How to help your teen prepare for an apprenticeship interview

Jan 24
4 min read

Updated: Jul 22

Interviewing can be nerve-wracking, so it’s worth reassuring your child that interviewers are not looking to catch them out and pick fault with them. Quite the opposite! They're just as keen to find the right person for their apprenticeships as students are to find the right opportunity.

That said, employers like to be taken seriously as there’s a lot of time and money invested in the interview process. There are some fundamental must-dos before moving on to the tips that could make your child stand out from others.

How to help your teen prepare for an apprenticeship interview

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Fundamental things they should do for the interview:

Dress smartly, whether the interview is face-to-face or online. Be fresh, clean and alert (make sure they have not been out partying the night before). Wear smart, suitable shoes (no trainers, slip-ons or open toes). No brightly coloured nail varnish and minimal cosmetics. If the interview is online, make sure the background is appropriate and uncluttered.
Find out about the organisation. Your child must be able to give a heartfelt, credible reason why they want to work for whoever is offering the apprenticeship. If they’ve had work experience with them already, so much the better.
Be on time! It reflects very poorly to arrive late for an interview, even by a few minutes. In most cases interviews run to a tight schedule; aside from making a poor first impression, arriving late leaves them less time than others to stand out, and the interview is unlikely to be extended.
Allow some contingency. Make sure your child plans their journey so they arrive with time to spare. If there are problems with public transport or traffic, they'll have factored in a buffer. If they need the rest room, they'll have time. If it’s hot outside, they'll have a chance to cool down. If nerves strike, they can get a glass of water.
Check whether they'll be expected to give a presentation, and prepare for it if so.
Be able to talk fluently about what they mentioned in their CV and application. It can be a long time between making the application and getting the interview, so brush up on anything relevant that has happened in between.

Preparing for an interview

To help your child prepare, a list of commonly asked interview questions is included below. The aim isn't to encourage them to learn answers off by heart, but to build their confidence in speaking around these topics. One way of forming answers is to use the STAR method, as recommended by the National Careers Service: explain the situation, what task was assigned, what action they took, and what the results were.

Research the company and job role

Questions about the company itself are likely, so make sure your child has carefully researched the values and aims of the business. Direct them to the required skills and competencies in the job description to understand what the employer is looking for and how they can demonstrate these in their responses.

Prepare responses

Get your child to write down some shorthand answers to each of the questions. Preparing thoroughly gives them thinking time and helps them provide considered responses to difficult questions.

Reflect on past experiences

Make sure your child can support their answers with specific examples of when they previously demonstrated the skill or character trait they're talking about.

Practise

One of the key things employers look for is good communication skills. Encourage your child to practise their responses out loud to improve how they come across. You may wish to role-play interviews using the list of questions below. Pay attention to what your child says, how they speak and their body language.

Questions about the company:

Why do you want to apply for this apprenticeship?
Why do you want to work for this company?
What do you know about this company?
What qualities do you think are important to this role?
Which part of the job role do you think will be the most challenging?
What do you think are the most challenging issues facing the company at the moment?

Questions about the applicant:

Tell me about yourself.
What skills can you bring to the role?
What do you think makes you stand out from other applicants?
What are your three key strengths?
Do you have any weaknesses? (the answer is always yes!) What are they and how are you addressing them?
Where do you see yourself in 5 years?
What do you think you would like least about this role?
Give an example of why you're a good communicator or team member.
How have you influenced team decisions?
How do you respond to stressful situations, pressure or difficult customers?
What are your hobbies and interests?

Prepare your own questions

It's very common for interviewers to ask applicants if they have any questions at the end. This is a great opportunity for your child to show their interest in the apprenticeship. Help them prepare some questions in advance. A good way is to find a recent news article about the company or industry and, based on it, think of a question they might ask.

Questions your child might ask:

Where do you think this company is going to be in the next five years?
What do apprentices usually go on to do?
Will there be the option to continue my training after the apprenticeship finishes?
How regularly will my work performance be reviewed?