English Job Interview Dos Donts English Conversation Practice

It’s one of my most popular series ever
here on Youtube. Today it’s a compilation

interviewing for a job in America. If English
isn’t your native language, you’re going to

learn some English and some important phrases
to know for interviewing and everybody is

going to learn that you can prepare for and
ace your next job interview, let’s do this.

You’re hired! Two words everybody loves
to hear. But before we hear these words

comes (dun dun duuuuhn!) the

interview. Today’s video is part one in a series
that’s all about preparing for a job interview.

This is part one of a five part series on
preparing for an interview. Interviewing

for a new job can be a huge
source of stress and anxiety.

And if you’re interviewing for a job in a
non-native language, the stress can be even

higher. In this video you’ll see me interview for
a job. Throughout the interview, we’ll discuss

some of the most common interview questions and
how to answer them. You’ll also learn some basic

information to get you started on creating your
own answers to these questions. Let’s begin.

TK: Hello Ms. Smith, I’m Tom Kelley.
Thanks so much for coming in.

RS: It’s my pleasure, thanks
so much for meeting with me.

TK: Of course. Did you have
any trouble finding the office?

Small Talk. Most interviews will start out
with a handshake and some small talk – this

may include questions about how you’re doing,
your travel to the interview, the weather,

how your weekend went, and more. All you
need to do is be polite and friendly.

Keep your answers short. You can
also feel free to turn the question

back to the interviewer. For instance, if the
interviewer asks you how your weekend was,

you might respond, “It was great, we celebrated my
Mom’s birthday. How was your weekend?” Small talk

is used to build a more comfortable environment
before the interview begins. It may seem silly,

but you can practice small talk on your own
by asking yourself simple, easy-to-answer,

non-personal questions. You could also practice
with a friend. Here is an example of small talk:

How are you doing?

I’m great, thank you, and you?

How are you doing?

I’m doing really well. It’s
such a nice day out there.

It is! It was perfect weather all weekend.

It was.

Did you do anything
interesting over the weekend?

Yes, I went to the park
with my family for a picnic.

That sounds nice.

It was. And you?

I worked this weekend, but I
got a lot done, so that was good.

It does feel good to get work done!

You can see we haven’t said much of importance,
but the conversation is friendly and open,

and can make two people feel more
comfortable in each other’s presence.

TK: Hello Ms. Smith, I’m Tom Kelley.
Thanks so much for coming in.

RS: It’s my pleasure, thanks
so much for meeting with me.

TK: Of course. Did you have
any trouble finding the office?

RS: Nope. The directions
on the website were great.

TK: Good. Would you like some
coffee or water before we begin?

RS: I’m okay, thank you.

TK: Alright. So, to get started, why don’t
you tell me a little bit about yourself.

RS: Sure.

Common Question: Tell me a little bit about
yourself. It’s very common for interviewers

to simply ask you to tell them about yourself.
That can feel overwhelming! But don’t worry;

what they really want you to focus on is
your education and work history. You can

also let them know what areas you have a lot
of experience in, or what your interests are

when answering this question. Here are a
few different ways to begin your answer.

I studied at Harvard University and
graduated 2012 with a degree in business.

I’ve been working at Smith
Incorporated for 10 years as a manager.

I have 12 years of experience in graphic design.

Because of my time at Verizon, I have a lot
of experience in providing customer service.

If you’re preparing for an interview, practice
talking about yourself and your work history. 

Record yourself with a video camera if possible. 
Make sure it’s not too long, maybe around a

minute.  Go back and listen or watch, and write
down phrases that worked well to use again.  If

there was anything you stumbled over or left out,
write down some possible phrases you could have

used.  The next day, do the same exercise.  It’s
important that you don’t just write a paragraph

and memorize it, but simply practice free-talking
with some key phrases. The more you practice

before the interview, the more comfortable you’ll
feel answering the questions during the interview.

TK: So, to get started, why don’t you
tell me a little bit about yourself.

RS: Sure. I studied at the University of Florida
and graduated in 2010 with a Masters Degree in

Toy Design. After graduation, I was hired at
Happy Kid’s Creative. I’ve been there for the

past five years and am currently the Director
of Toy Production. During that time sales have

grown steadily. It’s been a great experience,
but I’ve run out of room to grow with HKC and

I’m looking for new opportunities. I have a lot of
experience leading teams in the creative process

and finding new markets for
the products that we create.

TK: That’s great. Can you tell me
how you heard about this position?

Can you tell me how you heard about this
position? This is a common question that

you’ll hear in interviews. It’s a chance to share
a little bit about the research that you’ve done

in order to learn about the position you are
applying for. It’s also a chance to share if

someone from inside the company let you know about
the position. Here are some example responses:

I heard about the position from one
of your current employees, Bob Greene.

I heard about the position from my friend
Liz Miller, who works in Accounting.

I saw this position on LinkedIn.

I read about the position on your website.

Since this is a simple question with a simple
answer, think about your answer and practice

it out loud before your interview. Record
yourself and listen. Are you easy to understand?

Are there any words that are challenging for
you? Practice these words separately, slowly,

thinking about the mouth position.
As it becomes more comfortable,

speed it up. You’re going to want to practice
tough words 10, 20, 30 times in a row.

