MY SKILLS MAKE ME: Advice for Employers When Interviewing A First Time Job Seeker

With exams taking place during the month of May, many young people will be thinking about what to do next, with some about to leave school and taking their first steps into the world of work.

At DYW Inverness & Central Highland we know there is #NoWrongPath to a young person’s future. There are a number of pathways available into the workforce and many local businesses or organisations will have opportunities to start a career at any level. With or without exam results.

Local employers will be looking to recruit young people for apprentices, trainee or entry level roles over the summer months and although many will be used to interviewing candidates that are well into their careers, some employers may be less familiar with interviewing a young person who has maybe never interviewed for a job before.

Academic results are a good place to start but that’s not all a young person has to offer…

… Skills are also a key area that a young person is able to talk about and that can lead to lots of interesting conversations during an interview.

What do we mean by skills?

We’re talking about the experience from a weekend job where they have learned to cope with different customers and situations; a sport or activity that they have done as part of a team, maybe in a leadership role and given up many hours to train, practice or play at weekends; or a project or initiative they have been involved in at school e.g. social enterprise or subject activity.

Volunteering is also a great area to ask about. Turning up on time as a volunteer for a project which supports your community…

Whatever the candidates’ interests, work or volunteering experiences, they all give ‘transferable skills’ which have been learned without realising.

For a young person, these transferable skills translate into a valuable employee who is competent, confident and has an aptitude for work.

These skills can help them to be calm and thrive at a busy time in the reception of a hotel. The ability to see the strengths of your colleagues and make a game plan to meet the business objective. The aptitude to turn up on time and work effectively as part of a team to the end of a project.

So, look out for these skills on your candidates’ applications and CV. Their skills make them.

Tips for interviewing school leavers

A job interview can be a daunting prospect for anyone, especially for someone who has just left school.

Here are some top tips to help you get the most out of the interview and find the right candidate.

- Be friendly and welcoming; make the candidate feel comfortable. 

- Interview for potential; school leavers may or may not have work experience to draw from. 

- Ask questions that will showcase their attitude and approach to work.

- Encourage them to talk about skills they have acquired from their broader experience e.g. school sports teams, social clubs or activities with friends and family.

- Use simple, straightforward language. Give them every opportunity to perform well.

- Consider various types of assessment e.g. strengths assessments.

How you can further help your candidates

My World of Work is also a great resource for young people so it might also be a good idea to signpost this website to your candidates ahead of their interview. This will help them to be prepared and know what you are expecting from them. Check out ‘Employer advice: The art of the interview’ which has some helpful advice.