topic for you. • Answer questions about a team by taking all the credit and giving no credit to the team. • Have the interviewee's cell phone, pager, or watch alarm sound. • Assuming this is a job interview, ask, "How much vacation do I get?" Here are a few interview elements that are acceptable, but students may perceive them as bad. • The interviewee pausing a few seconds before answering a really difficult question. • The interviewee getting choked, coughing several times, and asking for a drink of water or a very quick break for a drink. act, interview, high school, prep, qualify, scholarships, test Avoid these interview mistakes:
• Glance at watch
• Chum up with friend on interview staff
• Only look at one person when answering
• Hold pencil or pen and play with it during interview
• Chew gum
• Lounge, slump, or recline in chair
• When brought into interview room (area), interviewee just grabs a chair without being
told where to sit
• Elaborates on one answer too long
• Starts questioning interviewer with questions like the following:
-"Well, what would you do?"
-"What are your thoughts on this subject?"
-"Tell me what is your biggest weakness?"
• Gets overly excited about an answer (ex. A football player talking about a game.)
• Say phrases like (you know, yah, honestly, okay, sure, man, etc.) Not that being personal is bad, but overusing these phrases takes away from the quality of you and your answers.
• Set like a statue with a moving mouth and blinking eyes only
• Many exaggerated movements with hands, arms, back (leaning), and legs (crossing and
shaking).
• Repetitive finger movements like twiddling thumbs, cracking knuckles, or taping fingers.
• Use large words that you really don't know what they mean (proverbial, paradigm, diabolical, etc.) If you really know what they mean and they are appropriate, then use them.
• Blame someone else for a problem you had. Make excuses for your actions.
• Be overly arrogant. Just brag on yourself beyond what is appropriate.
• Correct the interviewer's grammar or pronunciation of a word.
• Interrupt the interviewer's question with something you want to say.
• Answer a different question than was asked.
• Answer a question by talking negatively about yourself
• Answer every question in very general terms. Never be specific about any experience or quality you have.
• Get noticeably frustrated with the interviewer when he/she asks very specific questions about an uncomfortable topic for you.
• Answer questions about a team by taking all the credit and giving no credit to the team.
• Have the interviewee's cell phone, pager, or watch alarm sound.
• Assuming this is a job interview, ask, "How much vacation do I get?"

Here are a few interview elements that are acceptable, but students may perceive them as bad.
• The interviewee pausing a few seconds before answering a really difficult question.
• The interviewee getting choked, coughing several times, and asking for a drink of water
or a very quick break for a drink.

]]> Avoid these interview mistakes:
• Glance at watch
• Chum up with friend on interview staff
• Only look at one person when answering
• Hold pencil or pen and play with it during interview
• Chew gum
• Lounge, slump, or recline in chair
• When brought into interview room (area), interviewee just grabs a chair without being
told where to sit
• Elaborates on one answer too long
• Starts questioning interviewer with questions like the following:
-"Well, what would you do?"
-"What are your thoughts on this subject?"
-"Tell me what is your biggest weakness?"
• Gets overly excited about an answer (ex. A football player talking about a game.)
• Say phrases like (you know, yah, honestly, okay, sure, man, etc.) Not that being personal is bad, but overusing these phrases takes away from the quality of you and your answers.
• Set like a statue with a moving mouth and blinking eyes only
• Many exaggerated movements with hands, arms, back (leaning), and legs (crossing and
shaking).
• Repetitive finger movements like twiddling thumbs, cracking knuckles, or taping fingers.
• Use large words that you really don't know what they mean (proverbial, paradigm, diabolical, etc.) If you really know what they mean and they are appropriate, then use them.
• Blame someone else for a problem you had. Make excuses for your actions.
• Be overly arrogant. Just brag on yourself beyond what is appropriate.
• Correct the interviewer's grammar or pronunciation of a word.
• Interrupt the interviewer's question with something you want to say.
• Answer a different question than was asked.
• Answer a question by talking negatively about yourself
• Answer every question in very general terms. Never be specific about any experience or quality you have.
• Get noticeably frustrated with the interviewer when he/she asks very specific questions about an uncomfortable topic for you.
• Answer questions about a team by taking all the credit and giving no credit to the team.
• Have the interviewee's cell phone, pager, or watch alarm sound.
• Assuming this is a job interview, ask, "How much vacation do I get?"

Here are a few interview elements that are acceptable, but students may perceive them as bad.
• The interviewee pausing a few seconds before answering a really difficult question.
• The interviewee getting choked, coughing several times, and asking for a drink of water
or a very quick break for a drink.

