Research, reading, podcasts, TED talks and the news are all great sources of information to prepare for interviews. Your teen could have great grades and work experience, but if they visit a prospective university or employer with little or no knowledge about that organisation, they’re highly unlikely to be successful in gaining a place.

The good news is they don’t need to spend hours getting interview-ready. In fact, a little time researching online from the comfort of their bedroom could give them the edge over others. Here’s what they should look out for and how to go about it.

Company, university or college: find out more

If they’re visiting a company to ask if they can volunteer, intern, shadow or work, they should find out about it beforehand. This could include the brand overall, where they’re located, how many people they employ, how long they’ve been in business, their specialism, their values, and the latest about them in the news (if there’s anything). It’s also wise to find out a little about key people, such as the chief executive, chair or founder.

Knowing the size of the organisation, how long it’s been established (especially with new universities or colleges) and positive aspects of its reputation gives relevant talking points and shows your child has thought broadly about why this organisation is right for them, rather than focusing only on course content or the job itself.

Express why it appeals

If they’re keen on a specific course or industry, why? Are there movers and shakers in that industry who have inspired them? How does it strike a chord with their personality and values? Was their interest piqued by someone they know, something they read, or something they saw on TV? Is it an essential stepping stone to a future ambition? They need to explain why they’re passionate, to help demonstrate they’ll stay motivated long term.

For college and university applications based away from where they live, finding out about the local area helps them discuss why they’d feel comfortable living there. This is especially true if they’re based in a more rural setting and the university is city-based, or vice versa.

Talk to other people

If they can, they should speak to people already doing it (or who have done it in the past), whether students or professionals, so they can hear first-hand experience. Ideally this would be face to face, but a phone call or emails are possible alternatives. There are three benefits:

1. they prove their interest by investing time and effort in finding out more

2. it gives them things to discuss at interview that are different from what others say; only they will have done their specific research, so they can explain how they went about it, what they learnt and which bits interested them most

3. reality is often different from theory; they might like the idea of something, but on further investigation find they’re not as keen, and it’s always better to find out sooner rather than later

Setting themselves apart

With young adults of a similar age group, there’s a tendency for the set curriculum literature to be quoted over and over in applications and interviews, often covering very similar themes. Get your child to stand out by being able to quote something outside their set texts.

But here’s the important thing: they must be able to discuss it and say how it affected them. There’s little point in mentioning they’ve read something if they have nothing to say about it. Your child is looking to demonstrate that they can read something, digest it, summarise it, form an opinion and express themselves. It doesn’t matter whether they conclude they liked it or not; it’s how they say it that matters.

If their goal is to study a specific subject or business area, they should research around it before applications and interviews. A good starting point is to see what’s available online, then focus on one or two books to develop their knowledge in their particular areas of interest, whether it relates to the subject itself or people who are known experts in it.

For example, if your child wants to read business studies, there are thousands of business areas to research and this could feel overwhelming, so why not select a type of business or a business expert and find out how they became a success? Such as:

• how One&Only (established in 2002) became one of the premier, highest-rated resorts in some of the world’s most beautiful places

• how Harley-Davidson started in a wooden shed as an engine to power a bicycle

• how Zoom started as a daydream to solve the problem of a long-distance relationship

This approach should let them spend time doing something they enjoy, and connect it to a goal they’ve set themselves for the future.

Not every teenager loves to read, so podcasts, audiobooks or TED talks are a practical alternative to achieve the same result, and a great way to reduce screen time too.

Current affairs

It’s a good idea for your child to be able to demonstrate some general knowledge, so they should keep an eye on the news to be aware of headline stories. During interviews, news topics can often be elevator talk, mentioned when someone meets them at reception to take them to the interview room. It may not be part of the interview, but it can have an influence. Not knowing anything about world events suggests a lack of interest, which may not be true but doesn’t reflect well.

For teens with limited interest in current affairs, spending a couple of minutes each day capturing the highlights will probably give them just enough to keep on top of what people are talking about.

Hourly radio bulletins, daily headline summaries on their phone, or watching the first five or ten minutes of the evening news are quick ways to stay in touch. If they’re not interested in sport, keeping an eye on major events or national highlights (such as Wimbledon) means they won’t be at a loss if someone strikes up a conversation.

If they’re not sure about news articles, or are struggling to get a balanced view, they could try reading opinion articles to see what other people are saying, so they can develop their own thoughts having read two different sides of an argument.

News can cover a huge range of topics: what’s happening at home and internationally, sporting events, the environment, celebrities, popular television, politics, tech and human interest. Even if your teen isn’t too interested in current affairs, there should be something featured regularly that gets them interested and fired up to find out more.

If you’d like to know how your teen can build their character, develop skills, stand out from others and improve their chances at interviews, all while doing things they enjoy, read our suggestions in The Parents’ Guide to Developing Skills and Character. It includes sections on:

• self-development and increasing confidence

• getting work experience (including virtual placements)

• the benefits of research and how to take a different approach

• how different hobbies affect mental and physical health

• which hobbies hone different transferable skills

• recommendations for non-curricular online courses

Want to help your teen build skills for the future?

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