Secrets to Snagging the Most Popular Teen Jobs By Larry Reaves At Isnare.com Ezine Articles

All teen jobs are not created equal. Lucky teenagers grab jobs at high-dollar restaurants, laid-back coffee shops or clothing stores like Hollister and American Eagle. Unlucky teens get jobs frying fish sticks at Uncle Leo's Seafood Shack.

How can you be sure you get the job you want? Here are a few tips especially for teens.

Defy stereotypes. Many managers almost expect teen job seekers to be less professional-and even less respectful-than older applicants. Show them you're different. Arrive on time to the interview. Shake hands firmly. A suit's appropriate for an interview at an office job; for more casual jobs, an ironed shirt and a nice skirt or pants are fine.

Be what the company's looking for. Read job descriptions carefully to get a mental picture of the employer's ideal candidate. Take these two:

"Enthusiastic servers wanted for fast-paced, high-energy and FUN environment."

"Responsible individual needed for highly visible front-desk position at downtown law firm."

The smart teen job seeker will tailor his or her interview style to match the tone of the job description. Naturally bubbly? Play it up for the server job; put on your serious face for the receptionist post.

Tell them what they want to hear. Teen job seekers should practice interview questions ahead of time with a friend or parent. One you're guaranteed to hear is "Why do you want to work here?" This is a trick question – it's not really about you, it's about the company.

Wrong answer: "Well, I think I'd enjoy working here. My friends say it's a pretty chill place."
Better answer: "I'm excited about working for one of my favorite stores and I really like the team atmosphere here."

One more classic: "Why are you a good fit for the company?" Again, think about what you can offer them, not the perks they'll offer you.

Wrong answer: "I like the flexible work hours and the uniforms aren't too hideous. Besides, how could I say no to free burritos?"
Better answer: "I'm a hard worker and I have a lot of energy. I think I would be a strong addition to your team."

Don't be scared to talk about money. Money's a good thing. Money's the reason you want a job, right? However, many teen job seekers-and adults too-find it difficult to bring up the subject in a job interview.

Be brave and do it! Ask about the hourly wages. Ask how long it takes, on average, for an employee to get a raise. Ask about vacation days, sick days, insurance and benefits. If you don't ask now, you won't find out until after you have the job-and by then you could be stuck in no-paid-vacation-ever-land.

Be realistic when you're talking about your pay, however. Use an online wage calculator to figure out what the average wage is for the job you're interested in. And keep in mind that if the employer won't budge on salary, maybe you can negotiate flexibility on other things, such as scheduling or sick days.

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