look, this isn't my niche thing, I'm a horror babe, but I've noticed recently that a lot of young people really just do not understand the job interview process, which is really REALLY hurting their chances of being hired, even if they could do an amazing job IF hired so I'm gonna help as best as I can here.
Your resumé is basically a way to show your prospective employer what skills you have and what you can bring to the table. There are websites where you can look at how a resumé should be formatted, and google docs provides you with a free format as well so please use it.
What you SHOULD put on it:
First and last name, phone number, email. You can put your address if you want but that may do more harm than good if you live further away than the employer wants.
Your school experience. Even if you have only graduated high school, put that on there! Also the date that you graduated as well. Most jobs don't care about your GPA, but if you feel like the education section is looking a bit sparse, put it on there, it can't hurt.
Previous jobs. Outline how long you worked at each job, if you can provide an accurate start and end date please do. Outline your responsibilities for each job as well, employers want to see your experience.
If you are fresh out of high school and don't have any job experience, list your extra curricular activities and what responsibilities you may have had for them. As you gain job experience, remove this from your resume, but its good if you need to beef it up a little bit.
What you absolutely SHOULD NOT put on it:
Don't just write a paragraph about yourself, again, find a free resume format and use that.
Don't make jokes!!!! It is a professional thing and should be kept professional. I once saw a resume where this person wrote "I be about that money." DON'T DO THAT!!!!!
Basically you can't go wrong as long as you stick to a format and use spell check. Type-os happen, I do them constantly, thats why spell check is your friend! And if you really aren't sure, get a friend or someone to proof read it for you.
How to dress for an interview:
No matter what the job is, look professional for the interview! Try to avoid jeans and leggings, and never wear sweat pants or a sweat shirt. My best piece of advice is to buy one outfit that is your interview outfit. You don't have to splurge, you can find professional clothing at a thrift store. So long as you look well put together they do not care where your clothes came from.
What I recommend wearing is either a nice skirt, or a pair of slacks, a button up shirt, and a blazer type jacket. This goes for whatever gender, you can't go wrong with sticking to that! If you're someone who wears a tie, wear a tie. As for shoes, avoid sneakers if possible. Flats, heels, loafers, oxfords are all good. Do NOT wear flip flops or slides.
Brushing your hair is also a good idea. Makeup is never necessary but if you do wear it, its best to keep it to a minimum. Bright green eye shadow may look amazing, but if you have Mr. Fuddy Duddy bank owner interviewing you, he isn't going to like that. Understand your audience when it comes to your appearance. Make sure your teeth are brushed and that you showered and put on deodorant.
How to present yourself in the interview:
Be pleasant, smile! Smiling will get you very far. I know eye contact is a challenge for a lot of people, but do your best. I know that you'll be nervous out of your mind, but if you can fool your interviewer into thinking you're not, that can get you pretty far.
Don't appear too relaxed, however. Make sure you're sitting with good posture, not slouching in your chair. Be attentive, nod along with what the interviewer is saying. Try not to yawn if it can be helped.
Be sure to answer every question to the best of your ability. Responding with 'I don't know' and nothing more is going to put you at the bottom of their list. Even if you have to bullshit an answer, do it as long as the bullshit is eloquent and coherent.
Look up frequently asked interview questions and prepare an answer for them ahead of time. Most interviews follow the same script. They want to know your strengths and weaknesses blah blah blah.
Always thank them for their time once the interview is over.
Sending a thank you email is not something a lot of people know about, but has become and expectation in the professional world. Once you get home from your interview, send the interviewer a short email thanking them for their time and consideration. I know this is weird and kiss ass like, but it is expected. This is more so for the corporate world, however, so if you're applying for a food or retail job, this isn't necessary.
A lot of places expect a cover letter with the resume, ugh. Basically this is just a quick paragraph of you outlining why you would fit the role. Keep it short and sweet, don't beg for the job, keep it professional. Outline how your specific skills would fit the job.
Don't be too basic. What I mean by this is, you can embellish a little to make yourself sound better. This can apply to your resume or in person interview. IE: Your last job was washing dishes? Turn that into 'you were in charge of kitchen sanitation and organization.' Don't over embellish, however, don't make it seem like you were the CEO when you were the bartender, right?
When it comes to references, make sure you're putting down someone who will back you up and make you sound good. If you were fired from your last job, its probably best not to list that manager as a reference. Also, unless you have a ride or die bestie that will commit to the bit, its best not to list friends as references.
If the interviewer asks why you left a job that you hated, or maybe you were fired from, DO NOT BASH THAT COMPANY OR MANAGER!!!! That is going to make you look immature and also like you are hard to work with. Say something along the lines of 'I just didn't see myself as a good long term fit there, I have different goals and aspirations that I would like to explore in an environment that more fits the career I want.' again, bullshit until you make it. But whatever you do, don't say, 'oh that job sucked, my manager was a bitch, they weren't fair ect.'
A company should never ask for a picture of you prior to an interview. They also can't make you submit a video either. They should never ask your age, unless that is relevant to the job (like an 18 year old can't be a bar tender). They can NOT ask if you are pregnant. If you are clearly pregnant and they tell you they won't hire you because of that, you could have a suit on your hands.
Hiring you on the spot (when its not fast food) could be a red flag. Tell them you would like to think it over for a day or so.
Not being upfront about the salary is a no-no.
If anyone want to tack anything onto this feel free! I just felt compelled to make this post because I see so many people getting passed over for jobs when it doesn't reflect on them as a worker. Also, a lot of people just do not know this stuff. I think there needs to be an interview class in high school. Anyway, if this helps just one person I will be very happy!