Employment

If you are interested in applying for a job, you will need a resume, a cover letter, and prepare for an interview

Common Interview Questions Advisory Lesson

Hours of Work Rules & Required Forms

Washington State Department of Labor & Industries oversees rules regarding how many hours and the timeframe in which teens are able to work.

WA Labor & Industries - Hours of Work

All teens must submit a Parent/School Authorization Form to their employer. This Form must be completely filled out (except for the school portion) prior to send it to BVA. Send the Form to the BVA office or email the BVA office secretary, Mrs. Trummert. BVA will review it, fill out the school section, and then email it back to you.

Parent/School Authorization Form

Resumes

Resumes can be complex! There are other options that serve the same function as a resume, supplemental parts of a resume, different format options, and different sections that can be included.

Resume Formats

Your employment history and the type of job you're applying determines the best format for your resume

Keep in mind that many people end up needing to use the different formats at different times in their careers!

Chronological

The most common format
Focus is on order of events with the most recent jobs at the top going backwards in time
Work experience is the first and most prominent part of the resume

Functional

Use with limited work experience, gaps in employment, or when changing careers
Skills are the most prominent part of the resume
Focus is on past transferable skills and experiences
Work experience is listed to highlight how your skills have applied in the past

Combination

Focus on relevant skills while providing chronological work history
Focus on skills developed throughout work history instead of specific positions
Emphasizes skills without cutting work experience and details
Use with a career change or when previous employer names aren’t important

Resume Alternatives & Supplementals

Resumes & Alternatives

The type of job you're applying for determines whether you need a Resume, a CV, or a Portfolio

Resumes

Short summary of skills, education, and work experiences
Is often required to apply for a job
Should be customized for every job you’re applying to

Curriculum Vitae (CV)

More detailed version of career, skills, education, and work experiences
Includes all work experience, educational details, awards, professional affiliations, certifications, etc
Usually required for jobs in academia, medicine, and scientific research
Not customized for each job

Portfolio

Visual display of your skills
Added to your education materials when applying for creative jobs
Must-have for create industries such as graphic design, copywriting, journalism, architecture, freelance

Resume Supplements

A resume, CV, or Portfolio might are not enough by itself. Below are common examples of other supplemental materials sometimes added to a resume, CV, or portfolio.

Professional Online Profile

Network, job search, & connect with recruiters
Summary of experience, education, skills
Example:

Demo Reel

Short collection of video or audio clips to showcase skills and range for visual and creative jobs
Career examples: actor, dancer, musician, digital animator
Example:

Writing Samples

Collection of best (published) written work
Career examples: journalist, technical writer, marketing specialist
Example:

Artistic Portfolio

Collection of best work samples showing personal style and creative ideas
Career examples: photographer, graphic designer, medical illustrator.
Example:

Technical Portfolio

Work samples that show your clean and efficient code for past projects
Career examples: programmer, web developer, software engineer
Example:

Common Sections on a Resume

To view the full lesson:

Resume Advisory Lesson

All Sections

Relevant -only include information that is relevant to the current position

Accurate -Never (ever, ever, ever!) lie or include misleading information

Professional - professional contact information, no spelling or grammer mistakes

Contact Details

Include

First & Last Name
Phone Number
Email address
Location - City & Country
Job Title/ Professional Title (if applicable)

Tips:

Give an email address and phone number that you check regularly
Make sure both the email address and the voicemail greeting are professional!
Consider setting up a new email address with this format: firstname.lastname@gmail.com

Summary & Objective Paragraphs

Summary

Used by professionals with relevant work experience
2-4 sentence rundown of qualifications that highlight top achievements and skills
[Years of Experience] + [Professional/Field]. [Top Skills and Experiences]. [Top 1-2 Professional Achievements]

Objective

Used by recent graduates or career changes
2-4 sentence introduction to your skills and career goals - aims to explain why you’re the best candidate for the job
[Your Background] + [Desired Position]. [Top Job-Relevant Skills]. [Other Work Experiences]

Tips

Tailor Summary or Objective to the job you’re applying for
Do not write more than 4 sentences

Work-Related Volunteer Experience

Include

Job Title & Position
Company Name (include a brief description if it’s not well known)
Location
Dates of Employment
Achievements and/or Responsibilities

Tips

Don’t be too modest
List each position as a separate entry, even if it’s the same employer
If you don’t have much work experience, you can list work-related volunteer experiences - but keep it relevant!

