Interviews

This year, we will be interviewing Year 1 applicants for The Internship, as well as returning students who need follow-up. Once a student submits their online application, our team will forward it to you via email. Here’s what you need to do next:

1. Reach out to that student via phone call, text, or email to schedule a call.

2. Notify Pam Spell via phone call, text, or email of the date and time of the interview.

The interview process should take about 30 minutes start to finish. Here’s the best way to use that time:

1. Review Student’s Application - (5 Minutes)

“Hi Bobby, this is Dave from The Internship. I’m looking over your application and would love to set up a quick 15-20 minute conversation in the next day or two. Can you let me know what time works best for you? I’d also love to do a FaceTime call if that works for you—it helps us connect better. Looking forward to chatting soon!”

Take some time to get a quick overview of the student’s application. Here are a few things to be looking for:

• Year - Are they a new applicant or returning student?

• Personal Info - Where are they from? Age, phone number, etc.

• Thoughtful Responses - Did they take time to thoughtfully answer each question?

• Spiritual Background - Relationship with God, spiritual health, areas to grow.

• Church Background - Are they from theChapel or another church? How involved are they? Do they attend, serve, and give regularly?

• Leadership Experience - What’s their basic understanding of leadership?

• Why? Question - What sparked their interest & why The Internship?

• Red Flags / Areas of Concern - Take note of any areas of concern from the application. These do not need to be addressed directly in the interview, but should be noted in the Interview Form you will submit.

• Social Media - Take a quick look at their social media pages and note any areas of concern. Again, these do not need to be addressed directly in the interview, but should be noted in the Interview Form you will submit.

2. Phone Interview - (20 Minutes)

Make the call! Be sure to have something to take notes with so you can remember the student’s responses. Below, you’ll see different sets of interview questions --- one for new students (Year 1) & one for returning students (Years 2-4). Keep the conversation moving and affirming. Let it flow!

These interviews are not meant to be a rapid fire inquisition, but just to get a feel of the student. Be very warm & friendly! You probably won’t get through all of the questions. That’s ok, just select your favorites! Each question has “interviewer notes” to help you steer the conversation on what we’re looking for. Just try to make a connection and set them up for success!

You are not responsible for giving the student a “yes” or “no,” but for asking good questions and providing feedback to our team. If the student has any questions you can’t answer, include them in the Interview Form, and our team will follow up with them directly.

3. Submit Interview Form - (5 Minutes)

After you finish the call, you will complete the form below to give feedback on how the interview went. Once you click submit, you’re done! The student’s application and interview form will be considered in the Final Review stage of the admissions process. The Internship team will make the final decision on whether a student will be accepted for this summer.

If you have any questions about the interview process, please let us know! If you’re ready to get started, look around on the website to get familiar with the program and new changes. Most of what you need to know like schedule, cost, and other FAQs will be under the “Details” tab. If you need clarity on something, just reach out to Mande at 813-753-8173 or mande@thechapel.cc.

Thank you again for your heart to serve and invest in our students. We are doing important work together to develop the next generation of leaders for every sphere of life and influence. I believe this is going to be our best summer ever.

LET’S GO!!!

1. Introduce yourself.
Take a couple of minutes to get to know the student. Ask them about their families, school, church, work, hobbies, & how they found out about the Internship. Keep the conversation light and help them feel comfortable! As a first year, they will likely be nervous.

2. How would your family or friends describe you? What about someone who just met you?
Self-awareness is key for every leader. It’s a sign of maturity to know how others perceive you, whether they are close friends or complete strangers.

3. What is one of your long term goals and what is your plan to get there? One sign of maturity is if a student has a vision for their life and if they can set tangible goals to get there. Can they keep commitments even when they are no longer new or novel? Can they commit to continue doing what is right even when they don’t feel like it?

