English for Job Application

Preparing for and attending a job interview

This is a very important part in the process of finding a job. If you do this well, you will have an extremely high chance of securing the position you are applying for.

Section A: Preparing for an interview

Being prepared means that you have done some research and thoroughly understand the job requirements. Moreover, if you know how to talk about your achievements in order to impress the recruiter, it will greatly enhance your success in getting the job. There are a few things you need to do to prepare for an interview.

1. Do some research on the company you are applying to

In the interview, the recruiter may ask you what you know about their company. You may lose the chance of working there if you cannot answer this well. Therefore, you need to do some research on the nature of the company’s business, what type of work they do and how they make money.

2. Read the job descriptions again

When you are completely aware of the requirements of the job, you know how to show to the recruiter that you have possessed the skills and qualifications they are looking for.

3. Know your application letter and CV well

You need to be familiar with the application letter of the job you are interviewed for and your CV, especially when you write a different CV for each job you are applying for because the recruiter may ask you questions concerning the information in these two documents.

4. Be prepared to mention your achievements during the interview

If you think you have any accomplishments you want to mention so as to impress the interviewers, learn these by heart in order that you can talk about them when the chance comes. When you are preparing for this, try to see if you can find out any useful statistics about the things you have achieved, e.g. how many computers you have fixed. Remember to give accurate figures.

5. Make a list of possible questions which you think will be asked during the interview and prepare for the answers

Prepare for questions about your personal particulars, your education and experiences, your achievements and the activities you have participated in. Of course, questions about the job requirements and your relevant skills are a must. Regarding this, you need to prepare for mentioning why you think you are the most suitable candidate for the vacant position.

Don’t just give ‘yes’ or ‘no’ answers. For example, if the recruiter asks you whether you have any useful skills, you can answer ‘yes’ and then go on to mention how your skills can help the company. If you say ‘no’, it is better for you to mention how you plan to acquire those useful skills.

The following are examples of some questions that may appear in an interview:

Questions about yourself

How will you describe yourself?
Why are you the best candidate for this position?
What is your biggest strength? How can this help you achieve a good performance?
What is your biggest weakness? How can you improve it?
How will you deal with success and failure?
How do you get along with other people?
What makes you different from others?
Will you say you are a hardworking person?
What do you like most about yourself?
Can you briefly give me some information about yourself which is not in your CV?

Questions about your qualifications

Which qualifications do you possess which you think are the most suitable for this position?
Which part of your educational background do you think will make you suitable for this job?
What makes you qualified for this position?
What is your work philosophy?
What are your relevant experiences regarding this position?
What attributes can you bring to this position?

Questions about the job and the salary

Why should you be hired?
What can you contribute to our company?
Why do you want to work in our company?
What do you know about our company?
What is your expected salary and why should we give you this amount?

Questions about your work performance

Have you encountered any difficulties in your work before? How did you handle them?
How do you deal with a heavy workload?
How would you rate yourself in terms of your job performance?
How do you think you can fit in with our company culture?

Of course, the list goes on and on and the questions may be different for different jobs. Before the interview, remember to give yourself enough time to prepare for suitable answers.

6. Think of some questions to ask the recruiter

Usually, near the end of the interview, you will be asked whether you have any questions. Be prepared to ask one or two questions about the company. You can think of these when you are doing the research on the company. Here are some sample questions:

If I am employed, what do you expect me to achieve in the first few months?
What are the prospects of advancement for this position?
Do you provide any professional development?
What is the greatest challenge of this job?
When will I hear about your decision?

7. Practise answering the questions by yourself first and then with a friend if possible.

You can record your own voice so that when you listen to it, you know how your voice sounds like when you are answering the questions and make improvements before the interview. If you ask a friend to act as the interviewer, he/she may give you some comments on your performance.

8. Make sure you know how to get to the interview venue and the time it takes to go there

Before the interview day, it is better to find out how to go to the venue, i.e. which type(s) of transport will be used and how long it takes for you to go there from your home including the walking distance from the time you get off from the means of transport, especially during the rush hours so that you will not be late.

9. Find all the necessary documents

Pack all the documents you need to bring at least two days before the interview. When you cannot find any of these, you still have time to figure out where you have put them. However, if you gather the documents in a hurry, you may miss any important ones or you will not have enough time to find them.

10. Decide what type of clothes to wear

Before the interview, decide on the suitable clothes. Try them on to see if they fit you. For example, if the dress or the trousers are too tight, make sure that you have enough time to change them.

Section B: Attending an interview

It is normal to be nervous in attending an interview. However, if you have prepared well, you need not be nervous. You should congratulate yourself on the success of sending the cover letter and the CV which enables you to obtain an opportunity of the interview.

1. Be organized

Make sure you know the interview venue and the exact time. Put all the necessary documents in a folder and take them with you. If there is time, you may go over the list of interview questions and answers again.

2. Be punctual

Arrive about 10 to 15 minutes earlier so that you will have some time to get yourself emotionally prepared. Moreover, you can show to the prospective employer that you are a person who treasures punctuality.

3. Be polite and friendly

When you answer questions, show your politeness but at the same time don’t be too rigid. Remember to smile and let the recruiter feel your friendliness.

Exercise

Now, watch two videos of job interviews: a successful case and the other unsuccessful one.

Video 1 :

Learn the skills demonstrated by the interviewee in this successful interview.

Video 2:

According to this unsuccessful interview, what should be done/ avoided?

Further References

Further references

1. How to Prepare for an Interview in 11 Steps

There is detailed information on steps for how to prepare for an interview with useful videos on preparing for an interview and dealing with pre-interview nerves.

https://www.indeed.com/career-advice/interviewing/how-to-prepare-for-an-interview

2. How to Prepare for an Interview (Step-By-Step Guide)

This link teaches people how to get properly prepared for an interview together with information on how to avoid interview preparation mistakes.

https://theinterviewguys.com/how-to-prepare-for-an-interview/

3. Attending the job interview

This link provides information about the proper manner on how to attend an interview, especially for current students.

https://www.monash.edu/students/future-work/career-connect/ready/job-interviews/attending