Preparing for a Job Interview

…in English!
Mock Interview in English to
prepare for the
real thing!
 Definition

A mock interview is a simulation of ajob

interview used to coach job applicants for
an actual employmentinterview.
 Purpose
1. Predict interview questions

2. Prepare information to include in the answer

3. Practice answers to communicate effectively in

English by exploring grammar patterns and
structures, appropriate terminology and pronunciation

4. Polish up on interview etiquette

The 4Ps to Empowerment!

 “Acts” of an Interview

Act I: The Entrance

Act II: The Performance Act

III: The Exit

 Act I: The Entrance

The Art of Meeting and Greeting

I: Please, come in and take a seat.C:
Thank you, Sir/Madam.

I: Hello. What is your name?

C: Good morning, Mr/Mrs/Ms/Professor Smith.
My name is John Doe.(NB: first name first, last
name last!) It’s a pleasure/ Nice/Pleased to meet
you.

I: How do you do?

C: How do you do. My name is….
I: Hello. Nice to meet you, too. Thank youfor
coming.
C: Thank you for having me.

I: How are you, today?

C: I’m very well, thank you. And you?
I: Fine, thanks. Would you like a cup of
coffee or something to drink before we
begin?
C: No, thank you all the same. I’m fine.I:
Ok, then. Let’s get started.
Act II: The Performance

Core of the Interview

Question Categories

A. Persona (questions 1-4)

B. Qualifications, Work experience

and Career goals (5-9)
 A. Questions about your persona
1. Questions about you

2. Question about your strengths

3. Questions about your weaknesses

4. Questions about hobbies/interests

 1. Questions about you

Sample questions:

• Tell us something about yourself.

• How would you describe yourself?

• Can you talk to us about yourself?

Sample answer:

My name is Jane Doe. I come from Mexico, but I live/amcurrently

living in Italy.

I have conferred a BSc in Geology and hold an MSc degree in

Physics. I am currently working towards a PhD in Geophysics.(I
graduated in Geology from the University of Bari, in 2010)

My qualifications also include knowledge of petrol researchand

3 years’ experience in geological surveying.

I am single/married//separated/ divorced. I have

one/two/three…. children.
Useful Grammar:

• Present Simple to express permanent situations, habits,

routines, facts

• Present Continuous to express temporary situations,

actions in course

• Present Perfect Simple/Continuous to express:

– general experiences in the past without detailing when
and where
– experiences which began in the past, but are still in
course (unfinished actions)

• Past Simple to describe finished actions in the past at a

given, specific, or implied moment and place.
 2. Question about your strengths
Sample questions:

• What are/would you consider to be your

greatest strengths?

• What would you say your strongest assets

are?

• What are your most positive aspects?

Include 3-4 positive character traits:

adaptable trustworthy
flexible honest
hard-working persistent
reliable determined
friendly tolerant
loyal open-minded
Include 3-4 proficiency traits:

achiever expert
initiator detail-oriented
mediator team-player
quick-learner problem-solver
Leader competent
efficient multi-tasker
Sample answers:

I would say I am an honest, reliable, hard-working

person. I also possess a positive outlook towards my
profession and life in general. People say I am friendly
and good at giving advice.

I have very good leadership qualities, as well as

organizational and time management skills, but my
greatest strengths are my flexibility and ability to
effectively handle multiple projects and meet
deadlines.
Useful patterns:

• I am…
• I have/possess
• My greatest strengths are/include…
• I would (I’d) say I am….
• I would (I’d) define/describe/depict myself as….
• I consider myself to be….
• I think/believe I am…
• People say I am….
Useful Grammar:
• I am honest. (adjective)

• I am a good listener. (noun)

• I have/possess good managerial skills. (noun)

• I am good at multitasking. (-ing form noun)

• I know how/am able to adapt to new work

situations. (verb)
Verbs:

• be, have, possess, manage, perform, be good

at, can+ base verb, be able to, know how to…

• –ed/past participle form used as adjective:

I am results-oriented/focused/organised.

• -ing form used as adjective:

I am easy-going and hard-working.

• -ing form used as noun:

Developing new work strategies is one of mystrongest
abilities.
Nouns to define your traits:
I’m a good multi-tasker.

Adjectives to express traits:

Colleagues say I am friendly and competent.

Adverbs to modify degree:

• For gradables: very, quite, rather, really,
exceptionally, particularly
I can work exceptionally well under pressure.
• For ungradables: really, absolutely
My managerial skills are really amazing.
 3. Questions about your weaknesses
Sample questions:

• What are your greatest/strongest

weaknesses?