Essential Sections

Optional Sections

Certificates, Awards, & Achievements

Include

Name of certificate or award
Date
Short description of what it’s about or what it represents

Tips

Include leadership roles
Don’t list every award you’re received- stick to the relevant highlights
Don’t add super old achievements (i.e. not one from elementary school)

Activities and Interests

Extracurricular Activities

Participation in sports, club, or activities demonstrate engagement beyond academics
Should emphasize a skills set (i.e. organized events for a club to show that you are a team player and have organizational skills)
This can be a great section for recent graduates to both set your resume apart and compensate for lack of work experience

Interests

Must be carefully selected
Must be relevant to the job position and emphasize your interest and skill in the field
Ex: Copywriting job - an Interest is being a Dungeons and Dragons Dungeon Master

Cover Letters

To view the full lesson:

Cover Letter Advisory Lesson

What are they?

One page document that is submitted with the resume
Introduces you, highlights skills and experiences that make you the best candidate
Must be customized for each job application
Between 25-400 words

Sections of a Cover Letter:

Relevant -only include information that is relevant to the current position

Accurate -Never (ever, ever, ever!) lie or include misleading information

Professional - professional contact information, no spelling or grammer mistakes

Contact Details

Include

First & Last Name
Phone Number
Email address
Date
Name of hiring manager
Name of company
Address of company

Tips:

Give an email address and phone number that you check regularly
Make sure both the email address and the voicemail greeting are professional
Consider setting up an email address just for job searches with this format: firstname.lastname@gmail.com

Job Interview Skills

To view the full lesson:

Job Interview Skills Advisory Lesson

The job interview process begins well before the interview itself!

Before the Interview

Congratulations! You have created a resume and cover letter, applied for a job, and scheduled an interview

But... what do you do now?

Days Before the Interview

Research

Why research?

Demonstrates eagerness, positive attitude, and commitment to getting the job

Allows you to align your answers to Common Interview Questions with the company’s culture, mission, vision, and values
Allows you to prepare 2-3 questions for you to ask the interviewer/interview team

Where to research:

Company and/or Corporate Website
Company and/or Corporate Social Media pages
Job seeker or employer rating forums
Job description from application
Former/Current employees

Types of information to look for:

Company Basics

Size, location, format (i.e. wfh vs. office), days of the week, required hours
Culture

Company History & Future

Mission & Vision Statements - company values, long-term goals, and method to reach those goals
‘About Us’ section - company history and leadership

Job/Position Essentials

Specific responsibilities
Minimum qualifications
Additional desired qualifications
How does this position align with the company’s M&V?

Appearance

‘Business casual’ is the most common but based on your research what do most employees wear?

Do you need to purchase an outfit or any items to be in compliance with the expected dress code?

Business Casual Is:

Slacks or dress pants, khakis, chinos, knee-length skirts, dark jeans without holes
Button-down shirts, sweaters, blouses, henleys or polo shirts
Knee-length or maxi dresses
Optional cardigans, blazers or sport coats
Closed-toed shoes - loafers, Oxfords, boots, pumps or flats
Simple, professional accessories such as scarves, belts or jewelry

Business Casual Is Not:

Well-worn athletic sneakers
Flip-flops
Stained or wrinkled clothing
Clothing with holes, such as distressed jeans
Clothing that is too: tight, loose, or short
Shorts
Tank tops, strapless shirts, backless, low-cut tops, or crop tops
Clothing with inappropriate logos or text

Images from Reader’s Digest Article

Practice!

Why practice?

Interviewing is a skill like learning to play an instrument - it requires practice . Plan to practice many, many times

Phase 1: Smoothly answering interview questions
Phase 2: Smoothly answer interview questions while being aware of body language at all times
Phase 3: Smoothly answer common interview questions while simultaneously being aware of and intentional with body language

What to practice?

Answers to Common Interview Questions
Your Quick Pitch
Body language

How to practice?

