Going to a job interview is unfamiliar and a little daunting for any school student. MoneyHub makes it easy by guiding you through the process, as well as outlining popular job interview questions and helpful template answers. 

​We aim to give you the confidence to interview well with any job you apply for. While there may be times when an unusual question is asked, we believe our guide is the most complete in New Zealand. Our additional tips cover you for the rest, giving you the confidence to shine at the interview.

Whatever you are asked, make sure your answer is genuine and factual. Don’t memorise ‘canned answers’ – instead, take the time to get comfortable with what you may be asked and put together ideas that reflects you and your experience.
Lastly, you may be asked ‘is there anything you’d like to ask’ at the end of the job interview. We have some suggested questions that engage your interviewer and guide the conversation in your favour. 

This guide covers:

• 8 interview questions and suggested answers
• 3 suggested questions to ask your interviewer
• 10 tips for interview success
• Final thoughts and further resources​

In this section, we outline eight interview questions which are often used when interviewing school students for jobs. Our suggested answers are guidance only – please take the time to think about how you would reply, and use our template as a baseline. 

At the end of an interview, you may be asked ‘do you have any questions?’. Many people fail to take advantage of this opportunity to show initiative and interest in the job. Our suggested questions and their reasons are outlined below. All of the questions listed below are open-ended, meaning you won’t get an awkward one-word answer. It’s best to ask one or two questions, and we’ve listed them in our suggested order of priority.

What do you most like about your job? 
This question shows you’re interested in the position and want to know more about the day-to-day experiences. It’s a positive question, although the answer is unpredictable, you can keep the conversation going with a follow-up question. 

What are some of the challenges in your day-to-day work?
This question asks for insights into the ups and downs of the job and is again engaging. You show much initiative for asking this, and it demonstrates you care about the job. 

What initiatives is the company introducing or planning to roll out?
This question is more suitable for big retail companies like The Warehouse, New World or Stirling Sports, rather than local cafes or restaurants. Asking the question signals that you’re engaged and interested in the company’s day-to-day activities and long-term objectives. In essence, it shows that you’re eager to be part of the company’s future.

​Our list of job interview facts gives you everything you need to know about how to behave at a job interview, as well as winning tips to make a positive and long-lasting impression. Remember – you only get one chance at a job interview, so showing up late or being unprepared are going to count against you. In every interview, you will be assessed as soon as you arrive at the company, so first impressions are everything. Our tips include:

1. Bring essential items - this includes 5 copies of your CV, a list of references and a pen and paper to make notes - even if you don't end up writing anything, having paper beside you looks like you are engaged and want to learn.
2. Arrive on time – this is essential. If your interview is at 10 am, arrive around 9:40 am. You’ll feel a lot more relaxed, as well as demonstrating you are punctual. Plan ahead and be on time. 
3. Dress smartly – interviewers don’t like scruffy, as it won’t be in keeping with the company’s image. 
4. Smile at everyone you meet – everyone knows each other, so be polite and attentive to the receptionist as they are likely to know the interviewer. 
5. Speak clearly with varied tones – for every interview question, make sure you talk with a tone that shows you’re interested and enthusiastic. 
6. Don’t rush answers – before speaking, think about the question so you can give a well-structured response. 
7. Make sure you understand the questions – listen to questions carefully, and always ask for clarification if you don’t understand something. Don’t answer something you don’t understand – that’s not going to help you get the job. 
8. Don’t talk bad about other jobs and/or people – job interviews are positive places, so avoid any mention of other jobs or people you haven’t enjoyed working with. 
9. Be confident in your experience and skills – don’t start sentences with “I only have…” or “I don’t have…” or “I have not…”. Instead, tell the interviewer what you have done, experienced and can offer to the job. 
   
10. Follow the ‘STAR’ method for answering questions about your experience - situation, task, action, result. This structures the answer succinctly and gives an answer that doesn’t leave anything out. It covers:

• Situation – describe what the situation was
• Task – describe the task you had to do
• Action – describe what you did to achieve the task
• Result – describe the final result

For example - describe a time when you had responsibility at school? 
Suggested answer – “Earlier this year, the school had two open days for prospective students and their parents. I was selected as one of five student ambassadors to take parents and children on tours of the school. I wanted to give the groups a first-rate experience, so I planned out a route of classrooms which showed the best of the school, rather than just walk around from room to room. My itinerary included the new music room, gym, computer room, sports equipment room and I got the heads of Science and Maths to do talks at the start or end of the tour with a Q&A session. The tours went very smoothly, were well-balanced and the school received a lot of positive feedback about my tours”. 

Remember, job interviews are like sitting exams or tests – the more prepared you are, the better it will go. Practice makes perfect, and the more you do, the better you will interview.

If you have any suggestions or improvements for this guide, please contact our editorial team. 

Related Guides

• Student Jobs
• CV Guide for Students
• Cover Letter Template for Students

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Student Money Saving Guides

• Student Money Tips
• Student Bank Accounts
• Student Loans

In the preparation of our tips and section, MoneyHub would like to thank Kay Wallace, HOD Careers at Western Springs College in Auckland for her generous contributions. If you're a teacher, student, graduate or parent with tips to share, please contact us - we value every contribution we receive.