Real Life | Youthlinc

Lesson Title: Interview Skills

Length of time: Subject area being addressed:

60 minutes Interviewing skills, communication, job/college
readiness
Objective of the lesson (what is the point):
To teach teens how to better present themselves in an interviewing situation so they will be more
likely to get a job or be successful with college entrance.

List of materials:
 A sign that says YES and a sign that says NO (post them in opposite sides of room)
 Copies of Tips for Interviewing for everyone
 Copies of Interview Prep sheet for everyone

1. Get Background Knowledge. Indicate what questions you will ask. Choose a Questioning
Strategy from the list called “Questioning Strategies”
Tell students that the left side of the room represents the answer “NO” and the right side of the room
represents the answer “YES.” You will ask them questions and they will move to either YES side or NO
side. You should put up a sign with those words on it before you begin.

Ask the following questions. Depending on your site, choose which ones are most relevant or adapt
them:
1. Does anyone here have a job?
a. Then, while they are either at YES or NO, ask the YES group: What jobs do you have?
2. Who here plans to have a job during high school?
a. To the either group: What kinds of jobs can you get during high school?
3. Who knows what an interview is?
a. To the YES group: What is an interview?
4. Who here has done an interview before?
a. To the YES group: What was it for? How did you do?

When finished, have students take their seats.

 Hook (Something fun and cool to “hook” students’ interest):

Last time we practiced how to fill out forms, including job applications. Today we will practice
Interviewing.
To start us out, we are going to have a brave person come up and be interviewed by the teacher in
front of the whole group.
Get a volunteer to come up, or have one pre-selected before you start.
Position yourself and the interviewee in the front and start:
 First, welcome the guest and introduce yourself as a famous person you know the group would
like (President of the US, famous singer, actor, etc.) Who will you be?
 Tell the guest that they will be interviewing to be your assistant.
1. Why do you want to work for me?
2. Tell me about yourself. Why should I hire you?
3. What do you do in your free time?
Real Life | Youthlinc

5. What five words would best describe you?

Once you are done with this little example, ask these follow up questions:
1. What were some good things you saw our volunteer do?
2. What questions were hard?
3. What questions were easy?
4. What did the volunteer’s body language look like?
5. Would you hire this person?

2. Lesson(describe and include all materials needed):

1. Put students in small groups (3-4, including peer mentor)

2. In their groups, go over the handout “Tips for Interviewing”
3. Have teens fill out the blank spots for strengths, weaknesses, additional questions
4. Have peer mentors do one, too, and help other teens through that portion

3. Extended activity students will work on once they have the new information you’ve presented.
Describe activity, list all materials needed.

 Now that the teens have some background on the tips for interviewing, we are going to
practice interviewing each other!
 But first, we are going to watch a good example.
 Invite a peer mentor up to be interviewed by you. Remind them before you start of the tips for
interviewing they just went over.
 Tell everyone that you will be interviewing this person to work at this Community Center
(Sunnyvale, Hser Ner Moo, PAL, etc.)
 Ask the peer mentor the following questions: (pick and choose depending on the vibe)
1. Why do you want to work here?
2. What kind of experience do you have?
3. Tell me about yourself.
4. Why should we hire you?
5. What do you do in your free time?
6. What do you think of working in a group?
7. How well do you work under pressure?
8. What do you feel are your greatest strengths?
9. What do you feel are your weaknesses?
10. What five words would best describe you?
11. What are your long term goals?

When you are done with this part, thank the volunteer and then ask these follow up questions:
1. What were some good things you saw our volunteer do?
2. What questions were hard?
3. What questions were easy?
4. What did the volunteer’s body language look like?
5. Would you hire this person?
Real Life | Youthlinc

NEXT, give students the handout “Interview Prep Sheet”

 Tell students to think of a place they would like to work during high school and write in on the
sheet. Then, go through the sheet and think of answers to all of the questions listed (they can
write them or have them in their mind). Give them 5 minutes to do this
 Now put them in pairs (peer mentors included and with students that need the most
support).
 Tell them that 1 person will be the interviewer who will interview the other person. The
interviewer will pretend to be the manager at the place they want to work and ask the
questions.
 Then take turns once the first person is complete.
 How will you check for understanding/debrief
4.

As teen are practicing, go around and observe how they are doing. Give feedback, encourage them to
stay on task and to practice the interview skills.