As an employer, I interview a lot of people … and a lot of teenagers. I hate to say it, but teens generally don’t have a clue how to interview and get a job. They screw it up!
This article will address the three mistakes most teens make so that you or your child can learn how to get their favorite job.
1. Summary
I would say that around 8 out of 10 children submit a misspelled resume. This is the FASTEST way to throw the resume in the trash!
Also, most resumes look like someone just spits a bunch of information onto a template and hits print. Information is rarely organized and often plain. The result is a messy resume with misspellings that is thrown away before there is even a chance to interview.
Here are some keys to a good resume:
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Check your spelling three times!
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Don’t add a goal. Rather, write a couple of sentences explaining why you are different and HOW you would help the company.
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List the jobs you’ve had … and how it impacted the company rather than just the job. I don’t care that you were a pizza delivery boy. What did you do differently that helped the company?
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List your education at the bottom because it is not that important.
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Include your resume on ONE sheet of paper, ONLY the front. Most people don’t want to read a lot and multiple pages just make things difficult.
2. Follow-up
Okay, let’s say you submitted a great resume … that’s the least of your worries right now. Many companies will not return your call.
I don’t call anyone. Why? Because I want to see if they take the initiative and call me. I want to know if they are ambitious and willing to be persistent.
Most people never call again!
The callback is very simple. All you have to do is ask if they received your resume. When they say yes, just say “Great! Well, I’d love to schedule an interview time.”
Perhaps they are actively looking for employees, so they will schedule an interview. Maybe they want resumes because they want to have some people ready to call IN CASE they need someone. In that case, they may tell you that they are not hiring.
Request an interview anyway. Tell them that you understand, but that you want to meet them so they will know who you are in case they need someone.
If someone called me and told me that … I could even hire them and replace one of my employees who was not doing a good job. That kind of call shows initiative and shows that you would be a great worker.
3. Dress and presentation
So now you have the interview … great thing. Most children waste their opportunities because they dress poorly: they wear a tank top, shorts, and flip-flops for the interview.
Although that may be the standard clothing for most teens, it creates a bad first impression. As an employer, we think, “Oh no, this kid is not a professional. They probably don’t fit in well.”
You just made a great impression on the phone, so you need to reinforce that with a good visual impression. Make sure to wear a collared shirt, either pants or khaki, and some nice shoes. Women should wear the same or a nice dress that is not too short.
This will set you apart from the other children who apply, and will leave a great impression on the employer … HELLO JOB!
In addition to dressing well … always remember to sit upright and speak well. Make eye contact and answer questions with confidence.
When you stoop, chew gum, or look around, it makes you look stupid and incompetent.
There you go! If you can make these simple changes, you will be much more valuable to the employer and more likely to get the job you want.