If you're applying for a job, you need to read this

Yeppoon business owner explains where 60 young job seekers went wrong.

Sometimes applying for jobs and attending job interviews is about more than just luck. Picture: PeskyMonkey

SIXTY youngsters applied for a junior position with a Yeppoon retailer recently and what a third of them did horribly wrong shocked the owner of the business.

While the businessman did not wish to be named, he was happy to talk about the experience in the hope that it might give young job hopefuls some advice on what not to do when job hunting.

The advertised vacancy was for a weekend clean-up role.

"A lot of the kids who came in for the job looked like they'd been made to apply by their parents," the owner said.

"You could tell that a lot of them, at least a third of them, had no interest at all in actually doing the job.

"They might have just been coming in because their mates had applied for the job, or they just got made to come in and apply for it."

The business owner said he was surprised that the majority of applicants had displayed poor body language.

"Most of them couldn't look me in the eye or even shake my hand," he said.

"The proper mannerisms and the things that we learnt in the old days were just not there, they pretty much had no idea at all.

"I've got three young kids myself and you teach them straight up that it's a matter of respect to look people in the eyes when you're talking to them.

"You never put your head down, you do get nervous I understand that, but when you're going in for a job interview you've actually got to have a bit of initiative about yourself and hold yourself a lot better than what these young kids were."

The owner said a surprising number of the job hopefuls had come in for their interview with their mum.

"At 16 or 17 years old, if you're mum is coming in with you to an interview then straight up I think, no.

"Half of the mums were doing the talking for the kids as well, which is not what you want to see as an employer."

The owner said of the 60 applicants there was one junior who stood out.

"The kid who I did choose, he was so keen to get the job he did not stop ringing me and asking if I'd picked someone for the job.

"I could tell this kid really wanted the job.

"He would follow up on it every day and that stood out straight away.

"He was also one of the few who came in, carried himself well, shook my hand and spoke well."

The successful candidate was given a three-week trial in the position.

Originally published as If you're applying for a job, you need to read this