• Which aspects or areas of yourself are you

improving or would like to improve?
Sample answers:
I am always working on improving my
communications skills to be a more effective
presenter. I recently joined Toastmasters
which I find very helpful.

Sometimes, I have trouble delegating duties

to others. I’ve since taken courses intime
management and learned more effective
delegation techniques.
Useful Grammar

Linking words for contrasting:

• but, however, while, whereas,
nevertheless
I am a little shy, but I am taking a recitalcourse
to improve my confidence.
 4. Questions about hobbies/interests
Sample questions:
• What are your hobbies/interests?

• Do you practice any sports?

• What do you do your free/leisure time?

• Do you belong to any clubs or associations?

• Do you do any volunteer work?

Sample answer:
Well, I really enjoy travelling because it gives me an
opportunity to appreciate new cultures. In the evenings,I
unwind by playing the piano.

I am also keen on speed-walking and playing volleyballwith

friends.

I’m a member of the Rotary Club International where I put

forth my professional aptitudes to serve others.

At weekends, I volunteer with the Autism Society whereI

spend time with children.
Useful Grammar:
Verbs to express:
• interests: like, love, enjoy, be fond of, be
passionate about, be keen on, be
interested in, be active in
• sports: practice/do/play
• musical instruments: play

Nouns to express activities:

• -ing form: swimming, cycling, cooking…
B. Questions about qualifications, work
experience and career goals
5. Questions about the job you are applying for

6. Question about hiring you

7. Question about what you know about the

company

8. Questions about current and past work

experience

9. Questions about career goals

 5. Questions about the job you are
applying for

Sample questions:

• Why are you interested in working here?

• Why have you applied for this post?

• What do you expect from this job?

Sample answer:

It would be a privilege to work in a reputable

company such as yours. When I read about
the opening, I found that my skills and
qualifications matched the requirements, and I
could make use of theexperience gained in the
past 5 years.
Furthermore, I believe your company will
allow me to grow both professionally andas a
person.
Useful Grammar:

Verbs:
• be interested/attracted (by), appeal

Linking words to give reason:

• because, as, since, for
 6. Question about hiring you
Sample questions:

• Why should we hire you?

• Give us a good reason for taking you on.

• Why do you think you are the best person

for this position?
Sample answers:

• I think I am a great match for this position. My degree in

Maths coupled with 3 years of experience working in the
field of computational analysis helped me to improve
productivity by 30% . I believe I can do the same for your
organization and would be a great addition to your team.

• As I am a fresher, I have theoretical knowledge, but I can

work hard and learn the practical aspects quickly.
Moreover, I will make a great effort to fulfill my duties and
responsibilities and contribute to the good progress of the
organization.
Useful Grammar:

Conditional form and sentences to express:

• the likelihood of your working for them
If I am hired, I I can/could/will contribute significantly to the progressof your
company.
• the possibility of your working for them
If I were hired, I would make a great effort to learn quickly.

Linking forms to state opinions:

• I believe/think that I….
• In my opinion, …
• According to me,…..
• In my experience,….
• I’d say that…
• I have no doubt that…
• I am sure/confident that…
 7. Questions about what YOU know
about the company
Sample questions:

• What do you know about our company?

• Are you familiar with our company’s current

projects and future prospects?
Sample answer:

I know it is one of the fastest growing companiesin

Europe and has many branches in different countries.
The work environment is pleasant andpeople feel
proud to be a part of the company.

I have read it provides full support to its employees on

a professional front and offers many career growing
opportunities. I know it iscurrently working on a large-
scale project in Bahrain and that its major competitor
is SA GeoSci.
Useful grammar:

Superlative and comparative forms for

comparing/contrasting:

I know it is one of the most successful companiesin

Europe with greater appeal to young prospective
employees than other similar firms.
 8. Questions about current and past
work experience

Sample questions (current employment):

• Who is your current employer?

• What are your duties and responsibilities?

• Why are you leaving your current job?

Sample answer:
I am currently employed at SA GeoSci and have been
working for them for the last four years. I havereceived
great training and education there. I have been
entrusted with international job assignments and a 10
member team staff.

However, I feel that the time is right for me to

transition the outstanding skills and experience I have
obtained there to a different job market, and Iam
confident I can bring these same skills to your
organisation.
Useful Grammar:

• Present Continuous to express current

employment.

