You may need a little support to get yourself job interview ready
Remember, the more confident you are, the more likely it is that you will pass your next job interview.
Did you know that confidence can improve when you:
- Take deep breaths before the interview starts as this relaxes your mind, helping you to give better interview answers
- Imagine being successful in a job interview – research tells us that positive thinking has an impact on real-life situations
- Practice speaking – join a public speaking group or debating club. Attend drama workshops or practice mock interviews with a career advisor. Having a public speaking job/volunteer experience also helps improves confidence
Confident Communication
- Give more detailed answers using SAP method (Situation, Actions, Positive Outcome). Talk about the situation, the actions you took, and the positive outcome:
“At school, I was asked to work on a team project. The goal of the project was to X. My part in the team was Y.
To complete the project we first shared different ideas and picked the best idea to work on. I was responsible for X, I did this by Y.
We finished the project on time and gained (positive feedback IE a good grade, feedback from the teacher, etc)”
- Pause between sentences. After each full stop, pause count “1000, 2000” in your head, and start the next sentence
- Smile and look at the interviewer. Facial expressions and eye contact are really important in a job interview, they communicate without words. Smiling shows interest and confidence.
Having strong qualifications also helps in a job interview, because:
- It shows employers that you have the academic ability (especially Maths and English) required for the job role
- You have examples of being successful, great for job interview questions such as “tell me about a time you used planning and organisation skills?”
- Some employers need a minimum level of qualifications for the job role
- Strong qualifications can make you stand out from other applicants
To help improve your qualifications, you can use these study tips:
- Practice with past exam papers as research shows this is the best way to reduce exam anxiety
- Think about how you learn best; on your own or in group? Focusing on one subject or mixing them up? By reading, listening, seeing, or doing (or a bit of all)
- Use memory techniques:
- Rhyming – make songs or rhymes of the subject “leaves of three, let it be” (taught to teach children not to touch ivy leaves)
- Que cards – cards with words or sentences to help remind you of a longer paragraph.
- Visualisations – linking images and pictures to words and data.
Why work experience?
- Having work experience (paid or voluntary, including being an active member of a group IE Duke of Edinburgh) helps you to give real examples to highlight your skill set
- Most employers will ask you about any previous work and voluntary experience
- Skills such as communication, teamwork, problem-solving, and reliability are gained from the world of work
Commonly Asked Teenager Job Interview Questions
Tell me about yourself and a little bit about what you did at school/college?
Talk about your current situation: ‘I have recently left high school and I wanted to apply for a part-time job while I complete my A-Levels in 6th form. In school I (add a skill-related task; was a prefect, was in a sports club, achieved the best mark in Maths)
Discuss hobbies and interests: ‘In my spare time I enjoy spending time by (hobby) which helped me develop my (name skills) by (explain how the hobby improved your skill)
Explain future career goal: ‘Long term I want a career as (career goal) because (give reason)’
What do you know about the job role and the day-to-day duties?
‘I have researched this role and understand the various job duties. The main focus of the role is (add duty: serving customers, administration, etc). This includes (break down the main duty into smaller tasks: for serving customers, this would be: asking for orders, double checking the order, taking payment)These duties require (list skills: listening skills, communication skills, and an eye for detail).’
What skills do you have that are relevant to this position?
‘In high school, I was an active part in (describe clubs, projects, roles or events) to help me develop my skill set. My key skills include (list skills) which are all relevant to this role. My key strength is (add strength) an example of using this is when I (describe situation) (state actions taken) (explain positive outcome)’
This role requires excellent communication skills, do you have an example of communicating with others?
‘Yes, one example is when I (describe situation) (state actions taken) (explain positive outcome). I believe that communication is a very important skill, that includes being a good listener as well as a good speaker.’
How would you fit in with the team?
‘I have always got on well with others. I am a hard worker, reliable, and a good communicator, and I think this is why would fit in well with the team. I have worked in teams before, an example would be when I (describe situation) (state actions took) (explain positive outcome)’
How would you have trouble balancing work and studying at the same time?
‘No, I don’t think I would. Being a good timekeeper is key to balancing work and study. Because I have my college timetable in advance I know when I have availability to work. I also have quitter times during the year when the college is closed which means I will have more availability to work. I am also very flexible and if you need someone to cover a shift and I am free, I would be happy to step in.’
(for PT jobs) What hours can you work? (for FT jobs) Can you work overtime if needed?
‘I like to be as flexible as I can be, so if you need me to work overtime and I’m not in college that day I would be able to work. Currently, my college timetable is (state days/hours) which means I’m available for work during (state days/hours)’
Do you have a recent example of being reliable?
‘Yes, of course, I have been a part of a (club, group, project) for X (number of months/years). This required me to be reliable, a good timekeeper, and to be self-motivated. As part of this (club, group, project) I had to be (explain how you were required to be at a certain place(s) at a certain time(s)). I managed this by putting events on my calendar, having phone alerts, and generally by being well organised’
What do you prefer, doing things your own way or following orders?
‘I can work in both ways. When I was in high school I was given a task that required me to follow orders (explain the task) (describe the actions you took) (give a positive outcome). An example of working on my own was when I (describe situation) (state actions took) (explain positive outcome)’
Do you have any questions for us?
‘What training is available for new staff members?’
‘How would you describe the culture of the company?’
‘Why do you like working here?’
