Tips for Helping Your Teen Prepare for Their First Job Interview

Many parents and guardians find themselves coaching their offspring in the basics of job interviewing. As a mom and someone who has spent much of her professional career coaching young people in the Junction City area on job employability skills, I’ve compiled this list of tips parents can use when helping your nervous son or daughter prepare for their big day.

Research the Company

Even before applying for a job, make sure your child takes the time to research the company and position they’re applying for. Many young people find themselves in a job or working for a company that doesn’t fit them because they didn’t take the time to understand what they were applying for ahead of time. Questions they may want to find out include:

• What does the company do and what do they stand for?
• Who does this company serve or who buys their products?
• What types of skills and training do their employees have?
• What type of environment do people in this job work in? Indoors? Outdoors? Is it dirty? Loud?
• What do people wear who do this job? Uniforms? Safety equipment? Business attire?
• Is this job physically intensive? Do employees stand the entire time? Do they have to lift heavy items?
• What type of hours does this position require? Do they work nights? Early mornings? Long shifts?

In many cases, you can find this information on the company’s website or social media. If they still have questions specific to a job they are considering applying for, they should call the human resources department or talk to a current employee.

By the time this research is complete, your son or daughter should be ready to articulate why they want this job and why they want to work for this company. And if they find out while researching this isn’t a good match, it will save everyone time and trouble later on.  

Practice Makes Perfect

I always advise young people to be prepared with their opening statement, which is usually the response to the “tell me about yourself” question. Make sure they know what they’ll say and be prepared to say it without filler words like um, and, and like. 

Recommend your child take the time to film themselves practicing this statement (or practice in a mirror) to look for any distracting or annoying habits they might have when talking while they are nervous — habits like slouching, playing with their hair, jingling items in their pocket, biting their lips or bouncing their legs.

I encourage teenagers to use their words and display their manners in an interview. While you might not have raised your child to always say “yes, ma’am” or “no, sir” in everyday life, they should be prepared to show this kind of respect to the interviewer. They shouldn’t just nod or shrug their shoulders in response to questions, and should avoid phrases like yeah, nah, or uh huh.

Suggest that your son or daughter ask an adult to help them prepare for their interview through role playing. Doing a practice or mock interview with someone else will help them feel more confident and prepared going into the real deal. Sometimes teens get nervous talking in front of their parents, so if this is the case, encourage them to ask a teacher or other trusted adult to help. Kansas Workforce Center offices across the state will also do mock interviews to help people looking for work get interview practice. Find contact information for the various state workforce centers here.

Items to Bring

People often ask me what they should bring to an interview. Certainly, if the interviewer has asked to see samples of their work, or if the interviewer asked them to bring anything to the interview, they must bring those items. Beyond what was requested, I also suggest interviewees assemble a professional-looking folder before the day of the interview containing a pen, paper, resumes, references, and any questions about the position. (Make sure they avoid using a folder with puppies and rainbows on it — this should be something professional looking!)

I also know that when people get nervous, they’re prone to forget things (which can make them late if they have to turn back). I always suggest they put the folder next to the door or in their car the night before.

Be on Time

One of the biggest turnoffs for employers is when someone arrives late to an interview. I recommend arriving at least 10 to 15 minutes early to the interview, so your child needs to plan accordingly. They need to allow for unavoidable things that could happen that would make them late (accidents, speeding tickets, weather) and they should know how long the commute will take. I usually suggest that the interviewee practice the route before the day of the interview so they’re confident how to get there, how long it will take, and that they are aware of construction delays or any complicated transfers on bus routes. 

Dress for Success

Interviewees should dress one level above the position they are applying for. For adults, that would usually mean they should wear business attire; for teens, I usually find they don’t know what the term business attire means, but they get the idea if I tell them to wear church clothes. Men usually can’t go wrong with slacks and a nice button-down shirt (a tie is always nice), and women should plan to wear slacks or a skirt and a blouse. Always make sure your child has shoes appropriate for their outfit.

I also suggest that interviewees tone down their jewelry, make sure their hair is neatly groomed, that their makeup and nails are neat and not distracting, and that tattoos are covered up, if possible. If your kid freaks out that they might not be able to “be themselves” at work, calmly suggest that after they’re hired, they can respectfully ask the employer about the company’s dress code.

Leave Your Phone Behind

My number one piece of advice for teenagers interviewing for a job today is leave your phone in the car. Putting it on silent isn’t good enough. The interviewer and interviewee can both hear the phone going off and it can be very distracting to everyone. I tell my clients that no one is going to care if they can’t be reached for 30 minutes. Leaving the phone behind takes away the temptation to check it. During the interview, they need to show they can focus on the job at hand — not their social life.

Send a Thank You

After the interview, advise your son or daughter to take the time to send a handwritten note (preferred) or email to the person who conducted the interview, thanking them for their time. This is a great opportunity to demonstrate their manners and reiterate why they’re a good match for the position. Plus, if the interviewer conducted a long string of interviews that day, someone who takes the time to send a follow-up thank you might stand out from the pack.

A young person’s first job interview is a rite of passage. Knowing how to come off confident and polished in an interview is a skill that will benefit them their entire lives. Make sure your child takes the experience seriously. Afterwards, as you hear the play-by-play, take time to praise them for what they did well, and, if you pick up on anything they could have done better, help them plan what to do differently the next time. Like everything in life, we all get better at selling ourselves the more times we do it.

Good luck to you and your child on the big day — and as they begin this next big adventure!

Lidia Smith is a mom of four who has worked at the Junction City KANSASWORKS American Job Center office for the past five years, teaching high school students, job seekers, and veterans basic employability skills training.