Think back to your very first job interview. How did you perform?  

Were you nervous? Did you know what to expect? Did you anticipate questions ahead of time and prepare thoughtful answers? Were you dressed appropriately? How knowledgeable were you about the work and the workplace? Did you prepare your questions for the interviewer? 

Like most of us, your first job interview probably was not your best. You were navigating a new experience, possibly without knowing what to expect. It’s difficult to perform at a high level the first time that you do anything. 

An Excellent Source of Talent 

Many businesses are looking for talented frontline employees. An often overlooked source of talent are the 4.5 million young adults ages 16-24 who are out of work or without a college degree.

Collectively, these young people are often referred to as Opportunity Youth. They have the skills employers need and are looking for an opportunity to build a long-term career. However, employers have not benefited from this wealth of talent, in part due to their difficulty in recognizing talent in someone who may look different from their ‘typical’ hires.   

These misconceptions can cause problems as early as the interview stage. HR leaders need to create conditions in the interview that sets the hiring manager and the Opportunity Youth up for success. Here are three simple strategies hiring managers can use to help uncover the skills and talents that Opportunity Youth possess. 

1. Make the Young Adult Comfortable: 

Most people are a little nervous in a job interview. Put the young adult at ease. Offer them a beverage, go for a walk, or sit in an informal area for the interview. A relaxed atmosphere creates conditions where you can have an open, honest, and thoughtful dialogue with the young person. Their answers will likely be much stronger in this atmosphere. 

2. Guide Them Through the Interview:

Many young adults who are new to the workforce do not know what to expect in a job interview. Make the structure of the interview explicit. Explain the purpose, the process, and the timing of each section of the interview. Knowing what to expect will help the young person meet (or exceed) your expectations. 

3. Allow the Young Person to Speak About Their Life and Connect these Experiences to the Role: 

Opportunity Youth may not have a significant amount of previous work experience so it is important to offer them an opportunity to make the connections between the skills they have learned in other aspects of their life and what the job entails. Ask questions that open up a dialogue and gives you insight into all the skills they possess. You can then build upon these questions with inquiries about the young adult’s interests, skills, hobbies, talents, aspirations, and long-term goals.   

Like any new process, learning to interview Opportunity Youth effectively will take time. Once you gain proficiency, you will uncover a wealth of new and competent frontline talent. 

At Grads of Life, we believe that Opportunity Youth are a tremendous source of talent. We want to help businesses access and benefit from the skills and talents that these young adults possess. That is why we’ve developed the Opportunity Manager Training, an online program made up of short and actionable sessions designed to help managers learn to interview, onboard, train, supervise, support and promote Opportunity Youth in the workplace.  

Take our free Frontline Manager Assessment and find out how we can help your organization improve the hiring, engagement and retention of your frontline talent.