Tell me about yourself. This question makes us cringe a little bit, but every employer will ask you this in some form during an interview. Why? Well because they want to see what YOU bring to their company. You might be wondering (or tempted) to tell your life story and be more personal, but don’t! When an interviewer says, "Tell me about yourself," what he or she really wants to know is how your experience applies to the job you're interviewing for.
Stick to talking about what it is you do or have done as it relates to the job. You can think about some past experiences that are relevant to the job you’re applying for, and select 3 or so strengths you possess which you feel are important to this job. This could be experiences, traits, skills, etc. This will help you let the interviewer know more about yourself, but also cleverly state why you are a good fit for the role. Selling yourself is key, so always be thinking in the back of your mind, “Would I hire myself?” Let’s take a look at an example:
Interviewer: Ok Joe, can you tell me more about yourself?
Joe: I have been working as a stocker for Target for over 2 years. My most recent experience has been writing and keeping track of inventory orders on our database systems. One reason I particularly enjoyed my position were the challenges that went along with it such as anticipating inventory needs. I also loved that I was able to use my organizational skills daily whether it was through taking inventory or rotating stock.
Next, mention your strengths and abilities: Joe: My real strength is achieving goals. I pride myself on following through, maintaining company standards, and meeting deadlines. When I commit to doing something, I make sure it gets done, and on time.
Conclude with a statement about your current situation: Joe: What I am looking for now is a company that values commitment, offers a strong team and a place where my work efforts are valued"
Before you head into the interview PLAN what you are going to say. This little speech is called your elevator pitch. Once you have written it down, practice it at home with family, in front of the mirror, or even consider recording yourself. Get comfortable speaking about yourself and why you are a great fit for the company and your confidence will shine through!
Check out [this video] (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kayOhGRcNt4) for some more tips on how to successfully tell employers about yourself.
Good luck! : )
#elevatorpitch #interview #jobsearch #tips #teensummerjobs #teenjobs #teens
We interviewed Kieran, a 17-year-old who loaded us up with first-hand tips and advice on how to land a job as a high schooler. Click the image to read more!
When I was fourteen I remember that teenage longing for my own money. The kind that you didn’t need to borrow from your cousin, or have to ask your parents for. It was just yours because you had earned it. There was no online job seeking when I was an early teen because well, there was no internet, so I went door to door raking my neighbor’s lawns for a small fee. It’s hard to imagine those days now, but they did exist and the world of job seeking has changed so rapidly and continues to do so every day.
I was fortunate yesterday to have the opportunity to partner with the Red Sox Foundation where a few of my co-workers and I were able to assist their teenage scholar program participants. We helped many teens write their first resumes, edit existing ones, and reviewed job-seeking tips together. We even helped them pinpoint some ideas of what exactly they want to do in their future careers.
It’s surprising to see teens as young as fourteen with resumes, as I did not have one until I was in college and immersed in the “real world,” but yet here they are ready to face it head-on at such a young age. I was thrilled to be there yesterday giving back and offering advice to those about to begin their journies. To see so much passion, tenacity, and drive in their eyes makes me hopeful for the future.
Check out our HIRING SNAPSHOT below!
As part of our #teensummerjobs series, I spoke with the hiring manager of a local Stop & Shop in Somerville, MA and asked some general questions about jobs for teens.
Note: answers may differ state by state and store by store. So, ask your local store for specific details about their positions.
Think because you lack experience it's time to panic? Think again! If you are a teenager looking for your very first job, here are some ways to add experience and create your first resume!
1- Emphasize your education As a current student (or even just out of high school), you want to emphasize your education. Place your education information at the very top of your resume. If you have a strong GPA, be sure to include this and list any academic awards, honors, or other achievements.
2- Include informal work Experiences such as volunteer, and extracurricular activitiers. Since your work experience is somewhat limited, focus on emphasizing any other forms of work, including volunteer experience or any extracurricular activities you participated in, including clubs, sports, and other organizations. If you happened to do some tutoring, babysitting, gardening, or dog walking, for example, include those as well. Even if these are jobs that don’t require a large skill set, the fact you performed them on a somewhat regular basis shows you have a strong work ethic!
3- Emphasize leadership experience Employers are always looking for job applicants with leadership experience and qualities. If you were a captain of your sports team or the vice president of your student council, be sure to list these positions! You should feel proud of them and show them off in the right ways on your resume.
4- List your skills Consider including a skills section on your resume to include any skills you have that are related to the job you are applying for. For example, you might list your computer, language, or other applicable skills here. Are you a great writer and published pieces for the school newspaper or do you blog regularly and have a ton of loyal followers? Be sure to share that information. Whatever connects your skills to the job should be on your resume...more on that now!
5- Connect your resume to the job Review some job postings you are interested in before creating your resume! Highlight any key qualifications or requirements of the job and determine how YOU are a good match and what you can bring to them. Then be sure to include any experiences and skills in your resume that highlight how you are an ideal fit for that specific job. Think of it this way; I am a good fit for this job because...
