How to Get Your First Job

How to Get Your First Job

5 tips to prepare for your first interview

Be Prepared

• A hiring manager can tell when you’ve prepared for the interview.  

• You’re able to answer questions and even come off as more confident.

• Show that you’re hirable by preparing ahead of time.

• Know an overview of the company’s history and what it sells. This shows that you have an interest in the company and the job. 

Multiple Select

What should you know about the company?

• history

• nothing

• overview

• what it sells

Before the Interview

• Come with at least three follow up questions to ask your interviewer so it isn’t a one-sided conversation.

• Be yourself! Job interviews are your chance to show employers what it would be like working with you. Show your real self so they can hire the real you. 

• This means you’ll work at a job that values your true self, so it will be more fun to work there!

  
  

• 
  

Multiple Choice

How many follow up questions should you have for the interviewer?

• 0

• 3

• 200

Multiple Choice

What should you be at the interview?

• your cousin

• Superman

• Your True Self!

• annoying

Practice Interview Questions

• Employers use your interview answers to gauge how successful you would be at the job.

• That’s why it’s so important to practice job interview questions beforehand.

• Start practicing a week before your interview.

• Make a list of common interview questions and have a few answers prepared.

Multiple Choice

What should you practice before your interview?

• possible interview questions

• the script for a play

• your favorite song

Here are the most common questions you’ll encounter as a teen interviewee:

• “Tell me a little about yourself.”

• “Why do you want to work for us?”

• “What extracurricular activities do you participate in?”

• “Why should I hire you?”

Poll

Are these the questions you expected?

• Yes

• No

• Yes, but these are difficult questions

Tell me a little about yourself.

This question is tricky. They aren’t asking about your pets or hobbies. Employers ask this question to get a high-level view of your skills, interests and experience. 

Use this question to answer your plans for the present and the future. Keep your answer brief and relevant to the job to make a good impression.

Multiple Select

Tell me about yourself. Why do employers ask this?

• to know about your pets

• to know your skills

• to know your experience

• to know about your hobbies

Multiple Choice

When you tell them about yourself you should keep the answers...

• long and talk about your socks

• you should talk about your fish

• brief and relevant

• make it long and nonsensical

Why do you want to work for us?

Even though the real answer might be “because I need money,” it’s a chance to explain why you’re a good fit for the job. 

Why did you apply to this specific job?

Do you admire the company?

Are you a regular customer?

Answer the question to emphasize the talents that you could bring to the team. 

Multiple Choice

When you answer why you want to work for the employer, what should you emphasize?

• your new pants

• your best friend's skills

• your talents

• your grades

What extracurricular activities do you participate in?

Now is when you get to talk about hobbies and clubs.

Choose no more than three activities.

Each activity you list should reflect a skill the employer would find valuable. 

If you’re president of Spanish club, that would be a great way to talk about your language and leadership skills.

If you are a student Athlete that is a great way to discuss your ability to commit and be trainable.

Multiple Choice

When you choose to speak of extracurricular activities you're involved in, don't mention more than?

• none

• ten

• mention all of your hobbies

• three

Why should I hire you?

This is the interviewer asking why you’re the best choice out of all the applicants.

It’s a hard question to answer, but it’s your chance to sell yourself and make a great impression.

Look at the job description and identify which duties you would excel at.

Tie that into your answer to show that you’ll not only fulfill the job requirements but exceed them.

Multiple Choice

Answering the question about why they should hire you gives you the chance to?

• make them think you're bad for the job

• make a great impression

• make them think your cousin should get the job

• you should not answer this question

Dress up

• We get it. Some teens don’t want to come off as too stuffy or overdressed in a job interview.

• Sure, jeans and a t-shirt are comfy, but they don’t give the best impression.

•  It’s okay to be a little casual, but leave the flip flops at home.

Multiple Choice

You should wear jeans, t-shirt, and flip flops to an interview.

• True

• False

Dress To Impress

• Regardless of what you’ll be wearing at the actual job, dress up.

• Instead, wear business casual attire.

• Unless you’re applying for an office support job or a prestigious internship, a suit is probably too much.

Watch your body language

• Everybody gets nervous in job interviews.

• The key is to not show that you’re anxious.

• Do you have any nervous tics?

  Do you rub your arm, jiggle your foot or fidget with a pen?

• Notice these behaviors so you don’t drive your interviewer crazy.

Multiple Choice

Make sure you annoy the interviewer and show them all of your nervous ticks?

• False

• True

Appropriate Body Language

• Sit still during the job interview.

• Sit up straight, maintain eye contact, and have a firm handshake.

• Even if you feel like a nervous wreck, you want to look calm and professional.

• 
  

Multiple Select

During the interview you should...

• slouch

• sit up straight

• maintain eye contact

• click a pen

• have a firm handshake

Don’t be late!

• First impressions matter.

• Even if it isn’t your fault, your potential employer isn't okay with tardiness.

• It gives the impression that you aren’t reliable and that you don’t value others’ time.

• But seriously. You could lose a part-time job if you're as little as two minutes late.

Multiple Choice

When you are late it gives the impression that you are...

• trustworthy

• not reliable

• happy

• responsible

BE ON TIME!

• Don’t waste all of your hard work!

• Practice your route the day before the interview.

• This will help you determine the best time to leave on the day of the interview.

• Get to your interview 15 minutes early.

• When in doubt, leave a little earlier.

Multiple Choice

How early should you get to the interview?

• one hour

• two minutes late

• fifteen minutes early

BE PREPARED

Preparing ahead of time will put you ahead of other candidates for your first interview.

STAY CALM

The best advice we can give you is to take a deep breath and stay calm.