Phase 1: Alone or with another person
Phase 2 & 3: Only with another person

Common Interview Question Prep

Common Interview Questions Advisory Lesson

To view the full lesson:

You don't know exactly what questions an interviewer will ask you but there are common common questions you can prepare for in advance

Question 1: "Why do you want to work at this company?"

Purpose: determine if you took the time to research the company and how it aligns with your goals

Do:

Explain how your motivation for applying would make you a good employee for them
Focus on how this position is valuable in reaching your future goals so employers see you view them as a stepping stone rather than a dead-end job

Do Not:

Talk about the paycheck - it tells the employer you only want the position for money
*It is okay to mention if saving money helps you get to a career goal - make sure to tie your answer to the company and your goals if you mention this!*

Example 1: Computer Technician

Poor: “I need a paycheck. I saw the job posting and thought I’d give it a shot.

Okay: “I have a passion for computers. A position with your company would allow me to save for college, and gain experience at the same time. “

Great: “I have a passion for computers, and would love the chance to work with them professionally. In fact, I am looking to study Computer Science after I graduate from high school. A position with your company would allow me to not only save for college, but also gain experience at the same time. Additionally, when I was researching your company, I found that you offer flexible work hours for students in college, internships, and many options for upward advancement. Your company is a perfect fit for my interests, skills, and future plans.”

Example 2: Wendy's Crew Member

Poor: “I need the money. I saw the job posting for the restaurant near my house and thought, ‘why not?’

Okay: “I would like to manage a business or own my own business someday. This job will allow me to not gain experience, and see how a successful chain restaurant is run.”

Great: “I applied for a job with your company for a couple of reasons. First, I would like to manage a business or own my own business someday. I could work at a small mom-and-pop restaurant, but I saw on the franchise and corporate website that your company has many options for advancement and many locations. I would like to start with a company that will allow me to move wherever I want, but still stay employed with the same company. This company also aligns with my personal goals of going into management or owning my own business. This position is entry-level but I believe in the value of knowing how every position is important to the overall success of the business. There is no better way to learn about a position than the work in it for a time. Which brings me to my last reason, working at your company would allow me the opportunity gain experience while deciding on either being promoted within the company, or take the experience to open my own company.”

Question 2: "How are you the best person for the job?"

Purpose: Specific experience or skills beyond the resume that set you apart

Note - Your resume LISTS qualities & experiences - this questions asks you to EXPLAIN how that applies to this job!

Do:

Highlight your best qualities
Talk about your characteristics and high school achievements if you don't have work experience
Set yourself apart but do it in a positive way
Tie your answer to the company goals/purpose and your future career goals

Do Not:

Compare yourself to other applications - this can come across in as arrogant and negative

Example 1: WinCo Grocery Store Clerk

Poor: “The other people who applied for this job don’t care about people or getting this job as much as I do.”

Okay: “I believe I am the best person for the job because of my passion and dedication. I have a GPA of 3.35 that shows I am a reliable person who can be counted on to get my tasks done correctly and on time.”

Great: “I believe I am the best person for the job because of my passion and dedication. I have always loved helping people out and working in a fast-paced environment. I saw on your company website that your mission statement emphasizes hard work and adaptability. My parents instilled those values in me, which is reflected by my taking AP classes and my GPA of 3.5. I have had to work hard and adapt to new teaching styles in my AP classes. My success demonstrates that I am a reliable, hard-working person who can be counted on to get my tasks done correctly and on time.”

Example 2: Veterinary Office Receptionist

Poor: “Your other applicants won’t have as much hands-on experience as I do. No one else loves animals as much as I do either.”

Okay: “I have volunteered at a local animal shelter before. I found I adore animals and eventually I would like to go become a Veterinary Technician. I am the best person for this job because my experience and career goal.”

Great: “Volunteer hours are required every year during high school. I’m currently a Senior, and I chose to spend all my volunteer hours the past 3 years at a local animal shelter. I found that I absolutely loved it, and even volunteered past the minimum hours required. I adore animals and eventually I would like to go become a Veterinary Technician. Additionally, I saw that your company has a partnership with the animal shelter that I have volunteered at. In fact, I was excited to see that both your Mission & Vision statements are very similar. Given how much I have enjoyed volunteering at the animal shelter, and knowing so closely aligned your company is with them, I feel I would be a terrific fit. I am the best person for this job because my experience, passion, and career goals.”