• Present Perfect Simple/Continuous to

express past experience which has results
in the present or is still in course.
Sample questions (past employment):

• Have you worked for a similar company

before?
• Tell us something about your previous
employer(s)?
• What were your duties and responsibilities?
• How long did you work for them?
• What major challenges did you face?
• Why did you leave your last job?
• What did you like and dislike about your
former employment?
Sample answer:
I (have) worked for 3 years with the Saudi Arabia Gas
Company where I am/was Surveying Director and am/was
responsible for/in charge of conducting research on potential
petrol reservoirs.

The average work-week consists(ed) of 38 hours, but I often

put in extra hours to complete assignments and meet
deadlines.

I enjoy(ed) this job quite a lot and my employer treats/ed staff

with respect and always rewards/ed accomplishments.

However, I now feel it is time for me to move on and acquire

further work experience in different fields ( or: I was laid off/
made redundant because the company relocated/ downsized/
needed to cut costs.
Useful Grammar:

• Present Perfect to describe work

experience which began in the past, but is
still in course
• Past Simple to describe past work
experience no longer in course
(where/when you worked)
• Present Simple to describe work routines
and current employment
 9. Questions about career goals

Sample questions:

• Where do you see yourself five years from

now/in five years’ time?

• What are your career goals?

• How do plan to achieve your career goals?

Sample answer:

Within 5 years, I would like to become the very

best geologist your company has on staff. I
want to work towards becoming theexpert that
others rely on. Hopefully, this will allow me to
take on greater responsibilities with the
company if the opportunity arises. I am also
working towards additional certifications in the
fieldto enhance my career prospects.
Useful grammar:

• Conditional Form to express future aspirations:

I would like to become Surveying Director.

• Future Simple to express future aspirations:

I hope I will hold a high-ranking position in thecompany.

• Present Continuous to express what you are

currently doing to achieve those goals:
I am currently taking extra field-related coursesto
enhance my professional credentials.
Patterns:

• In the future, I would like to…

• Hopefully, I will…
• I hope to…
• My dream is to…
• My aspirations are/include….
Act III: The Exit Thanking and

Taking Leave
A. Your questions about the job and
company

B. Thanking and asking about next steps

 A. Your questions about the job and
company
Sample questions:

Interviewer:

• Do you have any questions for us?

• Is there anything you’d like to know about

us?
Candidate (prepare 4/5 questions):

• How would you describe the company’s

management style?

• Is this a new position?

• What would my duties include?

• Is travel expected in this job position?

• What are the prospects for growth and

advancement?
 B. Thanking and asking about the
next steps

1. At the end of the interview

• Thank the interviewers for their time.

• Ask about the next steps and when you can

expect a response from them.
Sample answers:

I would like to thank you for having given me the

opportunity to participate in this job interview and for
making me feel at ease. I have found theexperience
constructive and very interesting.

When do you expect you will notify selectedcandidates?

If I am/were offered the job, when will/would Istart?

Job Interview in English “ Tips

and Tricks”
• use semi-formal/formal tone- no chatty, slang
language—use conditional form

• keep the language positive- avoid negative talk

and forms--- no I’m not/haven’t/don’t/didn’t, never…

• videotape yourself and re-listen to your English

exposition: if necessary, make corrections

• if you haven’t understood a question, say:

– Pardon? I beg your pardon?
– Could you kindly repeat that please?
– Would you mind repeating the question please?
 • avoid humming and hawing by using fillers:
Well,…
Certainly,…
I mean/What I mean is…That
is (to say)…
As a matter of fact, …
Actually, …
To be honest, … Quite
frankly, … In other
words, …
 Post Interview
• analyse the answers you gave in the
interview and improve any weak language
areas

