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In this episode: Job Interview Questions

“How to have a Job interview in English and work vocabulary” – inglespodcast.com/43

Listener Feedback:

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Email from Loui:
Hi Craig and Reza:
Just to say hello and to tell you that it’s great to have you as teachers. And I think Reza knows a lot of English.

Could you tell me what to do if I need to study English in England and how hard it is. I mean, Are there programs and how expensive is it?

I know that English from the US is a” little” different from England, could it be confusing to learn English in England?

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…..and how do you feel about living in Spain? Loui.

We’ve been loving here ‘donkey’s years’ (for a long time).

We wouldn’t have stayed here if we didn’t enjoy it so much.  

Craig feels very happy in Spain.

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Vocabulary: Job Interview questions

We spoke about job interviews and gave a couple of examples in episode 43

You never know what they are going to ask you, but you can prepare some things before the interview.

Tell me about yourself? – Often comes at the beginning and could really affect the interview.

Focus on things that will be of benefit to the company or person who is interviewing you (Which is better?
“I play basketball” or “I’ve just finished an advanced computer skills course”? / “I have two children” or “I enjoy talking to people and I’m a problem solver, for these reasons I’d love to work in customer services”?

Prepare a script that includes the information you want to say. Begin by talking about past work experiences and successes, Practise before the interview, but don’t learn it word for word. It should sound conversational.
Why would you like to work here? – you need to do research – Don’t say “Because it’s close to my house!”

Check the following on the internet:

Find a teacher with italki.com

Company’s reputation
Admiration of products/services
Company awards
Company management philosophy and values
Company positioning in market
Company growth/success
What’s your biggest weakness? – Don’t give an obvious strength as a weakness “I work too hard” or “I’m a perfectionist”. Give a weakness and a solution How are you working on your weakness?
For example: It’s difficult for me to disconnect from technology. I’m always checking my smart phone, looking to see if I have new emails – However, I’m learning to pay more attention to real life – family and friends etc

Or, I’m very self-critical. I often critize my own work and sometimes I waste time checking and re-checking things. So I’m learning to trust the quality of my work more and as a result I’ve become more productive.

What have you done that you are most proud of? – This is your chance to let the employer know about some of your proudest achievements:
awards you’ve won, a project you finished successfully, raising children, a book you’ve nearly finished (personal and professional achievements) – Why do you feel proud satisfied with having done it?

What’s your biggest weakness? – “It’s often difficult for me to disconnect from technology.” / “I’m very self-critical.” / “Although I have high-standards, I shouldn’t criticize other people so much.”

Have you ever worked for a charity?

What have you done that you are really proud of? – Don’t be too specific, convince the interviewer that you want to stay and grow with the company.

“I’m excited about growing with the company and taking on more responsibility over time.”

“My goal is to have more management responsibilities and get involved in product strategy. But most importantly, I want to work for an organization where I can build a career.”

Do you consider yourself an ambitious person? – “I get pride and satisfation out of doing something well.” (you can interpret ambition in many different ways)

Do you prefer working in a group or on your own? – “I’m happy working in a team and by myself.” – “I push myself/my team to reach deadlines and achieve goals.”

What’s the biggest challenge that you have overcome in your life so far? – you can tell a personal story, but make sure it relates to the job you’re applying for. (moving to another country – learning a new
language, finding a job without having contacts, adjusting to a different culture….) Be careful of making it too personal (health problems etc – it must relate to the job)

Where do you see yourself 5 years from now? – The interview isn’t looking for an accurate prediction, but testing that you are motivated, proactive and hard-working. They are asking you about your career goals.

Similar questions include:
What are your long-term career goals?
What are your ambitions for the future?
What is your ideal job at this stage in your career?
What are you looking for?
How do you define success?
What’s most important to you in you career?

When are you free to work? – Answer with a questions: What hours does the current position require? / What do you predict the working week to look like?

Are you pepared to work overtime at short notice? – Good planning and meeting deadlines should avoid the necessity of having to work at weekends. I would be available to work some weekends depending on the circumstances.

Were you content in your last job? (avoid criticizing your last job or boss). “I didn’t feel as if I was challenged enough in my last job.”

Go to the interview with some questions prepared to ask the interviewer:

How would you describe the responsibilities of the position?
If you were to take me on, when does the job start?
How would you describe a typical day or week on the job?
Is this a new position?
What is the company’s management style?
What are biggest challenges of this job?
What are the prospects for growth and advancement?
Would you like a list of references?
When can I expect to hear from you?
How many people would be working in my team?
Are there any other questions I can answer for you?

What about salary? Should you ask during the first interview?

What can I expect as my starting salary?

What if the interviewer asks you how much you earn?

How much do you earn in your current job/previous job?

“I’m very interested in this position but I would hate for a number to eliminate me from consideration because if we go forward, I’m sure we’ll be able to reach an agreement.”

“My present salary is X. I’m looking for the best offer based on my experience and education. What’s the salary range for this position?”
If you want to know how to write a CV in English, there is help in the June and July mansión inglés newsletters:

Make sure your CV is correctly translated into English. Pay for a professional translator if you can.
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In the next episode: Word formation

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