Question 3: "How has your experience prepared you?"

Purpose:how do your experiences relate to the job & their company

Note - Your resume lists WHAT the experience was - this questions asks HOW the experience applies to this job!

Do:

Highlight any relevant work experience
Highlight any relevant volunteer experience
Highlight any relevant education (classes)
Use specific examples - don’t ramble - explain just enough so the employer understands how the experience directly relates to their job

Do Not:

Be too general - give specific examples
Read your resume - have a natural conversation about your experiences
Lie or stretch the truth

Example 1: Medical Office Receptionist

Poor: “I’ve never had a job in this field before so I don’t have any experience. I mean, I’ve worked at Wendy’s previously, but that has nothing to do with this job.”

Okay: “You can see on my resume that I worked for Wendy’s before. Even though this job is very different, I learned extensive Customer Service skills at Wendy’s. I can use that experience in this position.”

Great: ”Your job posting listed customer service as the most important skill you are looking for. Furthermore, I saw that your website states that customer service is the number one focus of the company as a whole. My experience as a Wendy’s Crew Member for a year has definitely prepared me. As a Crew Member, I was responsible for maintaining a professional appearance while taking orders, handling transactions, and answering customer questions. I had to learn to work in a team, be efficient, and be positive with every customer, even if they were frustrated or unkind. My experience aligns well with your company priorities and posted job description.”

Example 2: Summer Camp Counselor

Poor: “I haven’t worked as a Camp Counselor before so I don’t really have any experience.”

Okay: “This is my first year applying so I don’t have direct experience yet. That being said, I enjoy working with children and I’m taking classes that could help me be a great Camp Counselor.”

Great: “While this is my first year applying to work as Camp Counselor, I am taking two classes that will help prepare for me. First, I am currently taking Public Speaking. I’m learning how to give speeches, how to be more confident when I talk in front of others, and to effectively communicate. The job description posted on the website stated that Camp Counselors sometimes have to talk to the entire camp so I anticipate using the knowledge and experience from this class. A second class I’m taking is psychology. I’m excited to learn about how individuals perceive and interact with the world. I believe that the background knowledge of psychology in understanding individual camper’s experiences in combination with Public Speaking to effectively communicate are great experiences that prepare me to be a Camp Counselor.”

Question 4: "Describe one of your biggest accomplishments"

Purpose: demonstrates you either struggled or worked hard to achieve a goal

Do:

Be creative
Highlight any awards or honors
Highlight smaller accomplishments if needed
Talk about the lesson(s) learned
Tie the lesson back to the job or company

Do Not:

Read your resume
Lie or stretch the truth

Example 1: Math Class

Poor: “My biggest accomplishment is being an Xbox Champion. My friends and I had competition and I won.”

Okay: “My biggest accomplishment was surviving my Advanced Algebra class. I managed to pass, but it was rough.”

Great: “I would say one of my biggest accomplishments was receiving a B+ on my Advanced Algebra final exam last year. It may not sound like much, but I struggled in Advanced Algebra. I stayed after school countless times with a tutor and spent hours doing homework questions. Throughout the year, my grade wasn’t great, but I stuck with it. When I received that B+ on my final, it felt amazing! I learned how to advocate for myself, how to locate and use available resources, and how to stick with it even when I was so frustrated.”

Example 2: Time Management

Poor: “My biggest accomplishment is surviving high school until Senior year.”

Okay: “My biggest accomplishment was juggling sports and school. It was hard to keep my grades up.”

Great: “My biggest accomplishment so far was maintaining my high GPA while attending Running Start, playing sports, and working part-time. My first Quarter was rough and my grades were lower than I wanted. I had to learn to prioritize my time as well as communicate and advocate with my coaches. The next quarter my GPA the highest it has ever been. This is an accomplishment because I stuck it out through a tough 3 months, and also learned valuable communication, advocacy, and time management skills along the way.”

Question 5: "Where do you see yourself in five years?"

