Getting ready for an interview in English: teacher advice

Among the things and events associated with moving to the USA, there are those that remain in the memory for many years: the first day in a new country, the first home, the first car, and, of course, the first interview. Passing an interview in English is a task of increased complexity, since the stress of the interview itself is aggravated by the fear of making some unforgivable grammatical mistake, forgetting a necessary word, not understanding the HR manager’s question... In general, everything can go wrong in a dozen different ways. That being said, there is only one way to prevent language failure at an interview: preparation. English language school ABA English (American and British English) shared with ForumDaily the most useful words and expressions that need to be repeated before the interview in America.

Photo: Shutterstock

It is no secret that HR managers have standard questions that they ask candidates for any position, regardless of the level of qualifications and the scope of the company. These questions can be heard in a hospital, restaurant, consulting company or travel company, and the answers must be carefully thought out and learned.

What are your strengths and weaknesses? — What are your strengths and weaknesses?

There is no single correct answer to this question. You will have to compile it based on what you know about the position. With strengths, everything is relatively simple - take something from the requirements in the vacancy text, which you are ready to support with an example from your previous work or study experience - you will almost certainly be asked to share some kind of story. You can start the story with the words “One of my strengths is my ability to...” - and then anything can follow: “find creative solutions” (find non-standard solutions), “effectively communicate with difficult customers” (successfully communicate with difficult clients), “work under pressure and with deadlines” (work under pressure and with tight deadlines).

Six more strong quality options:

Proactive - the word “proactive” refers to a whole range of qualities that any employer wants to see in an employee. A proactive person prevents problems rather than reacting to them, and often does more than he was asked to do.

Hard-working is the closest analogue of the Russian “workable”, no comments.

Organized – you shouldn’t describe yourself as “organized” if it’s not true. Some little thing will definitely give you away, which will not escape the trained eye of the interviewer.

Team player - “team player”. If the job posting mentions the team and team values, mentioning that you work well with others will be appropriate in the interview.

Multitasking - “multi-tasking”. You need to be very careful with this word. These days, authors of books on personal effectiveness are increasingly talking about the dangers of multitasking and the need to remain mindful. It would be safer to say that you are “able to stay focused while juggling multiple tasks.”

Open-minded - “unbiased”, capable of perceiving new things. Well suited for candidates in the creative field. They may also describe themselves as “able to think outside of the box”—capable of non-standard thinking.

The question about weaknesses is more subtle. The standard recommendation that you will find on sites with job search advice is to talk about disadvantages that can easily be mistaken for advantages. This advice must again be followed with an eye on the requirements for the applicant. For example, if an employer wants an employee to do a job that requires concentration, but does not mention a “fast-paced work environment,” you could communicate that you tend to “double-check everything.”

What are your expectations in terms of salary? — What are your salary expectations?

Regardless of the wording, the question of the amount of expected salary is tricky and can take you by surprise. It is best not to answer it, citing the fact that you “need more information about the position” (need additional information about the position). Ideally, you should not announce any amounts without hearing the employer's first offer. However, it is worth checking how much professionals in this position are paid on average and what the salary level is in this company - for this you need to visit the websites before the interview Payscale и Glassdoor. If you still have to answer, it makes sense to say “I am focusing on the jobs in ... to ... range” (“I concentrate on offers in such and such a range”), and not to report a specific amount.

Sometimes the salary question is asked in a more subtle way - you are asked about the amount that your previous employer paid you. People who are looking for their first American job and until recently received salaries in rubles or hryvnia feel especially unpleasant in this situation. The best way to avoid answering is to politely but firmly refer to the confidentiality of this information.

Why should we hire you? - Why should we hire you?

Another question that baffles those who did not come up with an answer in advance. The general answer formula is as follows: the past (refer to your experience) plus the future (describe your potential contribution to the success of the company that will hire you). In practice, this may sound like this:

• I have been working in .... for N years, I could develop expertise in ... (I worked in the field of ... N years, and so I was formed as a professional in ...)
• I think my skills are ideal for your company, and I can contribute by the fact that ...)
• Although I’m enthusiastic about something. (Although I have no experience in ..., I quickly learn and adapt easily to new situations, especially when I am passionate about something).

To get a good answer to this question, it’s worth looking at how the company’s goals are formulated - often this information is on the corporate website, but most job candidates do not pay attention to it.

A common mistake when answering this question is to start comparing yourself to others. No one can look good while fighting imaginary competitors in absentia.

Photo: Shutterstock

Do you have any questions for us? — Do you have any questions for us?

The final chord of any interview is the stage at which the candidate should ask questions. It's best to have them: When the interviewer tells you about the position (usually this happens at the very beginning), you can write down the questions in a notepad - the ability to take notes is usually regarded as a positive trait in a candidate. But you should not record questions on your mobile phone: since the manager does not see what exactly you are doing, he may get the impression that you are distracted from the interview - and this is very bad. The questions should show your interest in the position, or better yet, demonstrate that you have prepared for the interview and have read the available information about the company.

An interview is not a situation where you are expected to use fancy grammatical structures. It's enough to know the basics, but know it well enough to answer questions quickly and confidently. On ABA English School website 144 grammar lessons are available - they need to be watched and revised many times until the rules settle into the subcortex. In the free version you can watch 6 out of 144 mini-movies. ABA English teachers believe that skits based on everyday situations are most effective in preparing for real-world communication, including interviews.

One last thing: One of the most common concerns candidates have before an interview is their accent. But in reality, there are quite a few vacancies where an accent can become an obstacle to hiring a good professional. Many people in America speak English with one accent or another. It is important to be calm and confident, to speak neither too fast nor too slow, to stammer less and smile more, and you will be forgiven for typical Eastern European mistakes - muting sounds at the end of words and imperfect pronunciation of the “th” sound.

See also:

How to learn English for free or almost for free

Learn English by song

8 children's YouTube channels for learning English

How to get rid of accent in English

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