Build your muscle memory, so in the interview
it will naturally be easier to pronounce.

TK: That’s great. Can you tell me
how you heard about this position?

RS: Of course. A friend of mine saw the position
listed on LinkedIn and forwarded it to me,

so I spent some time on your website learning
about the position and the company. I also

read an article in Business Weekly about
your work that really got me interested.

TK: What attracted you to our company?

Common Question: What
attracted you to our company?

This question gives you the opportunity
to share what you know about the company,

and why you would like to work there. Some ways
to begin your response include the following.

Notice that most responses show that you have a
strong feeling about what you learned. This will

give the interviewer more information about who
you are and what you might bring to the position.

I was really impressed with your
commitment to renewable energy.

I was very excited to learn that you support
your research department so strongly.

I read that you encourage employees
to spend time with each other

outside the workplace, and that
is something I really appreciate.

Again, think about the answer to this question
before your interview, and practice your

responses using recordings and repetition.
Even if this question is not asked, the time

spent practicing the response will be helpful when
you answer other questions during the interview.

TK: What attracted you to our company?

RS: To be honest, what really caught my eye was
your focus on growth. I was really impressed with

your ambitious goals and the clear plan you
have for achieving those goals. I also like

the support you provide for your employees.
I love your continuing education initiatives,

where you pay for employees to learn new techniques and skill sets.

I think that really helps to build
employee satisfaction and loyalty.

TK: You’ve obviously done your homework.
What would you say is your greatest strength?

Common Question: What would you say is your
greatest strength? This question gives you the

chance to talk about what you do really well as an
employee, and as a person. You can share what your

greatest strength is, then explain how that helps
you in your current job or life. For example:

My greatest strength is _________. I find
that this is very important when I _______.

My greatest strength is flexibility.
I find that this is very important

when I’m working with lots of
different people and opinions.

To practice answering this question,
write down: My greatest strength is

(blank). Then, fill in your strength. Write down
how this strength is demonstrated in your life and

work. You may come up with several
different strengths you want to highlight.

That’s great, practice them all. But in
the interview, you’ll only want to use

one or two answers. Practice answering the
questions out loud, based on what you wrote

down. But don’t just memorize written text.
Practice speaking freely on these ideas.

TK: What would you say is your greatest strength?

RS: I would say, my greatest strength is a
combination of enthusiasm and persistence.

My work ethic won’t let me settle for less
than my best. I’m able to persevere through

challenges and setbacks without falling
into frustration or anger. I’ve noticed

that this tends to keep those around me
in good spirits as well, which is a plus.

TK: That’s very good.

TK: Can you tell me about
a time where you suffered

a setback and had to maintain your enthusiasm?

Common Question: Can you tell me about
a time when you suffered a setback and

had to maintain your enthusiasm? The
interviewer may ask questions like

this to get a better sense of how you behave
and perform in certain stressful situations.

The question may be about your actual past
experiences, or a hypothetical situation,

to see how you would respond. Here are examples
of other questions that are similar to this one:

Tell me about a time when you had to
deal with a difficult client or coworker.

Tell me about a time when you
had to respond to a crisis.

Tell me about a time when you
had to give difficult feedback.

How would you handle a situation
where you and your supervisor

disagreed about an issue or course of action?

You can see, there’s a lot of variety
in the kind of way question is asked,

so it’s impossible to know exactly
what you might need to say.

In the days leading up to your interview, practice
responding to several different versions of this

question every day. This will help build important
vocabulary you might need in the interview,

and will also help you feel ready
to answer questions like these.

TK: Can you tell me about
a time where you suffered

a setback and had to maintain your enthusiasm?

RS: Sure. One definitely comes to mind. Last year
a project for a new toy was in its final stages

after two years of work. As we were looking at the
branding and working up a final marketing plan,

a competitor launched a version of the
exact same toy that we were launching.

As the leader of the project, I knew that my
reaction would set the tone for the group.

I acknowledged that it was a setback, but
challenged the group to think of this as a

blessing in disguise. I asked them to go out
and buy the competitor’s product and make a

list of anything they wished the toy could do
that it didn’t. It turned out that the list was

pretty long. We added these items to our toy, and
launched a far superior product 6 months later.

So, in many ways, the competitor’s
product became the key to our success.

TK: That sounds like a great victory. Now.
What would you consider your greatest weakness?

Common Question: What do you consider to be your
greatest weakness? This question can be a tough

one. You want to be as honest as possible when
answering this question. This is an opportunity

to show a future employer that you know yourself,
and are willing to work to improve yourself.

Share a weakness, like public speaking, or
attention to detail, fear of failure. And

then talk about ways you’ve worked on improvement
in that area. Here is a way to start a response:

My greatest weakness is ___.

It shows up in my work when __.

The ways I’ve worked to
improve in this area are __.

Take a moment to think about something
you’ve struggled with in your work life.

Think of ways that you’ve worked to improve, any
books that you’ve read, classes you’ve taken,

and so on. These are the things you want to share
with the interviewer when answering this question.