Purpose: allows employers to gauge ambition, motivation, & how goals align with their company

Do:

Consider where you will be next year, then the year after and so on - this can help create a list of steps for where you want to be in five years
Relate this goal to why you want to work for the company
Discuss how you plan to achieve these goals
Can be general - don’t need specific career titles

Do Not:

Discuss salary/paycheck or raises
Highlight goals that lead outside the company
Discuss promotion timeline (i.e. as soon as possible)

Example 1: Elementary Education

Poor: “I would like be promoted as soon as possible. In five years I would like to have your job or even be your boss.”

Okay: “In five years I would like to have some type of degree in education. I like working with elementary children so probably a degree where I could do that.”

Great: “In five years, I would like to be close to graduating with a bachelor’s degree in education. Right now I’m planning to apply to ABC Community College and then transferring to a local University to finish up my degree. My career goal is to to become an elementary school teacher. Working at your daycare will provide me with great experience working with young children. This job aligns with my overall career goals so I can see myself working here for many years.”

Example 2: Design Team Member

Poor: “I see myself working hard and being the manager.”

Okay: “In the next few years, I would like to lead a team. I’m excited to work on events and create better user designs.”

Great: “Some of my future goals for the next few years include leading a design team in a formal capacity. I’m also excited about the prospect of working in tandem with product and event teams on streamlined processes since this is a natural fit with my project management background. I’d also like to further develop my experience with user experience to aid in creating more user-focused designs.”

Question 6: "What is your greatest weakness?"

Purpose: demonstrates self-awareness and willingness for personal growth

Do:

List a skill or area you are already working to improve
Frame it in a positive light or choose a weakness that can also be viewed as a strength

Do Not:

Talk about a weakness essential to this job
Spend time talking about the negative or list examples of why you struggle
Say you have have no weakness or that you are perfect

Example 1: Boundaries & Delegation

Poor: “I don’t really have any weaknesses.”

Okay: “I have trouble saying ‘no’ when asked to help.”

Great: “My greatest weakness is that I sometimes have trouble saying ‘no’ to requests and end up taking on more than I can handle. In the past, this has led me to feel stressed or burnt out. To help myself improve in this area, I started to use a project management app so I can visualize how much work I have, and know whether or not I have the ability to take on more. Applying that to your company, I actually spoke with a former employee. She told me that an important part of the company culture is to never agree to a task unless you can do it with top quality. Using the app has already made a tremendous impact on my ability to competently do that.”

Example 2: Detail-Oriented Madness

Poor: “I get so focused on small details of a project that I almost always miss deadlines.”

Okay: “I get hyper focused on small details. I spend so much time on the small details that I can fall behind my original projections. The end product is phenomenal but perhaps not the most efficient use of my time.”

Great: “I can get hyper focused on the small details of a project, which causes delays to the finished product. I’ve been working on this area by splitting each project into chunks. I set up mini deadlines or check ins for each chunk. If I find that I am behind by my check in deadlines, I stop what I’m doing, and replan how to get back on track to the original timeline. I’ve found this is a way I can ensure quality while also holding myself accountable for the given timeline.”

Question 7: "What is your greatest strength?"

Purpose: determines how well your strengths match with key skills and company culture

Do:

Choose strengths that highlight the key skill needed in the job role
Choose strengths that align with the company culture
Relate them back to the job

Do Not:

Be cliche - “I’m a perfectionist”, “I’m hard working” or “I’m punctual”

Example 1: Multitasking

Poor: “I’m a hard worker.”

Okay: “My strength is that I multitask well. It allows me to be efficient at my job.”

Great: “I would say my greatest strength is my ability to multitask. This strength has allowed me to become more efficient by finding creative ways to complete different tasks all at once. Also, I take pleasure in knowing that whenever my team needs me, I can jump in without it impacting the quality of my other work. Beyond that, multitasking is also a great strength to have to manage stress because I rarely get overwhelmed from too much work. I can tell from the job posting that being successful in this position will require a great deal of multitasking.”

Example 2: Collaboration

Poor: “I’m a people person.”

Okay: “My strength is that I enjoy collaborating with others. It helps both them and me do our jobs to the best of our ability.”