]]> Episode 15: Part 3 of 4: Scholarships - How to Win in the Interview https://podcast.chadcargill.com/15 5c7647d5-8cf4-4b7f-86b5-30fc31081879 Thu, 21 May 2020 02:00:00 -0500 Chad Cargill full 1 Chad Cargill If you get to the round of scholarship finalists who are interviewed, your preperation will make all the difference. 31:07 no Interviews are inevitable. We all have to face them. You will have interviews for scholarships, clubs, organizations, internships, and ultimately permanent jobs. You should review potential, common questions you may be asked in an interview. Consider the questions and formulate a brief answer. Write a few bullet points for each question. Before you go to an interview, review your answers as practice. You can also have a friend ask you these questions as practice. INTERVIEWING BASICS • Dress appropriately Boys should wear a suit with a reasonable tie. The tie should just cover the buckle of the belt. The belt should match the color of the shoes. Shoes should be brown or black. Do not wear white socks. Pants should completely cover your socks and the back of the pant leg should reach the heel of your shoe. A black, gray, or dark blue suit is recommended. A well pressed white or light blue shirt is recommended as well. You should also consider wearing a T-shirt under your dress shirt especially if the dress shirt is thin. Select a shirt with a comfortable collar. You do not want to be tugging at the neck of your shirt during an interview. Girls should wear a business attire such as a dress or pant suit. The suit should be a dark solid color, although this is not absolutely necessary. Avoid flashy or revealing clothes. Skirts should not be too short or too long. An inch or two on either side of the knee is acceptable. Be cautious of the skirt appearing too short when you are sitting. Make sure no undergarments can be seen in any way. Avoid clothes that easily wrinkle as you may be in them for a long period of time. Avoid elaborate jewelry. You want the interviewer to focus on your answers, not on your jewelry. A small purse with a shoulder strap is acceptable. Make sure the color of the purse matches your shoes. • Ask questions Prepare good questions to ask at the end of the interview. Asking a question such as "When can I expect to hear something?" is appropriate. • Research Do as much research about the company, scholarship, organization, etc. as possible prior to the interview. If you can find out who is going to be interviewing you, learn as much as you can about him/her and his/her position/title/responsibilities as well. Common questions might include the following: 1. Tell me a little about yourself. 2. What are your strengths? 3. What is your biggest weakness? (Turn this into a positive. Answer with something like "I think I can accomplish anything; therefore, I tend to overwork because I will finish anything I start regardless of the difficulty.") 4. What accomplishment are you most proud of and why? 5. Who do you most admire and why? 6. Identify a conflict you have encountered and how you handled that conflict? 7. Identify a situation where you have taken a leadership role and how you handled that position? 8. Do you view yourself as a leader or a follower? Why? 9. Why should we select you? 10. What do you not like about yourself? 11. Who is your role model? 12. What type of decisions do you struggle making? 13. Describe yourself 20 years from now? 14. What is your anticipated major? Why? 15. What could you have done better in high school? 16. How would you respond if I said that your interview was not very good? 17. Identify a time that you had to take a chance and how you handled the situation. 18. Tell me why we should select you. 19. Name one thing that best describes you. 20. Name one cartoon character that best describes you and tell why. 21. Name one adjective that best describes you. 22. Do others try to be like you? Why? 23. Have you ever "stretched the truth" in an interview or on a resume? act, interview, high school, prep, qualify, scholarships, test Interviews are inevitable. We all have to face them. You will have interviews for scholarships, clubs, organizations, internships, and ultimately permanent jobs.
You should review potential, common questions you may be asked in an interview. Consider the questions and formulate a brief answer. Write a few bullet points for each question. Before you go to an interview, review your answers as practice. You can also have a friend ask you these questions as practice.

INTERVIEWING BASICS
• Dress appropriately
Boys should wear a suit with a reasonable tie. The tie should just cover the buckle of the belt. The belt should match the color of the shoes. Shoes should be brown or black. Do not wear white socks. Pants should completely cover your socks and the back of the pant leg should reach the heel of your shoe. A black, gray, or dark blue suit is recommended. A well pressed white or light blue shirt is recommended as well. You should also consider wearing a T-shirt under your dress shirt especially if the dress shirt is thin. Select a shirt with a comfortable collar. You do not want to be tugging at the neck of your shirt during an interview.
Girls should wear a business attire such as a dress or pant suit. The suit should be a dark solid color, although this is not absolutely necessary. Avoid flashy or revealing clothes. Skirts should not be too short or too long. An inch or two on either side of the knee is acceptable. Be cautious of the skirt appearing too short when you are sitting. Make sure no undergarments can be seen in any way. Avoid clothes that easily wrinkle as you may be in them for a long period of time. Avoid elaborate jewelry. You want the interviewer to focus on your answers, not on your jewelry. A small purse with a shoulder strap is acceptable. Make sure the color of the purse matches your shoes.
• Ask questions
Prepare good questions to ask at the end of the interview. Asking a question such as "When can I expect to hear something?" is appropriate.
• Research
Do as much research about the company, scholarship, organization, etc. as possible prior to the interview. If you can find out who is going to be interviewing you, learn as much as you can about him/her and his/her position/title/responsibilities as well.

