Being an employer, I have to interview many people… including lots of teenagers. I hate to admit it; however, teens generally don’t know how to conduct an interview or get an interview! They fail!

This article will highlight the three common mistakes teens make so that you or your child can be taught how to land your dream job.

1. Resume

I’d say that 8 out of 10 students submit resumes that contain mistakes in spelling. This is the quickest method for the resume to be tossed in the garbage!

Additionally, the majority of resumes appear like somebody simply spits a lot of data into a template before hitting print. The data isn’t always organized and is often not formatted. This results in a messy resume that is spelled incorrectly and lost in the garbage before you even get the chance to meet.

Here are a few tips for a successful resume:

Triple check spelling!
Do not include an objective. Instead, write a few paragraphs explaining your uniqueness and what you could do to assist the business.
You should list the jobs you’ve had… as well as the way you’ve impacted the business rather than just your job. It doesn’t matter if it was a pizza delivery man. What was it that you did that helped your company?
Include your educational background at the bottom, as it’s not as crucial.
Keep your resume on a single piece of paper – the front side only. Many people do not want to read too much, and having multiple pages makes it difficult.

2. Follow-up

Let’s say you’ve submitted a great job application… this is the least you have to worry about right now. A lot of companies won’t even call you to follow up.

I haven’t contacted anyone back. Why? Because I’d like to know whether they’ll be willing to take the initiative and contact me. I’d like to know whether they’re an entrepreneur and are willing to keep trying.

A majority of people do not contact them!

The process of calling back is simple. All you need to do is ask them if they have received your resume. If they respond, you can simply say, “Great! We’d like to arrange an interview time.”

Perhaps they are actively seeking candidates, and they’ll try to arrange an interview. Perhaps they’re looking for resumes because they’d like to have people on the phone in case they need to hire someone. In this scenario, they may say they’re not hiring.

Request to be interviewed. Explain that you’re fine and that you’d like to meet with them, so they will know who you are if they require someone.

If I got a call and said… I could even consider hiring the person and taking over one of the employees who did not perform well. Such a call displays the initiative of the employee and shows the potential for you to be a good employee.

3. Dress and presentation

You’re now ready for the opportunity to interview… it’s a big deal. Many kids miss out because they dress badly. They don a tank top and shorts as well as flip-flops for the interview.

While it’s typical for teenagers, however, it can create a negative first impression. As a company, we consider, “Oh no, this teenager isn’t professional. They’re probably not a great match.”

You’ve just made a good impression with your phone, and now you should reinforce it by making a great visual impression. You should wear a collared t-shirt, whether khakis or slacks, as well as some good shoes. Women should wear the exact as well as a stylish dress that’s not too long.

Your uniqueness will make you stand out from the other applicants and leave an impression on the hiring manager… HELLO JOB!

Alongside dressing appropriately… be sure to stand tall and speak effectively. Keep eye contact and answer questions with confidence.

If you are slouchy, chew gum, or glance at the surroundings, you appear unprofessional and incompetent.

You’ve got it! If you are able to make these changes in a few minutes and you’ll make yourself more valuable to your employer and more likely to be offered the job you’ve always wanted!

Get your kid ready for your job application!