Great: “My greatest strength is my ability to collaborate and add value to my team. First, I have always been told that I am an easy person to work with, making it easier to complete projects. I think being strong at collaborating has also made me more self-aware of what is important in a team. For example, I do my best to motivate my team and support them when the project stalls or if one team member does not agree with another member, I try to find a middle ground for both of them. I also make it my duty to be as flexible as possible, jumping into different roles within my team depending on what they need me to complete on specific days. Your Mission and Vision statement mention collaboration so I feel my strength in this area is a great match for your company.”

Question 8: "Describe a conflict you had with someone and how you handled it ?"

Purpose: assesses problem-solving, communication, and how you handle stress

Do:

Use the STAR Method

Situation - BRIEFLY explain

Task - describe your role in the situation

Action - discuss what you did

Result - emphasize what you learned and how your actions had a positive effect

Keep it as positive as possible
Spend most of your time on the result instead of the situation

Do Not:

Talk negatively about the other person
Compare yourself to the other person

Poor: “I had a group project with another student once. She wasn’t doing her part so I text her. She didn’t respond right away so found her in the hallway, and yelled at her. It was obvious she didn’t care as much about the grade as I did.”

Okay: “I had a group project in history class. We initially split up the project and agreed to deadlines. I was upset when I found out that one member wasn’t almost finished like everyone else. We had a group meeting to decide what to do, and we ended up earning a good grade.”

Great: “One issue I had recently was during a group project in my history class. We each had our section of a presentation to work on, but I noticed one of our group members hadn’t done much on her part. The due date was coming up, and I was afraid that our project and grade would be impacted. Instead of getting angry and confronting her about it, I asked for a group meeting to check in. We did a progress check to see where everyone was at with their part so she didn’t feel like she was being called out. It turns out that the her part was much larger than we thought it was when we initially split up the project. She had put in as much time on hers as the rest of us had on ours. I facilitated a conversation about how we could further split up her part so it was more balanced. It turns out that it was a good thing we did a check in because another member also an unrelated concern that we were able to troubleshoot as well. In the end, we finished the project on-time and earned a great grade.”

Question 9: "Do you have any questions for us?"

Purpose: to gauge how invested and serious you are

Do:

Come with a prepared list of 5 questions based on your research
Narrow down your list of prepared questions to 2-3 to actually ask
Focus on questions/topics that weren’t covered or you would like additional information about

Do Not:

Say ‘no’ - always ask questions!
Take up too much time (3ish questions) - you don’t want them to feel like you are interrogating them
Lie or flatter - be honest

Poor: “ No, I don’t think so.”

Okay: “ Ummmm… I didn’t have any prepared, but you mentioned that I would have to share an office. Can you tell me how the schedule works for that?”

Great: “Yes, I do. Thank you for the opportunity to ask some questions myself. First question - “how would you describe the company’s culture”. [insert their answer]. Thanks - it sounds like your description aligns almost perfectly with the company Mission Statement. It’s also similar to the what a former employee of your said when I was researching. Okay, next question - “can you describe some of the company’s recent challenges?”[insert their answer] It’s nice to hear that there a process already in place for what to do, and I also appreciated the example you gave. It’s neat to hear how the process applied to an actual instead of a hypothetical situation.”

Question 10: "Tell me aobut yourself"

Purpose: how well you know yourself; how confidently and comfortably can you answer

Do:

Share what is relevant to the company and position
Keep it professional and brief
Background - where you attend
Top achievements and/or experiences
Interests - why you are applying for the job

Do Not:

Talk about your personal life
Talk about things unrelated to the position
Ramble
Take more than 1-2 minutes

Poor: “ Uh, well, ummm… My name is Christi. I’m a student. I don’t have any experience, but I’m a fast learner and want to try something new.”

Poor: “ Hi! I’m Christi. I have lived in Washington State all my life. I attended Kindergarten at Firgrove Elementary, but then transferred to Maple Valley. My dad was transferred for his job so we had to move. Then I went to Cedarcrest Middle. Now I’m at the high school. I have a brother, a sister, and a hamster. I love puppies, computers, and cooking. I cook all my family meals. I also dabble with baking, but I’m not as good at that. I thought that your position might be interesting because I like cooking and could oversee a culinary event or something like that. Anyway, that’s a little about me. ”

Okay: “My name is Christi. I’m currently a Senior at Alpharetta High School. I’ve taken business classes and plan to major in business. I participated in some school events during high school like fundraisers and outreach events.