6- EDIT your resume! Make sure to proofread your resume before submitting it to an employer (this is a VERY important)! Spellcheck is your best friend! Your format needs to remain consistent and easy to follow, and spelling or grammatical errors are a big no, no. ALWAYS ask a friend, family member, school guidance counselor, or teacher to read through your resume to catch any mistakes before you submit it to a potential employer! They are VERY easy to overlook and sadly you can't take them back once you have submitted your resume.
Lastly, check out this [sample resume] (http://www.mass.edu/gearup/documents/WritingaResume.pdf) and some action words you can add to your resume to make it stand out to employers.
Best of luck with your first resume, you’ll do great!!
As always we are here if you need us on the [community] (https://www.jobcase.com/community) or comment right in this post with your concerns and questions!
#teensummerjobs #teenjobs #teens #jobsearch #tips #summerjobs #references
Friday’s #teensummerjobs post was about how to make sure you have all the info you need to start applying for summer jobs – catch up here.
If you’re looking for work this summer, you’re probably going to be asked to supply a few references.
A reference is someone who knows your personality, your strengths, and your weaknesses. It could be someone you worked for or worked with, your big brother/big sister mentor (or mentee), your math teacher, coach, teammates or a violin instructor...you get the idea. Basically, references are people who know YOU.
Keep your references as professional as possible, though: don’t use your next-door neighbor (unless you’ve helped them out before, maybe with babysitting or dog walking), your best friend’s mom, or your cousin’s friend’s roommate's brother’s girlfriend.
So, who should (and shouldn’t) you list as a reference?
Good References: • Teachers and tutors • Anyone who oversaw or worked with you in a volunteering program • Group members (from a school project, for example, but only if the outcome was great!) • Advisors or counselors • Former or current supervisors or coworkers
Not-So-Good References: • Family (parents, brothers, sisters, grandparents, aunts, uncles, etc.) • Friends (BFFs included) • People you haven’t worked or interacted with before
Before you use someone as a reference, reach out to each one and ask if they're okay with you listing them. Once you have their permission, get their contact info (phone number and email) and make sure they are okay with being contacted. This is a great way to give them a heads up and time to think about all the glowing things to say about you.
Jobcasers who have “been there, done that” have a lot of good advice and expertise to offer about references. Check out what they’re saying: • Tim • Emily • Julie
As always, chime into the discussion! Jobcasers make the case for Jobcase.
Keep a look out for more #teensummerjobs updates throughout the month.
This is the second piece in our #teensummerjobs series – yesterday we looked at why it’s important to start the summer job search early. Check it out.
If you’re a teen and planning on working this summer, don’t just firehose out job applications! Every company has different requirements, so it’s important to make sure you have the information needed to fill out the application and that it ends up in the right place.
Be prepared! Here’s a checklist: • Do you need to provide a resume? • Does the company ask for references? • Can you apply online, or do you need to apply in-person? • Know your availability: number of hours/week, what days of the week, and whether or not you can work mornings, afternoons, and nights • If you’re under 18, click here to read up on working-age requirements by state.
Most companies use online applications, but there are quite a few that require you to apply in-person, in-store. The Home Depot requires you to apply in-store at a career center kiosk. But The Gap’s application process is completely online, as is Starbucks’ for barista positions. Nannying and babysitting jobs are usually online, too.
The bottom line: whatever position you’re trying to land, get all your ducks in a row and research what’s required before applying. All it takes is a quick company search to ensure you’re on the right track and that your application will land in the right place.
And then, once you know what’s required, by all means, crank that application-firehouse.
Monday’s #teensummerjobs post will be all about who you should (and shouldn’t) list as a job reference on your applications – make sure to check it out!
Yes, winter is here, but hiring for summer jobs starts now.
Dive right in and start looking for opportunities – many employers who hire for the summer have already started looking, and they’re usually all staffed up by March.
How to start
A good way to kick off the job search is to have an idea of positions that interest you. Industries that rely heavily on summer workers include:
- Food Service (barista, food prep, waiters, hosting, bussing)
- Retail (sales associates, cashiers, stocking, inventory)
- Outdoor work (farm hand, animal care, crop oversight, greenhouse maintenance)
- Stock clerks and order fulfillment
- Childcare work (babysitting, camp counselor, tutoring)
- Domestic (dog walking, personal assistant)
- Recreational (theme parks, resorts, lifeguarding, swim lessons)
Our community of Jobcasers have great insights and tips about the teen summer job search! Check out what these members are saying and jump into the discussion: Nicole Christina Marcus
Bottom line: get ahead of the game and start job searching now...your summer self will thank you.
Check back tomorrow for the next piece in our #teensummerjobs series: how to make sure your applications and resumes end up in the right place.