CHAPTER 4

Job Interviews
Objectives:

By the end of this lesson, the students are able to:

a. attend for a job interview

b. know what to prepare before attending a job interview

c. know what to do during the job interview

d. know what to do after the job interview

Starter:

What is a job interview? Are job interviews important? Why?

Getting Real: Getting a job

State the following statements or suggestions about a job interview in pairs or groups, and
discuss which ones you agree with and why.
 You make a list of questions you want to ask the interviewer.

 You meditate for half an hour before leaving for your job interview.

 You wear very flattering clothes for your job interview although the waistband pinches
and you feel uncomfortable.

 You decide to wear your most comfortable clothes although they are not very smart.

 Before sending off your letter of application, you show it to a few friends for their
comments.

 You have a small whisky before you leave for your interview, to calm your nerves.

 You find out which newspaper carries ads for the kind of work you„re looking for, and
study the column regularly.

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 You make it clear to a prospective employer that you have a number of other interesting
interviews lined up.

 When the interviewer asks you “What job would you like to be doing in ten years’
time?”, your answer is “Your job!”.

 You phone your local employment office to see if they can offer you a job.

 You have a very definite idea of how much money you want to earn.

 You squeeze in a hair employment just before an important job interview.

 As you sit down, you tell the interviewer you are really nervous.

 You send unsolicited letters of application to companies you are interested in working
for.

 Your interviewer is uncomfortable looking you in the eye, so you avoid his gaze and look
elsewhere as you talk to him.

 Before you start looking for a job, you decide what city or region you want to work in,
and exactly what kind of work you want to do.

 You go to the interview with some notes on how you would develop their product and
some idea about improving customer service.

 Your interviewer has not prepared very interesting questions and you take the opportunity
to direct the interview in your own way.

Discussion:

1. What would you do if your boss refused to let you take your holiday at a time convenient
for you and your family?

2. How would you deal with a colleague who always complained to the boss about other
colleagues?

3. You think the work procedures of your company are badly in need of change. How would
you suggest this to the boss?

4. What would be your advice to a friend who is preparing for a job interview?

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6. The instruction manual (a very thick one!) for your latest piece of equipment is in
Japanese only. What would you do?

7. Staff motivation is very low at the moment. How would you suggest motivating people to
work harder?

8. How would you react if your boss (of the opposite sex) started taking a more than
business-like interest in you?

Speaking: Interview advice

Check (√) the appropriate columns. Give your reason.

S T A T E M E N T S DO DON‟T

1. Observe the proper dress code.

2. Wear bright and loud clothes.

3. Show what you know about the company.

4. Relax and just be yourself.

5. Give a casual, informal greeting.

6. Say negative things about past employers.

7. Maintain good eye contact.

8. Reply with short yes or no answers.

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Study short excerpts from three interviews and then discuss the following questions in pairs or
small groups.

1. How well-prepared is each interviewee for his/her interview?

2. How would you describe the emotional state of each interviewee?

3. What comment would you make about the quality of the interviewer‟s questions?

4. What comment would you make about the formality of the interviews?

Interview 1

Interviewer: Have you checked out our company on the Net?

Interviewee: Yeah, there‟s a lot of stuff out there.

Interviewer: Were you impressed with what you read?

Interviewee: Yep, sounds pretty good.

Interviewer: Are you interested in working for us?

Interviewee: Yeah, I think so.

Interview 2

Interviewer: What appeals to you most about working for a company like ours?

Interviewee: Well, from what I have researched I think working with your company would be
very challenging and would also give me the opportunity to learn and interact
with experts in my field.

Interviewer: What kind of asset do you feel you would be to the company?

Interviewee: Well, apart from the qualifications and experience that I have, I also feel that I am
a highly motivated person who is capable of working in a team or alone.

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Interviewer: So, you‟re interested in joining our company.

Interviewee: Yes, that‟s right.

Interviewer: Do you know anyone who works in the company at the moment?

Interviewee: Yes, I have a couple of friends who are working here.

Interviewer: And what have they told you about the company?

Interviewee: That you are all very nice and helpful.

Practice:

Choose one of the interviewees who, in your opinion, did not perform well. In pairs, role-play a
conversation in which you give that person some advice on how to handle interviews.

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flattering clothes
gaze
interview
interviewee
interviewer
meditate
pinches
squeeze
unsolicited letters
waistband

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