4. Tell me about a time when someone gave you personal critique or feedback. How did you respond?Mature people can receive compliments or criticism without letting it ruin them or sway them into a distorted view of themselves. They are secure in their identity and don’t react emotionally. Rather, they respond and grow as a result of feedback.

5. What does it mean to you to be humble?
Humility parallels maturity. Humility isn’t thinking less of yourself; it is thinking of yourself less. Mature people aren’t consumed with drawing attention to themselves. They see how others have contributed to their success and can even sincerely give honor to their Creator who gave them the talent. This is the opposite of arrogance.

6. Who do you seek advice from? What’s one piece of wisdom they’ve given you?
A mature person will seek out insight from people who are beyond their current season of life. Peers are great for encouragement, but more experienced/older people are the best for seeking advice and help from.

7. Tell me about a time when you learned from a mistake. How did you move forward from it?
Great leaders recognize when they’ve messed up and turn losses into learning opportunities. They aren’t afraid of making new mistakes, and thus become the best kind of innovators.

8. Describe your routines and how you manage your time. Do you use a weekly planner or calendar app? How do you balance school, work, church, family, & friends while getting things done?
How we start our day sets our day, and success is often determined by what we do with 30 minutes. Learning to balance life and get things done requires prioritizing what’s important and staying disciplined.

9. If you’re working on a group project, what role do you usually take on? For example: leader, speaker, organizing details, creative, relational, or just go along with whatever the group wants?
Regardless of gifting, initiative is a choice. Everyone has something to contribute towards a common goal. A leader steps up and offers their best, not opting for the path of least resistance or just checking the box.

10. Give me an example of a big decision you had to make? How did you go about making it?
Decision-making is a result of prayer & priorities. When these are aligned, even the biggest, most challenging decisions can be made with confidence and clarity.

11. What’s the last thing you read in your Bible that personally encouraged you or impacted you? Why? We want to challenge students to be disciplined in seeking wisdom from God’s Word. One of our focuses is “Biblical Foundations” and “Spiritual Growth.” If they struggle in this area, encourage them to jump on a reading plan & jump into a Connect Group at their church.

12. Make sure they have an understanding of the “Required Assignments,” mentioned in the application & on the FAQ’s page. In order to graduate, students must complete a minimum of 80% of their assignments. These include the following:

WRITTEN ASSIGNMENTS:

• 3 Leadership Journals with Question Prompts (300 words each)

HANDS-ON PROJECTS:

Each class of The Internship completes a summer-long project, consisting of 7 modules each.

Year 1 | Leadership Playbook - Students will create a multi-page playbook outlining their personality profile, values, biblical foundations, goals, relationships, and growth plan, and present it to their group for review.

Between the written assignments & hands-on projects, there are 10 total assignments. Assignments will be submitted in Canvas, an online learning platform.

13. Will there be any days that you are unable to attend from The Internship? (follow up question from application).

We understand students may have other commitments this summer such as vacations, school activities, or part-time jobs. If they know any dates they will be absent, there will be an Absence Form in their next steps email. This helps us best set them up for success & care for them while you're away.

14. Ask any follow up questions from their application.
____

NEXT STEPS

“Here’s what you can expect as far as next steps. Our team will be reviewing your application & interview form today. If everything looks good, we’ll send you an email with a link for payment and liability forms. Be sure to check out the schedule & other details on the website.”

“Thank you for taking a few minutes to talk today. Do you have any questions for me?”

Answer any questions you can. If you get stuck, include them in the Interview Form, and our team will follow up with them directly.

“Have a great day!”

1. Introduce yourself.
Take a couple of minutes to get to know the student (if you don’t know them already!). Ask them about their families, school, church, work, hobbies, & how they found out about the internship. Keep the conversation light and help them feel comfortable!

2. What’s something surprising you learned about yourself in the past year?
As we grow and mature, we should always be students of ourselves. Self-awareness is the key that unlocks most any level of leadership.

