Recently i've been getting tons on requests on making a blog post on how to get a summer job, or just tips on doing job interviews and I was hesitant at first because i'm only 20 really so i'm not some super expert... so take everything I say with a grain of salt. These are all my opinions and things I myself have experienced.
So more than likely if you are looking for your first job its going to be a chain restaurant, fast food, or a big retail store. If you have no job experience I wouldn't recommend going around looking for an office job or something you obviously wouldn't be qualified for. Always remember that your first job isn't going to be the best. Its probably going to be something you really don't want to do but it's your first job and you need to build up some credibility! If you do somehow land a job that you really DO want (like I did) then yay! But it's hard to get lucky like that sometimes. Now a days you apply online to places which, in my opinion is a lot easier than going in person to apply. But its ALWAYS better to go in person to ask if the store is hiring because sometimes they might ask you to have an interview right then and there! So its always best to go around looking for a job in BUSINESS CASUAL. After having three different jobs I cannot tell you how funny it is when people come into my work in full on suits with a brief case applying at an ice cream shop. Some nice pants (no blue denim) and a nice top is just fine. Unless you're applying for a high position... Thats a different story. When you're going around looking for job always bring copies of your resume. A lot of beginner jobs like fast food places and chain retail stores don't normally require them but allow you to give them one if you want. It will make you look more professional than someone else who doesn't have one though. So keep that in mind. I'm not going to go over how to make a resume in this post because you can find tons of resources online on how to do that. So lets go over everything!
♥ A quick summary ♥
♥ Dress business casual
♥ Apply in person and online
♥ Make a resume if you can
♥ Wait five days, then call to check the status of your application
♥ Don't take it personally if you don't get hired
♥ Whenever talking to someone who works at the establishment.. SMILE SMILE SMILE
So congratulations! You landed an interview! Interviews can be really scary and intimating but the best thing to do is to stay calm and be yourself. People who interview new hires are really good at detecting lies and when people are uncomfortable so if you have to you can practice with a friend! Usually the questions they ask you are "why do you want to work here" "tell me about yourself" "what are your strengths and weaknesses" those are the questions I have heard a lot. I read something that said the interviewer knows within the first three minutes of the interview if they are going to call you back or not. So first impressions are crucial. Be as outgoing as you possibly can without coming off as fake and smile a lot! Knowing about their products and what you will be selling is a really good plus as well. When you walk into the store and say you have an interview don't just walk in and say "I'm here for an interview" Walk up to someone and say " Hi my name is (your name) i'm here for my interview at (the time your interview is at) and when they tell you for example "Hi! Sure, you can sit right over there" Say something like "Thank you so much, what was your name?" and shake their hand. Leave an impression on as many people as possible. Not just the person interviewing you. I've found that the interviewer (usually the manager) asks the people working how you were acting towards them, and if you didn't really say much to them they wont have much to say about you. But if you do what I suggested then they will be like "Yeah!, (he/she) introduced themselves in a very polite way." At the time of the interview they will more than likely let you know if they want you to come to another interview (usually with a higher boss). If they ask you for a second interview you pretty much have the job. I've never heard of someone going to a second job interview that didn't get the job. Unless you don't pass the drug/background test.
♥ A quick summary ♥
♥ Relax
♥ Know the products the store sells
♥ Introduce yourself
♥ Smile and be outgoing
♥ Make eye contact and do not fold your arms
♥ Make a connection. Start a conversation with the workers (if they aren't busy) about something you see them doing. You can even start a conversation with the interviewer. For example, for a recent interview I had the interviewer asked me if I had any prior experience in photography and I said yeah, I do i've been doing it since middle school and I want to be a wedding photographer and he continued to say that he does photography in his spare time as well and we talked about that for about 10 minutes. That was a connection I made with him, and he remembered me for it!
♥ Bring your ID/SSN
♥ Dress for your job. For example, if you have an interview for Forever 21, you're going to express your fashion sense since its a fashion based job. If its a food place, business casual.
♥ Don't text! Even if you're outside waiting for your interview. It makes you seem unapproachable.
♥ If the interviewer asks you a question, answer it with a couple of sentences. Not a couple of words.
I've had four jobs my whole entire life! I've worked at Build a bear, and I currently work at ColdStone creamery, SeaWorld, and Stay cute (tokyo hardcore). Prior to working I was a camp councilor for two years at an over night camp!
I hope this helped some of you doll faces! If you have any other tips leave them down in the comments!
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