Sandburg Sophomore Crushes Job Interview Contest, Earns Top 8 at Nationals

Carl Sandburg High School Jane Chan returned from Atlanta after putting her job interviewing skills to the test at the SkillsUSA’s National Leadership & Skills Conference. Competing in the Job Interview category, she was required to complete an employment application, an introduction scenario with a receptionist, and an in-depth interview.

Competing against 39 other state champions from across the country, Chan advanced through multiple rigorous rounds of interviews to place in the top 8 nationally. Her journey to nationals began with a first-place win at the Illinois Elite Championships, where she competed against 53 others in three individual events: Job Interview, Extemporaneous Speaking, and Customer Service. She earned 1st place in Job Interview and 2nd place in both additional categories—an exceptional feat in her first year participating in SkillsUSA.

The Conference is the nation’s largest event celebrating career and technical education. It brought together more than 17,500 people—including students, teachers, industry leaders, and government officials—for a week-long celebration of skilled trades. The main event is the SkillsUSA Championships, where more than 6,500 state champions competed in 114 skilled and leadership contests for national medals.

Chan said, “Mentors help run the event and even the judges gave me really helpful advice on what I can improve on for the future. This isn’t just a competition, it’s a learning experience that relates to real life!”

Looking ahead, Chan plans to pursue a career in the business field and attend a college with strong business programs. She also hopes more students will explore elective programs and career and technical organizations like SkillsUSA. “It’s more than competition—it's career prep with purpose,” she said.

“I am so grateful for my sponsors who have helped me along the way such as Mrs. Sims and Mr. Komer for being awesome advisors! And my family, including my mom, who was kind enough to bring me to Atlanta so I could have this experience!” Chan added.