So you’ve scored a job interview—but how can you be sure to make a good impression?
Here are some tips from career experts to help you. Tips from Jobs for Delaware Graduates (JDG) JDG is a transitional program that helps kids go from school to work and find success. Its programs teach life skills, career readiness and much more to students in middle school and up.
- Bring printed copies of your resume, cover letter and references with you.
- Dress professionally, even if you’re interviewing for fast food or retail. At a minimum, do not wear leggings, ripped jeans, graphic tees or revealing tops. Try to wear slacks or khakis and a collared shirt or button-down, if possible.
- Consider covering up tattoos and facial piercings. This is completely your choice, but body art may be distracting and/or lead to a biased impression from the interviewer.
Amy Taylor - Research your interviewer. If you know who will be in the interview, look up their information on the company’s website or on LinkedIn.
- Plan how you will get to your job interview, including the bus route you will take or parking options, and add a few extra minutes of buffer time.
- Have a friend, family member or teacher practice with you beforehand. Practice makes perfect when preparing for an interview.
Tips from The Warehouse
At The Warehouse in Wilmington, Employment Specialist Alveda Alfred and her colleagues help get teens ready for life and career with the RISE Program. RISE has two tracks—one for teens 14-18 still enrolled in school and one for teens 16-24 who aren’t currently enrolled. Learn more at TeenWarehouse.org/rise. Here are Alveda Alfred’s resume tips:
- Research the company before the interview. When was the company founded? Who leads it? What’s their culture like? If it’s a well-known restaurant, such as Chick-fil-A, what’s their most popular item?
- Define your brand. An interview is all about selling yourself to a potential employer. So what defines your brand? That doesn’t just include your interests or successes, but also challenges you’ve been able to overcome. Sharing challenges will help your potential employer see that you won’t quit your job at the first sign of trouble.
- Be prepared with follow-up examples. For example, if you tell your employer that one of your skills is de-escalation, make sure you can back that up with a specific situation that you’re comfortable sharing.
- Ask good questions. Most employers will end a job interview by asking if you have any questions for them. One example of a good question: asking about the company’s plans and goals for the next five years. This conveys that you care about the business and that you might see a longer-term future for yourself there.
- Don’t forget to follow up. Right after the interview, send the recruiter an email to thank them for their time and for considering you.
Even More Tips on Interviews
Junior Achievement has created free interactive trainings on doing well in a job interview, which can be accessed on the JAConnect™ platform. To find relevant trainings, go to Connect.JA.org and search “interview.”