Common questions might include the following:

  1. Tell me a little about yourself.
  2. What are your strengths?
  3. What is your biggest weakness? (Turn this into a positive. Answer with something like "I think I can accomplish anything; therefore, I tend to overwork because I will finish anything I start regardless of the difficulty.")
  4. What accomplishment are you most proud of and why?
  5. Who do you most admire and why?
  6. Identify a conflict you have encountered and how you handled that conflict?
  7. Identify a situation where you have taken a leadership role and how you handled that position?
  8. Do you view yourself as a leader or a follower? Why?
  9. Why should we select you?
  10. What do you not like about yourself?
  11. Who is your role model?
  12. What type of decisions do you struggle making?
  13. Describe yourself 20 years from now?
  14. What is your anticipated major? Why?
  15. What could you have done better in high school?
  16. How would you respond if I said that your interview was not very good?
  17. Identify a time that you had to take a chance and how you handled the situation.
  18. Tell me why we should select you.
  19. Name one thing that best describes you.
  20. Name one cartoon character that best describes you and tell why.
  21. Name one adjective that best describes you.
  22. Do others try to be like you? Why?
  23. Have you ever "stretched the truth" in an interview or on a resume?
]]> Interviews are inevitable. We all have to face them. You will have interviews for scholarships, clubs, organizations, internships, and ultimately permanent jobs.
You should review potential, common questions you may be asked in an interview. Consider the questions and formulate a brief answer. Write a few bullet points for each question. Before you go to an interview, review your answers as practice. You can also have a friend ask you these questions as practice.

INTERVIEWING BASICS
• Dress appropriately
Boys should wear a suit with a reasonable tie. The tie should just cover the buckle of the belt. The belt should match the color of the shoes. Shoes should be brown or black. Do not wear white socks. Pants should completely cover your socks and the back of the pant leg should reach the heel of your shoe. A black, gray, or dark blue suit is recommended. A well pressed white or light blue shirt is recommended as well. You should also consider wearing a T-shirt under your dress shirt especially if the dress shirt is thin. Select a shirt with a comfortable collar. You do not want to be tugging at the neck of your shirt during an interview.
Girls should wear a business attire such as a dress or pant suit. The suit should be a dark solid color, although this is not absolutely necessary. Avoid flashy or revealing clothes. Skirts should not be too short or too long. An inch or two on either side of the knee is acceptable. Be cautious of the skirt appearing too short when you are sitting. Make sure no undergarments can be seen in any way. Avoid clothes that easily wrinkle as you may be in them for a long period of time. Avoid elaborate jewelry. You want the interviewer to focus on your answers, not on your jewelry. A small purse with a shoulder strap is acceptable. Make sure the color of the purse matches your shoes.
• Ask questions
Prepare good questions to ask at the end of the interview. Asking a question such as "When can I expect to hear something?" is appropriate.
• Research
Do as much research about the company, scholarship, organization, etc. as possible prior to the interview. If you can find out who is going to be interviewing you, learn as much as you can about him/her and his/her position/title/responsibilities as well.

Common questions might include the following:

  1. Tell me a little about yourself.
  2. What are your strengths?
  3. What is your biggest weakness? (Turn this into a positive. Answer with something like "I think I can accomplish anything; therefore, I tend to overwork because I will finish anything I start regardless of the difficulty.")
  4. What accomplishment are you most proud of and why?
  5. Who do you most admire and why?
  6. Identify a conflict you have encountered and how you handled that conflict?
  7. Identify a situation where you have taken a leadership role and how you handled that position?
  8. Do you view yourself as a leader or a follower? Why?
  9. Why should we select you?
  10. What do you not like about yourself?
  11. Who is your role model?
  12. What type of decisions do you struggle making?
  13. Describe yourself 20 years from now?
  14. What is your anticipated major? Why?
  15. What could you have done better in high school?
  16. How would you respond if I said that your interview was not very good?
  17. Identify a time that you had to take a chance and how you handled the situation.
  18. Tell me why we should select you.
  19. Name one thing that best describes you.
  20. Name one cartoon character that best describes you and tell why.
  21. Name one adjective that best describes you.
  22. Do others try to be like you? Why?
  23. Have you ever "stretched the truth" in an interview or on a resume?
]]>