Job interviews Good advice on interviews. Discuss items A – D either in pairs or in groups. A Facts to Gather Before Interviewing Key people in the organization Major products or services Size in terms of sales and employees Locations other than your community Organizational structure of the company Major competitors View of the company by clients, suppliers, and competition Latest news reports on the company or on local or national news that affects the company B What mistakes do candidates often make during job interviews? Look at the photos and discuss them. Inappropriate clothes and body language (casual wear) (she looks angry, supports her head with hands) * not much knowledge of the company * not wanting to discuss skills, experience, or career plans * very little enthusiasm * no eye contact * late arrival (2001 survey of 1, 000 US companies) Taken and adapted from: Hobbs, Martyn. Starr Keddle Julia. Commerce 1. Oxford, OUP 2011. C Key interview questions * What are / were your best / worst subjects at school? * Have you had any experience of this type of job? * What skills and qualities do you have? * What are some of your strengths and weaknesses? * Tell me about an achievement in your last job or at school. * Why are you interested in this company? * What experience have you had of working in a team or a group? D 10 Steps to a Successful Interview Arrive on time. Introduce yourself in a courteous manner. Read company materials while you wait. Have a firm handshake. Listen Use body language to show interest. Smile, nod, give nonverbal feedback to the interviewer. Ask about the next step in the process. Thank the interviewer. Write a thank-you letter to anyone you have spoken to. Useful video (watching is recommended) http://jobsearch.about.com/od/jobinterviewvideos/tp/interviewvideos.htm Are you a good interviewer? Here are some suggestions about how to prepare an interview. Complete the article with these verbs: arrange, ask, find, have, let, start, use, want 1 Decide what you need to find out in the interview before you __________ and only ask questions that are relevant. 2 Be prepared! Before you start, __________ out as much as you can about the interviewee from the curriculum vitae and covering letter. 3 Write down the main questions you __________ to ask in advance and have them where you can see them during the interview. 4 __________ the interview go where the interviewee’s answers lead to some extent, but __________ your list of questions to structure the interview, and as a checklist, so that you don’t forget to __________ all the important questions. 5 Make sure that you __________ no interruptions during the interview. 6 Have the interview in a room where there are no distractions, such as disturbing noises. 7 Choose and __________ the chairs so that the atmosphere is neither too formal or too intimate. Complete these interview questions with these words: are, do, have a __________ you good at persuading people to do things? b __________ you ever prepared displays for shop windows? c __________ you prepared to travel abroad? d __________ you good with your hands? e What software __________ you have experience of? f Why __________ you want this job? g __________you like being part of a team? h __________ you ever been in an embarrassing professional situation? i Why __________ you think you are qualified for this job? j What languages __________ you speak? k Why __________ you want to leave your present job? l How much money __________ you earn in your present job? m How long __________ you been in your present job? n __________ you good at organising an office? Match these answers with the previous questions. 1 Yes, I love making things in my spare time. 2 French, Spanish, and Portuguese. 3 Yes, my friends say I am very persuasive in discussions. 4 Yes, I’d love to visit other countries. 5 Yes, lots of times. 6 Yes, I prefer it to working by myself. 7 Well, I once went to work wearing the same suit as my boss! 8 I think I need a change. 9 Well, I reorganized the office in my present job and everyone was delighted with the result. 10 For nearly five years. 11 My basic salary is 15,000,- pounds plus bonuses. 12 I’d like a more challenging job than my present one. 13 Well, I have all the qualifications you asked for in your advertisement. 14 We use the latest version of Windows in my present company.