TEENS GET ADVICE ON BEST WAY TO LAND JOB; EVENT OFFERS TIPS ON DRESS, INTERVIEWS.

Byline: Romy Jacobson Daily News Staff Writer

Baggy pants and midriff blouses may be teen-age dressing ``do's,'' but they're job interview clothing ``don'ts.''

Wearing a dress coat and slacks instead of a Georgetown sweat shirt and jeans when talking to a prospective boss was one of the tips offered to more than 200 local high school students at the second annual Business/Education Conference at Antelope Valley College.

``It's very important for students today to have work experience as well as a college education so they can see the relativity of academics in the working world,'' said Betsy McKinstry, a retail marketing and fashion merchandising teacher at Antelope Valley High School. ``We want the kids to go on in education but we want them to prepare themselves because it's going to be more competitive.''

Besides watching a ``dress for success'' fashion show modeled by other teens, the students talked to local business people in mock job interviews, learned how to search for employment on the Internet, and listened to business people talk about time management, sexual harassment laws and work ethic.

Before the mock job interviews, students prepared resumes and job applications. The students were applying for an office assistant position.

Christina Shiflet, a junior at Desert Winds High School, said she's no stranger to job interviews.

``I've been interviewed before so I wasn't nervous,'' said the 17-year-old Shiflet, who works part time at a Wendy's fast-food restaurant. ``I would like to be an office assistant or work as a pharmacist, maybe a schoolteacher.''

Highland High School senior Wilton Smith said he picked up some organization and interview tips.

``The interviewer talks back and tells you what you're accomplishing and what to say,'' said Smith, 17, who will enter the Army upon graduation. ``You get to see the job process.''

Though Rachel Kainzrants said she was learning valuable information on how to present herself on an interview, the 17-year-old Highland High School junior wanted to be back in school.

``I have a 4.0 (GPA). I've got to keep it up,'' said Kainzrants, who plans on enlisting in the Navy after graduation and then studying to become an orthodontist.

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PHOTO (1 -- 3 -- color) Highland High School students participate in the Business/Education Conference's fashion show on how to dress for a job interview. Barry Jenkins, above, sports the proper attire while Kim Rutherford, left and far left, displays the wrong and right approach, respectively. Monday's event at Antelope Valley College was the second annual conference.

Jeff Goldwater/Daily News