How to ace an English job interview

It’s always tough to interview for a new job. However, it is even harder if the interview is in English and not in your native tongue. Before you schedule a Private English Class on how to brush up on your interview skills, take a look at the following tips to help you ace an English job interview.

Prepare for a few commonly asked questions. For example:

“Tell us about yourself.” – This is a question that comes up in nearly every interview. The key here is to keep your answer relevant. You don’t want to get into your work history too much or overstate how much you love your industry. The interviewer is mainly asking about you as a person. An appropriate answer would include a brief description of relevant hobbies and interests, followed by how you got into your current industry, why you feel passionate about it, and a quick mention of your most recent work history.

“What are your greatest strengths and weaknesses?” – Interviewers love to ask this question, so have a good answer prepared. It’s important to remember to make a weakness seem like a strength. For example you could say, “My biggest weakness is that I’m too much of a perfectionist, and I insist on everything being 100% perfect.” Is this really a negative statement? Not really. Whatever your weaknesses are, make them sound like strong points.

Now that we have addressed commonly asked questions, let’s talk about a few more general tips. Your first language is not English, but this is something your interviewer will be aware of, so don’t feel like you have to impress them and speak too quickly. It’s ok to breathe, think, and then answer. They would rather you pause for a moment than you jumble up your words.

Next, look in the mirror. Yes, that’s right, look in the mirror and practice! Before your interview rehearse speaking clearly. Stand up straight (or sit up straight), look yourself in the eyes and practice your answers. Make sure your body language is neutral. Don’t fidget with your clothes or bite your lips. It’s perfectly natural to be nervous, but don’t let your interviewer know just how much. Practicing in front of a mirror might help you address any nervous habits.

Lastly, after you have thought of your answers and practiced them, sign up for a Private Class and try a mock interview with a teacher. It will be great practice, and hopefully you can give some of your nervous jitters the boot by speaking to a native English speaker. We can help improve your answers and give you additional tips to perfect your interview. Good luck and see you for a mock interview soon!

image: Mr Stokey