As much as you'd like to be earning some money, the idea of job-hunting can be
pretty intimidating. If you're feeling shy and lacking confidence about getting out there
and talking to employers, you are far from alone, according to many career
counselors. “Many of the students I counsel are so nervous during an interview
that they come across as a bit withdrawn, which may translate into lacking
self-confidence or lacking interest and enthusiasm for the position,” observes
Lisette Ruiz, a career counselor. Our two-part article offers tips to help you
cruise through job interviews confidently and land the job with flying colors.
In Part I, we provide interview preparation tips
(see Part II
for how to handle yourself at the interview):
Know yourself. Before you even start the job-hunting process, take
some time to put yourself under the microscope. The more self-aware
you are, the more comfortable and confident you will be in job interviews.
Ruiz suggests making a list of your strengths and abilities. Make another
list of your achievements. Teen girls in particular may need to work on
building confidence. “My experience with teenage girls, including a
daughter, is that they tend to be very shy -- or painfully modest -- about their
achievements," says Phil Hey, director of career services at Briar Cliff
University. "Nobody expects a teenage girl to have started a million-dollar
company or won a world championship, but even 'ordinary' achievements
show good performance and other career values," Hey notes. Sarah Bigham,
director of Career Services at Hood College, suggests practicing saying
positive things about your skills and abilities.
Know about the job you'll be interviewing for. Maureen Crawford Hentz,
who hires teens for specific jobs at the New England Aquarium, likes to test
applicants' interview preparation. "If an applicant comes in to interview for an
Aquarium Guide position and tells me that she thinks she will be feeding the
animals and 'stuff,' I know that she has not read the job description," Hentz says.
Think about yourself in relation to the job. "Read through the job
description thoroughly so you know what they are looking for and the
skills you possess that match," suggests Gail Fox, assistant director of
career services University of Wisconsin-Whitewater. "Then think about
your personality and ask family and friends what they particularly like
about you. Bring this information into the interview as well. It shows
that you prepared yourself, that you are thoughtful and cared enough
about the employer to bring them your best." Laura Yu of the career
services office at Virginia Tech advises asking yourself, "What do I
have that would make someone want to hire me for this job?"
Understand what employers are looking for. "The primary
concerns for most employers talking to teens are these: Will you be
here as scheduled? If we are willing to teach you, are you willing to
learn?" says Gale Montgomery, former career services coordinator at
Simpson College. "With this in mind, I encourage teens to respond to
the questions with frequent reassurances of reliability and capabilities
to learn quickly, but with a willingness to ask questions for clarity."
Recent grad-school graduate Jeanie Collins notes that the interviewer
is not out to get you. "The interviewer is looking for a person with
ordinary qualifications who has the attitude to do an extraordinary
job," Collins observes.
Practice. Ask friends and family members to conduct practice
interviews with you. You can find many lists of commonly asked
interview questions on the Internet, including our site's
list of questions,
or in interviewing books. Also practice your body language and handshake.
Plan to dress nicely and appear well groomed. Dress more
conservatively than you normally would and even a bit more conservatively
than the typical dress at the workplace at which you're interviewing.
Recent college graduate Emily Hamvay, who interviewed for many
jobs as a teen, describes the preferred mode of interview attire
as “like Sunday church gear.” Among the "don'ts" mentioned by
career counselors are heavy makeup, open-toed shoes, revealing
clothing, short skirts, visible piercings, tattoos, clingy tops, platform
shoes, huge earrings, wrinkled clothing, and hair in your face. Carol
Yoannone, student performance director at the Community College
of Allegheny County, PA, describes a particularly unfortunate fashion
choice she once observed at a job fair: "A young woman walked in
with a spaghetti strap evening dress." Read our article,
When Job-Hunting:
Dress for Success.
"Have an 'old' person approve your proposed interview outfit
before you buy it or wear it to an interview," advises Hood College's
Sarah Bigham, who notes that she sees "way too many Ally
McBeal-type skirts, low-cut tops extravagant fingernails, etc."
Bigham also cautions against jewelry that clangs and makeup that
glitters. "Anybody who is old enough to be your mother should look
you over before you leave the house," Bigham suggests. She also
advises that teens wear their interview outfits and shoes before the
interview -- for more than a few minutes. "You want to be comfortable
on your big day!"
Be prepared to be interviewed even when you're not
expecting to. If you're cruising the mall filling out job applications,
don't be surprised if some employers want to interview you on the
spot. The nature of the jobs that teens typically seek makes impromptu
interviews more likely than they are for other age groups, and they
are especially likely if the store has a "help-wanted" sign in the
window. Since you could be interviewed at any time, you should
dress appropriately when you go out to fill out applications. Also
be mentally prepared, and don't balk if an employer asks to
interview you on the spot.
Consider enlisting moral support. Emily Hamvay describes
her unusual approach to interviews as a teen. "To help with the
butterflies, I would ask my mom to go to the interview with me
and stay in the car while I was interviewing." The Mom-in-the-car
plan works well, Hamvay says, because "if you don't do so well
or you don't get the job, you have a easy escape plan. Or if you
forget something, such as a pen, references, safety pins, moms
are famous for being prepared with all of the essentials." Hamvay
says mom is also crucial for providing the all-important "good
luck smooch," and she might just buy you ice cream after the interview.
Set realistic expectations about salary. Let's face it; most
teen jobs pay minimum wage. You should certainly be aware of
what the current minimum wage is so you're not surprised and
so you don't ask for less than minimum wage. If the situation
seems right, you could even consider asking for more, as Trinity
Hundredmark, a law student, did as a teen. "One thing I learned
on my interview at a local retail store was to ask for more than I
thought I was going to get," Hundredmark recalls. "Everyone had
told me that I was going to get minimum wage because of my
age no matter what I did. I threw caution to the wind and
decided to ask for more, telling my interviewer that the store
could hire someone at minimum wage, or they could take me
for a little more money, but much better work. The manager
chose me, even at the higher price. Don't underestimate your worth."
Know what hours you can work, and prepare to be flexible.
Consider school, homework, extracurricular activities, sports --
anything that takes up your time. Be able to clearly articulate to
the employer the hours you are available to work. If the employer
needs more availability, and you really want the job, consider
giving up a nonessential activity.
And be sure to check out all the many other interviewing resources (tutorials, articles, tips, and more)
available at Quintessential Careers in our Guide
to Job Interviewing Resources.
Questions about some of the terminology used in this article? Get more information (definitions and links) on key college, career, and job-search
terms by going to our Job-Seeker's Glossary of Job-Hunting Terms.
Katharine Hansen, Ph.D., creative director and associate
publisher of Quintessential Careers, is an educator, author,
and blogger who provides content for Quintessential Careers,
edits QuintZine,
an electronic newsletter for jobseekers, and blogs about storytelling
in the job search at A Storied
Career. Katharine, who earned her PhD in organizational behavior
from Union Institute & University, Cincinnati, OH, is author of Dynamic
Cover Letters for New Graduates and A Foot in the Door: Networking
Your Way into the Hidden Job Market (both published by Ten Speed Press),
as well as Top Notch Executive Resumes (Career Press); and with
Randall S. Hansen, Ph.D., Dynamic Cover Letters, Write Your
Way to a Higher GPA (Ten Speed), and The Complete Idiot's Guide
to Study Skills (Alpha). Visit her
personal Website
or reach her by e-mail at
kathy(at)quintcareers.com.