Great: “Sure! I am Christi Jones, and I am a Senior at Alpharetta High School. I have taken all the business courses offered at my high school, and I am looking forward to continuing to study Business at ABC Community College next year. As far as hands-on experience, I have been a member of my school’s planning committee for the past two years. I have helped organize fundraisers and outreach events. Through both the classes I’ve taken and experiences, I have learned to be comfortable with public speaking, working as a team, and using resources. I have also developed leadership skills. That’s why I believe I’m a great candidate for your your event management position.”

Night Before the Interview

Confirm:

Confirm the date, time, and place of interview
Confirm directions or receipt of Zoom link

Prepare:

Clean, press, and set out your clothing
Get a full night’s sleep
Plan when to eat (avoid digesting or hungry tummy noises)
Print 3 copies of your resume & cover letter (1 for you, 1 for the interviewer, 1 extra copy)

Interview Basics

What is it?

A formal conversation between a potential employer and a job applicant
Allows the employer to assess Soft Skills (see below) and make a hiring decision

Hard Skills vs. Soft Skills

How/Where do they happen?

Can be done via phone, in-person, over Zoom, and/or in a group setting
Are typically structured with a list of predetermined questions - expect Common Interview Questions and job-specific questions
Sometimes include a hands-on portion in addition to predetermined questions

Most people think of Hard Skills when applying for a job, Soft Skills are just as important!

Hard Skills

- "Get you the interview..."

Practical abilities and skills needed to competently do a job
Usually specific to each career but can be generalized in related careers
Typically shown through earning a degree, certification, or other qualification
Employers use resume to assess hard skills

Soft Skills

- "Get you the job"

“People skills” to effectively interact with others and succeed in the workplace
Skills such as: problem-solving, communication, emotional intelligence, time management, work ethic, collaboration, and flexibility
Apply to every career!
Employers use an interview to assess soft skills

Day of the Interview

Take a deep breath - you researched, practiced, and prepared - you’ve got this!

Morning/Day of Interview

During the Interview

Remember to:

Turn off cell phone
Arrive 10-15 minutes early
Bring prepared copies of resume/cover letters

Do not bring:

Food, drinks (besides water), or gum
Notes to read from - remember an interview is a conversation not a prepared speech

Get in the headspace:

Listen to music, visit a Virtual Calming Room, review your answers to Common Interview Questions - whatever works for you

Use confident, open, and eager body language, including maintaining eye contact
Shake each interviewer’s hand and greet each
Listen carefully - make sure you answer the full question being asked
Ask for see a list of the questions to reference
Use clear and direct language - avoid ‘um’ or ‘like’
Request a business card so you can send a follow up note/email

Gratitude & Follow Up

No matter which sections are included on your resume, there are some general tips

Why is it important?

Most people forget this important step
Considered basic business etiquette like spending time at someone’s home, eating their food, spending time with them, and then leaving without saying anything
Further builds rapport and demonstrates Soft Skills

What to do:

Say “Thank You” for their time and considering you for the position
Keep it short
Tailor it to the job and interviewer
Check email & voicemail frequently for when the employer contacts you!

Counseling Department

Bethel Virtual Academy

Employment

Hours of Work Rules & Required Forms

Resumes

Resume Alternatives & Supplementals

Resumes & Alternatives

Resume Supplements

Contact Details

Certificates, Awards, & Achievements

Cover Letters

What are they?

Sections of a Cover Letter:

Contact Details

Job Interview Skills

Research

Why research?

Where to research:

Types of information to look for:

Question 1: "Why do you want to work at this company?"

Do:

Do Not:

Example 1: Computer Technician

Example 1: WinCo Grocery Store Clerk

Example 1: Medical Office Receptionist

Example 1: Math Class

Example 1: Elementary Education

Example 1: Boundaries & Delegation

Example 1: Multitasking

Interview Basics

What is it?

Hard Skills vs. Soft Skills

How/Where do they happen?

Hard Skills

Soft Skills