A lot of students find themselves needing a job while they are high school, but finding one can be a difficult task.

Having to work around school, sports, and more can make it even harder.

But after spending hours collecting and filling out applications, and waiting for what what feels like a decade, when you finally get a call from an employer wanting to interview you there is one problem — you have never had an interview before.

What exactly are employers looking for during an interview? What are the appropriate answers they are hoping to hear?

Well, I am here to help shed some light on common questions concerning how to properly interview.

The first step to having a good interview is knowing information about the company.

You want to collect a lot of information concerning your possible employer before your interview.

Questions may be asked about your background knowledge on the company, and you want to be prepared to impress the employer.

Another key factor to having a good interview is dressing for success.

You want to make a good first impression, and doing that means you have to look professional.

Dress in business attire: cover tattoos and take out face piercings. Some employers do not mind them, but you do not want to chance anything.

Make sure to look and smell clean, with a freshly shaven face. No one likes when someone smells, especially when that person has to be around their potential customers every day.

Appearance is a key factor during an interview, so put extra time into looking nice.

Once you walk into the interview, make eye contact and give a firm handshake. It shows confidence, and employers value that.

You do not want to look down or do anything else that shows a lack of confidence.

Also make sure to be on time. If you are late, it shows that you are not dependable and, basically, ruins your interview.

First, many interviews start with a set of introductory questions, asking about your work experience, what you will bring to the company, and what your strengths and weaknesses are.

Be prepared to answer these and similar questions without hesitation. You do not want to have to sit there and take up any extra time thinking of the answer because it will make you look unprepared.

Try to answer these questions in a cool, calm, and confident manner.

You want to always have positive answers that will appeal to the company. Make yourself sound smart, dependable, and self-motivated.

Just make sure you answer every question honestly.

As the interview progresses, question will start to get trickier.

The employer will ask questions involving possible scenarios like, “What would you did if you had a customer yelling at you? How would you handle that?” or, “What would you do if you saw a fellow employee stealing from the company?”

These questions can be tough to answer, but remember, you just want to give the most appealing response that makes you sound like a trustworthy and reliable employee.

Try not to stutter or over think any of these questions.

Near the end of the interview, most employers will ask if you have any questions for them.

You always want to have a question to ask. It makes you look professional and shows that you care about the job.

If you have no questions, the best way to answer is by saying something along the lines of, “You have been very thorough through this interview and have answered all of the questions that I had planned to ask.”

One question you do not want to ask is the pay. Wait for them to volunteer this information.

The interview should last under 30 minutes, and once you get up to leave make sure to smile and give another firm handshake.

Thank them for their time and expect a call regarding the job within a week.

Just remember, knowledge, determination, and confidence are the key factors in landing a job and being successful.