Remember, the important thing is
to show that you are aware of your

weak spots – and that you are already
working at improving in these areas.

TK: Now, what do you consider
your greatest weakness?

RS: Chocolate. Just kidding! No, my biggest
weakness is public speaking. It’s something

that I’ve spent a lot of time working on
and in which I’ve improved a great deal.

I’m very comfortable in smaller meetings
with my teams. But when I present an idea

or concept to a larger audience, I still
experience some stage fright. At this point,

I can handle these situations professionally,
but I would like to be more comfortable in these

moments so I can really enjoy the experience
of presenting, rather than just survive it.

TK: Fear of public speaking is a very common
fear; I’m in the same boat on that one!

TK: Where do you see yourself in five years?

Common Question: Where do you see yourself in
five years? This is a chance to share your goals

for the future. You want to demonstrate that
you understand what is realistically achievable

over a certain period of time. You’ll also be
letting the interviewer know how ambitious you are

with this answer. If you haven’t thought about
this question at all, it can be a great idea

to think about this before your interview.
Also, think about answers to two variations:

where do you see yourself in one year,
where do you see yourself in 10 years.

You start this response by saying:

In five years I would like to be ___.

Practice answering this question out
loud as you prepare for your interview.

If you only practice your answers in your head,
it will be much more stressful when you’re in

the room with the interviewer, speaking out loud
for the first time. Record yourself. Critique your

own speech. What was unclear? How you could you
clarify, or say more concisely, your thoughts?

TK: Where do you see yourself in five years?

RS: As I mentioned before, I’m interested in
growth. In five years I would like to be a part

of a company growing its business
on a regular and consistent basis.

I’d like to be in a Vice President position
with a focus on development. And while I know

that would require much more public speaking,
in five years I plan on being ready for it.

TK: Okay, well, I have everything I need,

but do you have any questions for me,
about the company or the position?

Common Question: Do you have any questions for me?
So far, the interview has been about whether or

not you would be a good fit for the company. With
the question “Do you have any questions for me?”,

it’s your turn to find out if the company is a
good fit for you. The questions you ask will also

show how well you know their company
and the requirements of the position.

Before the interview, write down any questions
you have about the position, the company,

or the work environment. Then practice those
questions out loud. Chances are, you won’t need

to ask all of them. Some might be answered
during the earlier parts of the interview.

TK: Okay, well, I have everything I need,

but do you have any questions for me,
about the company or the position?

RS: Yes. Imagine you’re looking back on this
hiring decision in a year. The person you hired

has exceeded your expectations. What did
he or she do that impressed you the most?

TK: That’s a great question.

I think in one year the person would have come
in and spent some time learning from the team and

people that have been here a while. Then, she or
he will begin making changes in an informed way.

In one year I want this person’s team to
be a well-oiled machine. I want them to

be bouncing ideas off each other, coming up with
new designs and making headway into new markets.

RS: That’s helpful. It’s good to
know what the expectations are.

Can you tell me a little bit more about the team
that I would be working with?

TK: Sure. I believe all of them have been with the
company for over five years and know the ropes. I

would say there’s a little bit of frustration
currently because of our lack of growth.

This will be the third time we’ve brought
in a new team leader in four years.

RS: Do you know what’s causing
that kind of rapid turn over?

T: To be honest, the last three team leaders
have been hired from within the company.

And sometimes it’s hard to think outside the
box when you’ve been inside the box for awhile.

We’re hoping to bring in some new ideas and
energy and get our development team back on track.

RS: That makes sense. I really appreciate
that you’re considering me for the position.

I’d love to be a part of the
company achieving its goals.

TK: Very good. Okay. That’s great,
thanks so much for coming in,

Rachel. It’s great to meet you. I’ll
give you a call in the next three days.

RS: Sounds good, I look
forward to it. Thanks again.

TK: My pleasure.

Notice that the interview
ends with another handshake.

You may have some more small talk at the end
of the interview as well. Hopefully by the

end of the interview you feel more comfortable
and confident than you did when you arrived.

Today we’ll discuss things like body language,

humor, and expression, and how to use
them to your advantage in an interview.

First, let’s look at the complete mock interview
from the series. What do you notice about how

I present myself, and the interviewer? What do
our postures and facial expressions say to you?

TK: Hello Ms. Smith, I’m Tom Kelley.
Thanks so much for coming in.

RS: It’s my pleasure, thanks
so much for meeting with me.

TK: Of course. Did you have
any trouble finding the office?

RS: Nope. The directions
on the website were great.

TK: Good. Would you like some
water or coffee before we begin?

RS: I’m okay, thank you.

TK: Alright. So, to get started, why don’t
you tell me a little bit about yourself.

RS: Sure. I studied at the University of
Florida and graduated in 2010 with a Masters

Degree in Toy Design. After graduation,
I was hired at Happy Kid’s Creative.

I’ve been there for the past five years and am
currently the Director of Toy Production. During

that time sales have grown steadily. It’s been a
great experience, but I’ve run out of room to grow

with HKC and I’m looking for new opportunities.
I have a lot of experience leading teams

in the creative process and finding new
markets for the products that we create.

T: That’s great. Can you tell me
how you heard about this position?