Getting called for an interview means an employer already thinks you might be a good fit. The interview is their chance to meet you and your chance to learn about the job. For a first job, nobody expects polished answers about past jobs. They’re looking for someone who is reliable, friendly and willing to learn.
What a first-job interview is usually like
Many first-job interviews are short conversations with a manager or supervisor. You might be asked about your availability, why you want the job and how you’d handle a few everyday situations. Some employers interview in person, some by phone or video, and some seasonal employers, like camps and pools, talk with several applicants at once.
If the invitation doesn’t say, it’s fine to ask: “Who will I be meeting with, and how long should I plan for?”
Before the interview
- Re-read the job listing. Notice the duties, the schedule and anything it says about the kind of person they’re looking for.
- Learn a little about the employer. Look at their website. What do they do, and who are their customers or the people they serve?
- Know your availability and how you’ll get to work. You’ll almost certainly be asked.
- Prepare three short examples from school, sports, volunteering or home that show you being responsible, working with others and handling something difficult.
- Plan your trip so you arrive about ten minutes early. For a phone or video interview, be ready a few minutes before the start time.
Tip: use a simple structure for your examples. Say what the situation was, what you did, and how it turned out. Keep it to about a minute.
If you’re nervous
Almost everyone is nervous before a first interview, and people who hire first-time workers expect it. A few things help:
- Practice out loud. Answer a few of the questions below with a friend or family member, or on your own. Saying an answer is different from thinking it.
- Slow down. Take a breath before you answer. A short pause sounds thoughtful, not unprepared.
- Ask when you didn’t catch something. “Could you repeat the question?” is a normal thing to say.
- Remember what they’re looking for. For most first jobs, that’s someone reliable, friendly and willing to learn, not someone with perfect answers.
Common questions and how to approach them
“Tell me about yourself.”
This isn’t a request for your life story. Give a short, work-focused introduction: what you’re doing now (school, a program), one or two things you’re involved in, and why you’re interested in this job.
For example: “I’m a junior at Central High. I play on the volleyball team and volunteer at the library on Saturdays. I’m looking for a job where I can work with people, and I like that this one involves helping customers.” For examples you can draw on, see the skills you build at a first job.
“Why do you want to work here?”
Connect something real about the employer to something real about you. “I’ve been coming to this pool since I was little, and I just got my lifeguard certification” is stronger than “I need a job.” It’s fine to say you want to earn money; add what else you hope to get from the job.
“What’s your availability?”
Be clear and honest, including days you can’t work. Promising hours you can’t keep causes problems for everyone later.
“Tell me about a time you worked on a team.”
Use one of your prepared examples: a group project, a team sport, a volunteer event. Say what your part was and how the team got the job done.
“How would you handle an upset customer?”
Employers want to hear that you’d stay calm, listen, apologize for the trouble, try to help within the rules and get a supervisor when you need one. You don’t need to have done it before; walk through what you would do.
“What are your strengths? What’s something you’re working on?”
Pick a strength that matters for the job and give a quick example. For the second question, choose something real that won’t stop you from doing the job, and say what you’re doing about it: “I used to wait until the last minute on big assignments, so now I break them into steps on a calendar.”
“Do you have any questions for us?”
Always have one or two ready. Good options:
- What does a typical shift look like?
- What kind of training do new employees get?
- What do your best employees have in common?
- What are the next steps, and when do you expect to decide?
What to wear and bring
Aim for clean, neat and a step dressier than what people wear on the job. For a pool or camp, that might be clean pants or shorts and a plain shirt; for an office or a restaurant host stand, a collared shirt or blouse. When in doubt, it’s fine to ask what’s appropriate.
- a couple of copies of your resume, if you have one;
- a list of your references with their contact information;
- something to write with and on;
- your work permit, if your state requires one for your age and you already have it.
Phone and video interviews
- Find a quiet place with good light and a plain background.
- Charge your device, test the link, camera and microphone ahead of time, and close other apps.
- Look at the camera when you talk, and keep your answers a little shorter than you would in person.
- Have your resume and your questions in front of you.
During the interview
- Silence your phone and put it away.
- Greet the interviewer, say thank you for meeting with you, and make eye contact if that’s comfortable for you.
- Listen to the whole question. It’s fine to pause and think before you answer, or to ask them to repeat a question.
- Be honest. If you haven’t done something, say so and explain how you’d learn it.
Questions that don’t belong in an interview
Under federal law, employers may not ask about a disability before they make a job offer. Questions about your religion, national origin, marital status or whether you plan to have children usually have nothing to do with the job, and federal equal employment guidance says employers should generally avoid them. If one comes up, you can steer back to the job: “I’m available for the schedule in the listing, and I’m excited about the work.”
If you’re under 18, an employer may ask your age or whether you have a work permit, because the rules for young workers depend on age and state.
After the interview
- Send a short thank-you by email the same day or the next day. Thank them for their time, mention one thing you liked about the job, and say you’re still interested.
- Wait for the timeline they gave. If it passes, one polite follow-up is fine; how to follow up after applying has examples.
- If you get an offer, confirm the pay, schedule, start date, where to report and what paperwork to bring; what to check before you accept your first job offer walks through it. After you’re hired, you’ll complete forms such as the federal Form I-9 and show documents that prove your identity and that you’re allowed to work in the U.S. Your first day at work explains how that paperwork works.
A thank-you note can be this short: “Thank you for meeting with me today about the camp counselor position. I enjoyed hearing about the summer schedule and the training week. I’m very interested in the job and look forward to hearing from you.”
If you don’t get the job
It happens to everyone, and it often comes down to timing or availability rather than anything you did wrong. If it feels right, ask politely whether they have one suggestion for your next interview. Then keep applying. Every interview makes the next one easier.
Ready for more interviews? Search first-job-friendly openings, and if your resume could use a refresh, see how to make a resume when you haven’t had a job yet.