• create a personal syllabus in English

• (snail) mail a thank-you note

1. An Interviewer And An Interviewee
Interviewer: Welcome to ABC Controls, David. I am Tom.
Interviewee: Hello, it's nice to meet you.
Interviewer: Nice to meet you too, how are you doing today?
Interviewee: I am doing well, and yourself?
Interviewer: Great, thanks. I hope we didn't keep you waiting for long?
Interviewee: No, I had the chance to talk to one of your engineers while waiting.
Interviewer: That's good. David, shall we start?
Interviewee: Yeah, sure.
Interviewer: First of all, let me introduce myself. I am the manager of our
engineering department here
and we have an open position, so we have been interviewing applicants to fill the
position as quickly as
possible.
Interviewee: Yes sir, I read about the position on your website, and I think I am a
good fit.
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Interviewer: We currently have several ongoing projects and the team is working
hard. We are hoping to
keep busy for a long time.
Interviewee: What are the essential qualifications required for the position?
Interviewer: This is an entry-level engineering position, we do provide a lot of
training here. But we do
require that you have at least a bachelors degree in computer engineering.
Previous experience in the
field is a plus.
Interviewee: What kind of experience would you count as a work in the field?
Interviewer: Even though we provide training, it would be great if you had some
hands-on programming
experience, knowledge of database systems or skills on developing applications.
Interviewee: My final school project was actually developing a mobile application,
so I am fairly
competent in developing mobile and web applications.
Interviewer: That's good to hear, which school did you graduate from?
Interviewee: I was a student at DEF University, and I graduated with a bachelor
degree in computer
science. I worked as a computer lab tutor in school for about 2 years. Guiding
students through their
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projects helped me get experience in several programming languages.
Interviewer: What are you looking for in a job?
Interviewee: The job should definitely help me grow in my career. I will be happy
to learn and grow as I
work in a passionate company like yours.
Interviewer: You are right. There is plenty of room for advancement in our
company. What are your
strengths? Why should I hire you?
Interviewee: I am a diligent person and a fast learner. I am very eager to learn. My
friends also find me
very easy to work with.
Interviewer: Very well. Now, do you mind working overtime?
Interviewee: No, I do not.
Interviewer: Because, sometimes we get overwhelmed with heavy workload.
Interviewee: I understand that's the nature of the job. When I was going to
school, I took quite a few
courses each semester while working at least twenty hours every week. And, I
handled that situation
very well.
Interviewer: Do you have any questions for me?

61
Interviewee: No, I think I have a pretty good understanding of the requirements. I
believe that I can
handle it with ease, and the fact that you provide all the training sounds excellent.
I hope to have the
opportunity to work for you.
Interviewer: David, It is nice to meet you. I can tell that you are a good candidate.
Expect to hear from us
within a week or so about the job.
Interviewee: Nice meeting you too. Thank you for your time.
Interviewer: Thank you for coming.

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2. Job interview conversation
Mike: Good Morning, John. I am Mike.
John: Good Morning.
Mike: How are you doing?
John: I am doing fine. Thank you.
Mike: How was the traffic coming over here?
John: I am so glad that the traffic was light this morning. No traffic jam and no
accidents.
Mike: That is good. John, let’s start the interview. Are you ready?
John: Yes, I am.
Mike: First of all, let me properly introduce myself. I am the Finance Department
Manager. As you know
there is an open position in my department, and I need to fill this position as soon
as possible.
John: Please, tell me a little bit about the position.
Mike: It is an entry-level position. The new employee will have to work closely
with the
Accounting department. He will also have to deal with the bank on a daily basis.
John: What type of qualifications do you require?

63
Mike: I require a four-year college degree in Finance. Some working experience
would be helpful.
John: What kind of experience are you looking for?
Mike: Doing office work is good. However, since this is an entry-level position, I do
not require a lot of
experience. I am willing to train the new person.
John: That is great!
Mike: John, tell me a little bit about yourself.
John: I was a student at West Coast University, and I just graduated with a
Bachelor degree in
Finance. I have been working part-time as a payroll clerk for the last two years.
Mike: What are you looking for in a job?
John: The job should help me see what Finance is all about. I have learned a lot of
Finance theories at
school, and now it is time for me to put them into practice.
Mike: Anything else?
John: I also hope that it will help me grow in my field.
Mike: What are your strengths? Why should I hire you?
John: I am a hard-working person and a fast learner. I am very eager to learn, and
I get along fine with

64
people.
Mike: OK. Now, let me ask you a few quick questions. You do not mind working
long hours, do you?
John: No, I do not.
Mike: Can you handle pressure?
John: Yes, I can. When I was going to school, I took quite a few courses each
semester while working at
least twenty hours every week. And, I handled that situation very well.
Mike: Do you still have any questions for me?
John: No, I think I have a pretty good understanding of the job. I believe that I can
handle it with ease,
and I hope to have the opportunity to work for you.
Mike: John, nice meeting you. Thank you for coming.
John: Nice meeting you too. Thank you for seeing me.

Expressions used in the conversation

I am so glad
Let’s start the interview

65
First of all:
As soon as possible
Entry-level position
On a daily basis
I am willing to
That is great!
Work part-time
What are you looking for in a job?
Put into practice
Hard-working person
Fast learner
I get along fine with everybody
I do not mind
Work long hours
I can handle the situation
Have an opportunity
Nice meeting you

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