3. Tell me about a situation in the past year where you’ve applied a leadership principle you learned at The Internship. For example: school, work, church, decision, life challenge, etc.
Knowledge without experience falls short. Leadership isn’t really leadership without skin in the game. Apply excellence in everyday life.

4. What was the last book you read or podcast you listened to that helped you grow in your leadership?
Leaders are readers. They are always hungry to learn and know where to find the information that will help them continue growing. We never arrive, but are always finding new things to stretch us.

5. What positive influence are you having on your friend group right now?
Who you let close affects you. Are you affecting others more than others are affecting you? If leadership is influence, it plays out most practically in our relationships.

6. How have you grown in your relationship with God this year? Can you think of any moments or experiences with God that have impacted you in the past few months?
It can’t happen through you until it happens in you. Leaders set the tone in every way, especially our relationship with God. You can’t lead someone to a place you’ve never been before.

7. Can you think of a problem that you helped solve recently? How did you come up with the solution?
Leaders are solution-oriented, finding ways to be the answer to their own prayers and leaving no room for complaining. We spend less time criticizing, and more time creating a solution.

8. Tell me about a time when someone gave you personal critique or feedback. How did you respond? Mature people can receive compliments or criticism without letting it ruin them or sway them into a distorted view of themselves. They are secure in their identity and don’t react emotionally. Rather, they respond and grow as a result of feedback.

9. What motivates or inspires you to get out of bed every morning?
Our “why” drives our commitment and fuels our passion even when we don’t feel like it. It’s not a fleeting emotion, but the heartbeat that keeps us going through every situation.

10. What’s the last thing you read in your Bible that personally encouraged you or impacted you? Why?
We want to challenge students to be disciplined in seeking wisdom from God’s Word. One of our focuses is “Biblical Foundations” and “Spiritual Growth.” If they struggle in this area, encourage them to jump on a reading plan & jump into a Connect Group at their church.

11. Make sure they have an understanding of the “Required Assignments,” mentioned in the application & on the FAQ’s page.

In order to graduate, students must complete a minimum of 80% of their assignments. These include the following:

WRITTEN ASSIGNMENTS:

• 3 Leadership Journals with Question Prompts (300 words each)

HANDS-ON PROJECTS:
Each class of The Internship completes a summer-long project, consisting of 7 modules each.

Year 2 | YouTube Studio - Students will work individually or as a team to start a YouTube channel. This project will include creating, editing, & publishing videos, designing thumbnails, writing descriptions, a brand guide, marketing plan, and a content calendar.

Year 3 | SERVE Lab - Using the professional standards of project management, students will propose and lead a community service project for Serve Day on Saturday, July 12th. After their project, they will capture their experience in a class presentation.

Year 4 | Shark Tank - Students will create a business plan & pitch deck to present to a panel of business experts on Thursday, July 24th.

Between the written assignments & hands-on projects, there are 10 total assignments. Assignments will be submitted in Canvas, an online learning platform.

12. Will there be any days that you are unable to attend from The Internship? (follow up question from application).
We understand students may have other commitments this summer such as vacations, school activities, or part-time jobs. If they know any dates they will be absent, there will be an Absence Form in their next steps email. This helps us best set them up for success & care for them while you're away.

Also please note: Serving at theChapel for weekend services is no longer part of the Internship schedule. However, we encourage regular attendance and serving at your local church as vital steps in your spiritual journey. We hope this creates extra margin and opportunities for you to be part of The Internship moving forward. If you have any questions about this, feel free to email us at internship@thechapel.cc.

13. Ask any follow up questions from their application.
____

NEXT STEPS
“Here’s what you can expect as far as next steps. Our team will be reviewing your application & interview form today. If everything looks good, we’ll send you an email with a link for payment and liability forms. Be sure to check out the schedule & other details on the website.”

“Thank you for taking a few minutes to talk today. Do you have any questions for me?”

Answer any questions you can. If you get stuck, include them in the Interview Form, and our team will follow up with them directly.

“Have a great day!”