The WORST things to say in a job interview
Sorry, I’m late.
My phone ran of battery, I wanted to call.
No, no questions, I’m pretty keen to get out of here.
This is really important.
Might just take this. Do you mind?
Hello? Oh hi mum!
Hello, I’m Emma from mmmEnglish.
Today we’re going to be talking about
going to a job interview.
Now if you’ve ever done this before,
I want you to think of one word that describes
the experience, an adjective,
just one that summarises the experience
of going to an interview.
Or maybe you can share an emoji
that summarises the experience.
The interview is just like a conversation but there’s the
added pressure of being professional,
saying all of the things that your future employer
wants to hear
and of course, doing all of this while being
true to yourself and authentic.
So doing all of this is stressful enough
in your own native language
but doing it in your second language must take things
to a whole new level
But the tips that I’m sharing today are really relevant
to anyone who’s preparing for a job or for an interview.
Now, of course planning and practice
helps you to prepare for an interview.
It’s excellent to have an idea
of what you’re ggoing to say but in an interview,
there are also plenty of things to steer clear of, right?
There are plenty of things that you definitely
shouldn’t say or do.
Today, we’re going to talk about three of the worst
things that you can possibly say or do
when you go to an English interview.
We’re going to talk a little bit about
your interview strategy and
practise some phrases that you can use to make a really
good impression.
Last call everyone.
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Alright, now I want to talk very quickly about the
two roles that people play in an interview.
The first is the person who is asking all of the questions
we call them the interviewer,
the interviewer.
And then there’s the person receiving the questions
and answering them. We call them the interviewee.
Okay, that’s you, the interviewee.
So when I interview a new teacher to join my team,
I’m the interviewer and they are the interviewee.
So you’ll hear me use these words
throughout the lesson. So just
remember which one’s which, okay?
One of the worst things that you can
say or do in an interview is be apologetic,
to be sorry about something that you just don’t
need to be sorry about.
Sorry, I’m late.
Sorry, my English is really bad.
Sorry, I’m feeling really nervous.
I don’t know. Sorry.
And although being sorry is polite in many other
circumstances and being vulnerable and honest
about your feelings is also important sometimes
and even though the interviewer may understand,
in English, using the word ‘sorry’
changes the tone of a conversation and especially
in the context of an interview.
It just adds a negative perspective to things
that you’re talking about and it makes you look bad
or worse than you need to.
So in an interview,
any kind of apology really makes you seem
unsure of yourself, flustered,
it can even make the interviewer
feel a little uncomfortable.
Sorry, I think I forgot to brush my teeth this morning.
The interview should be a positive experience
for everyone, for you and for them.
So you may not realise it, but in English you can be late
or you can be nervous without apologizing for it.
So I want to show you
some alternative expressions to try.
Thank you so much for your patience, I made it.
My English tends to get a little shaky during interviews
so I might ask you to repeat every now and again,
if that’s okay?
Well, I’m excited about this interview,
what should we talk about?
To be honest, I don’t know the answer right now.
I need a little bit more time to think about it.
Can you see the difference? We’re responding to
exactly the same situation,
but we’re doing it in a much more positive way
so practise these expressions a few times
so that you’ve got them ready for action
just in case you need them during your interview.
And,
if you’re really, really feeling like you need to apologise
for something then don’t say “Sorry”
use “My apologies” instead.
It’s just a little more formal
and a little more appropriate for an interview.
Now the second worst thing that you can do
during an interview is to make yourself
the most important thing in the room, especially
when the interviewer is trying to understand
why you want the job.
So tell me Emma,
What motivated you to apply for this position?
Well, my grandma’s really sick
and I have to help pay for her hospital bills, so
I really need the job.
My current boss is a total nightmare.
I just, I can’t wait to get out of there.
Well, I want to learn more about marketing because
I want to launch my own business and I feel like
I can do that sooner if I, you know, learn from you guys.
You guys have got such great marketing!
Actually, I’ve already got a job so it’s not that I need it
but I’ve got a bit of spare time during my week and
this job could be a good filler.
Now maybe you do need the cash,
maybe you are really desperate to learn a particular skill.
Maybe this would be the perfect job to fit your schedule.
But please don’t tell them that, right?
Save these kinds of comments for the conversations
that you have with your friends after the interview.
Try to avoid saying “I want”
or “I need” during an interview.
It’s not about you. Okay?
The interviewer is a lot more interested in what
you can do for them
rather than how the job is going to benefit you.
So when you’re talking about why you want the job,
make sure you talk about how your goals
and your ambitions can be valuable to them
and what they want.
So let’s look at a few different alternatives.
I just love the story and the concept behind this brand.
I’d love to contribute to the growth of such
an exciting company.
Well, I learned a lot from my last employer
and I really think that I can apply those skills to this role
and get a great outcome for you guys.
Actually this place seems like somewhere where my
skills would be a great fit
and I’m excited to take on some new challenges too.
This position seems really interesting, I’d literally
rearrange my schedule for the chance to be involved.
Can you see the difference?
When you express these types of attitudes,
most interviewers would feel excited
and optimistic about the contribution
that you can make to their team.
And finally, the third worst
thing that you can say or do during an interview.
Alright, well before we wrap things up,
do you have any questions that you’d like to ask me?
No.
No questions.
No,
I think I’ve got a pretty good understanding.
Questions.
Questions.
No, not really. No.
So what exactly do you guys do around here?
Never ever go into an interview without at least
one or two great questions prepared
so that you can ask them to the interviewer yourself.
This is your chance to become the interviewer
for a few minutes and even if you don’t have any
specific questions, that shouldn’t stop you from at least
showing interest in asking questions.
This is how we show interest in other people
and in the context of an interview that is exactly
what you need to be doing. You want to show interest.
You want to be curious about the job.
So are you married? You’ve got kids?
That’s too curious!
But curious and interested enough
to generate some good discussion about
the interviewer, about the company that they work for
or about the position.
So the best way to do this is with open-ended questions.
An open-ended question is one that
the person answering can’t answer in just a few words.
Okay, they need to explain or express something,
give an opinion a perspective or a reason.
Closed questions are answered with yes or no.
Do you like working here?
This is a closed question. Right? It’s limited. But
“What motivates you to keep working here?”
is an open-ended question.
Alright, can you see the difference?
The answer is going to be much different.
So I want you to practice these ones with me.
Sure, I’ve got a few questions.
What’s the work culture like here?
Actually, yes,
how would you describe the management style here?
Yes, I was wondering
what the company’s five-year plan is
and how does this role fit into it?
Yeah, I’ve got one more question.
What kinds of opportunities are there to learn
and grow in my role? What’s the company’s
position on professional development?
So questions like these, open-ended questions,
allow you to direct the conversation to the interviewer
and give yourself a bit of a break
from being under the spotlight.
So that was three things that you should
definitely avoid during interviews.
So while you’re preparing for an English job interview,
I want you to make sure that you consciously
try to avoid those different scenarios.
Now have you got any advice about what to say
or perhaps what not to say during an interview?
I’d love to hear about it so make sure you
share it in the comments below and if you enjoyed this
lesson, make sure you let me know by giving it a like
and leaving a comment down below.
I’m thinking about making some more videos
to help you perform better at interviews
so if you like the sound of that then let me know.
But in the meantime you can jump right into another
professional English lesson right there.
I’ll see you in there!