Holiday Job Interview Questions for Teens

As the holiday season approaches some high school students and teens are making plans to find holiday jobs. With unemployment rates among teens 16-19 years old at 18.5%, it will be a competitive marketplace this holiday season. For many teens, this holiday job could be a first job. As teens think about filling out job applications they should also be thinking about writing a high school resume as well as prepare for the job interview. The following seven job interview questions are examples of what the employers might ask high school students and teens in the job interview. These job interview tips will serve as a guide to help high school students and teens come up with the best answers in the job interview this holiday season.

Q. Tell me a little about yourself?

A. The employer wants to learn more about skills, abilities and some interests. Make the answer brief. A rough rule of thumb is to say something about the recent past, something current and a plan for the future. Here is an example one teen could share in the job interview, Past- "I worked last summer at a summer camp." Present - "I am currently a Sophomore at Norristown High School and I take all honors classes. I am a part of the outdoor drill team and the art club." Future - "I hope to major in Business in college".

Q. Why did you apply for this holiday job?

A. Tell the manager why you applied for this particular holiday job. Talk about your interests and your availability, not the fact that a friend worked there. As a high school student, speak to the flexibility that the job schedule offers, how close the job is to home or school or that you are saving for something specific like a holiday season trip, band camp or your first car.

Q. Do you participate in extra curricular activities?

A. High school students and teens should always be involved in extracurricular school activities, take elective classes outside of school or volunteer. Teens shouldn't be afraid to speak about activities such as music lessons, band practice or helping in a family business.

Q. What would teachers or counselors say about you?

A. This is a good opportunity to speak about excellent performance in a favorite class. Speak about teachers would give good letters of recommendation.

Q. Tell me about how you solved a problem you had?

A. The interviewer wants to learn about problem solving skills. The manager wants to know how teens handle challenges or conflicts. Be sure to give specific examples. Talk about a real problem and the solution. Teens should practice using examples that have good outcomes.

Q. What is your availability this holiday season?

A. Teens should share availability and the number of hours they can work daily or weekly. Saturday and Sunday are big days for retailers so be available. High school students and teens should share times they know they will be able to maintain.

Q. A lot of people applied, why should we hire you?

A. This question is usually asked last and is a good opportunity for teens to talk about job skills, behaviors and achievements and how these things would be an asset to the company.

Teens should know that preparation for the job interview is key to interview success. Read Interview FAQs from BullsEyeResumes and subscribe to the career blog for high school students. High school sample resumes as a guide to write a good high school resume.

Also, teens should take the job description to a high school career counselor and ask for assistance including a practice job interview.