Landing Your First Job: Interview Advice for School and College Leavers

Going to a job interview can feel daunting, but it is a great opportunity to discuss your skills and why you would be the best fit for this position with the employer face-to-face. Preparing effectively for an interview will help you feel more confident and comfortable talking to the employer. It will help you better state your points clearly.

Before the interview:

Research the Company – Learn as much as you can about the company you are applying to. This will help you understand what the company does and explore its values. You will be prepared if you are asked about your knowledge of the company, and this will show that you are well-prepared and invested in the interview.
Arrive on time – Arriving 5 – 10 minutes early for your interview will show you are eager and punctual.
Practice answers to common questions – Research common interview questions for your selected role and think of some well-thought-out answers. This will expose you to the types of questions you might be asked in your interview. Practice talking to a friend or family member and answering the questions as if you are in the interview.
Dress smartly – Whilst this might seem obvious, dressing smartly, even if the company dress code is casual, will make you stand out as professional and instantly set a positive tone.

These tips will help you prepare for your interview effectively, so you can answer any questions the employer asks with confidence. Remember that an interview is just an opportunity to tell the employer more about yourself and to emphasise how you are the best fit for that role; don’t think of it as an exam.

Some interview sessions may involve you attending an assessment centre or presenting to the employer. Some assessment days may involve you completing tasks set by the employer to assess your transferable skills (e.g. how you communicate with people, teamwork skills, dealing with problems) – these are skills which the employer will be looking for. The employer will usually send you an email with details about the assessment day, including how long the day will last and what types of tasks you may be completing. You can also have hybrid days where you complete tasks and also attend an interview.

On the day of the interview:

Ensure that before you set off for the interview, you check you have all the documents you may need to bring (e.g. national insurance number, birth certificate, driving licence). If they are not listed on the email, and you are unsure, you could contact the company and ask if they would require any documents for the interview; however, if they need to see these documents, they would usually ask you.

If your interview is online, ensure that you are logged on to your computer and check your internet connection is stable well before your interview starts. If you are having trouble, ensure that you contact the employer well before your interview is scheduled to start.

If you are ready to start your interview 5-10 minutes before it is scheduled to start, it will instantly create a good impression with the employer and show you are punctual, which is one of the transferable skills that employers are often looking out for.

The interview and the STAR method:

The best way to get a lot of your points across clearly and concisely is by using the STAR method.
Situation – Describe the situation that you had to deal with.
Task – The task that you had to do to deal with the situation.
Action – What you did to complete the task.
Result – What happened after you completed your action, the outcome of this and what you learned.

You can use this method to showcase your transferable skills, and use real-life examples to show the employer how you use your skills in real-life situations. You can research examples of interview questions and use the STAR method to answer them effectively. You can include examples of your school life if you are struggling to think of examples. For example, if you are asked about times you have worked as part of a team, you could talk about being part of a sports team or being part of an extracurricular club.

If you can, try to think of a question to ask the interviewer if they ask if you have any questions for them. This shows that you are active and willing to learn more about the company.

Best of luck with your interviews!

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