Teen Talk: Interview Tips to Help You Get the Job You Want

Teen Talk: Interview Tips to Help You Get the Job You Want

Whether you have scheduled a job interview or you’re waiting to hear from companies you’ve applied to, you are giving yourself a real advantage by proactively preparing for that face-to-face or virtual meeting. The more comfortable you become speaking on your own behalf, the easier it will be for you to have a relaxed, meaningful conversation.

Here are some tips to help ensure you are well-prepared and confident:

Research the company you have applied to

Visit the company website, look up any news articles about them, and see if any of your friends or family members know anything about the company or the people who work there. Getting a feel for the company’s reputation and culture will help you know if it seems like a place where you’d want to work. If it is, you’ll want to be able to talk about the company knowledgeably at your interview. Also, when the interviewer realizes that you were interested enough to do the research, they will see that you are motivated and serious about getting the job.

Get comfortable talking about yourself

Practice answering questions you’re likely to be asked by the interviewer. You can talk through your answers with a friend or family member, or by yourself. Either way, say the words aloud so you can hear what you sound like and adjust any responses you feel could be stronger.

While each interviewer may have some unique questions on their list, you can warm up by practicing responses to these common job interview prompts and questions:

• Tell me about yourself. Offer a brief description of yourself, including where you go to school, any extracurricular activities you’re involved in, and your hobbies or interests.
• Why do you want this job? Explain what appeals to you about the company and the position, and how you would hope to grow from the experience.
• What strengths would you bring to the position? What weaknesses would you like to improve on? Share just two or three strengths, such as being reliable, organized and detail-oriented, and be honest about one area you’d like to strengthen, such as time management.
• Can you share an example of a time when you overcame a challenge or demonstrated leadership? Read more about the STAR method below; it may be helpful!
• What are your hobbies? Feel free to share, and be prepared for follow-up questions. For example, if you include “reading” in your response, the interviewer may ask, “Who is your favorite author?” or “What is your favorite book?”
• What days/hours are you available to work? Be realistic about this, considering your work schedule and extracurricular activities.
• What questions do you have about this job or our company? Have a few questions prepared, such as “I read on your website that you are committed to a culture of teamwork. How are your teams structured?” or “The job description said the responsibilities of this job include x, y and z. How will performance in these areas be measured?” Ask anything you’d like to know that hasn’t been covered in your conversation yet; just be professional and courteous.

Learn the STAR method

The STAR method is a tool to help you talk through challenges you overcame or situations where you demonstrated leadership, creativity or resourcefulness. STAR stands for Situation, Task, Action and Result, and it works like this:

• Situation - Describe the situation or challenge you needed to deal with.
• Task - Explain the responsibilities or tasks you were given.
• Action - Detail the action(s) you took.
• Result - Share the result(s) of your actions.

Show up and follow up

For your in-person or virtual interview, choose clothes that are clean, neat and appropriate for the job and the company. If it’s a virtual meeting, clean up your space and make sure you have a reliable internet connection, good lighting and high-quality audio. Join the meeting several minutes early and wait patiently until the interviewer admits you to the meeting.

If your interview is in person, give yourself plenty of time to get to the appointment. You should arrive about 10 minutes before your scheduled meeting to demonstrate that you are punctual and to give yourself a few minutes to check in and get comfortable in your surroundings. Don’t show up more than 15 minutes early because that may cause an inconvenience for the hiring manager or their staff.

Once you’re connected or seated in the interviewer’s office, be yourself! Stay engaged in the conversation, answer every question as completely and honestly as you can, and let them see what a great hire you would be. At the end of your conversation, ask politely when they plan to make their decision and thank them sincerely for the opportunity.

Within 24 hours, send the interviewer a thank-you email that communicates your appreciation and reminds them of your interest in the position. Be brief, conversational and respectful, and let them know you are available if they have any further questions or if they would like to talk with you again.