Preparation

Volunteer for a cause

Volunteering is a great way to gain work experience and can often be flexible to fit in around school or other commitments.

Some schools and local youth clubs offer The Duke of Edinburgh’s Award for young people aged 14-24. Each young person builds their own DofE programme – picking their own activities and choosing which cause to volunteer for.

Achieving a Bronze, Silver or Gold DofE Award displays commitment to learning new skills, teamwork and volunteering – a fantastic achievement that stands out on any CV!

Say yes!

Take up as many opportunities as possible. This could be joining after school clubs, sitting on a student council at school or college, or taking part in other extra-curricular activities and community events.

These experiences can be drawn on at interview as employers will ask questions about your different skillsets. Whether that’s teamwork, leadership, decision making, or even handling difficult situations. It’s always helpful to lots of different examples to hand.

Build a CV

Recruiting employers will understand that school leavers will not have much, if any, work experience. They will still want to see a CV, even as part of an online application.

Building skills and experiences through work experience, volunteering and taking up new opportunities through after school clubs and activities will offer plenty of content to focus on, alongside academic achievements.

Click here to access free CV templates and other top tips, including an example for a school leaver.

Preparation, preparation, preparation

Employers want to find out if the candidate can do the job on offer, so it’s important to read the job description and research the company thoroughly before attending an interview.

Companies will usually host information on their service or products, as well as their company values and priorities on their website.

Successful candidates will show how their skills, experiences, and values match up to the job in hand.

Find more tips on how to prepare for an interview here.

Interview practice

Going for a job interview can be a daunting prospect but it’s something that gets easier the more you do it.

Some schools and colleges offer mock interviews, or asking a friend or family member can also help. Taking up opportunities like this are an important experience. Treating it as a real interview and taking on board feedback for next time is the key. Practice makes perfect!

There are some generic skills that employers tend to ask questions about. This usually covers things like teamwork, communication and customer service, which we have already touched on above.

Using the STAR method can help with answering these questions.

• SITUATION – Describe the situation or context of the example
• TASK – Explain the task you were given or the goal you set
• ACTION – Describe the actions you took to complete the task or achieve the goal
• RESULT – Explain the outcome of your actions and what you learned from the experience

Even better, make sure that your answers are specific, highlight your key skills, and positive outcomes.

Find more information and guidance on interview technique here.