JOB INTERVIEW CONVERSATION IN ENGLISH! (How to PASS a JOB INTERVIEW) English Speaking Practice!

At the start of your job interview, the hiring manager will say to you this:

 “Welcome to the interview. How are you today?”

 You should respond by saying this…

 “I am very well, thank you. I have been looking forward to the interview and the possibility of working for your company.”

 Saying those two English sentences at the start of your job interview demonstrates good manners and shows you are enthusiastic about the job opportunity.

 Next, the hiring manager will say to you: Please start by introducing yourself.

 When introducing yourself in English in a job interview, I recommend you talk about the following 4 things:

 The SKILLS you have that are a match for the role.

• Your EXPERIENCE and/or EDUCATIONAL
• Any ACHIEVEMENTS you have gained in your life.
• The TYPE of person you are and what you will do for their company in the role.

 Those 4 things stand for S.E.A.T. You can remember the SEAT structure for introducing yourself in English in a job interview because you will be sitting down on a seat! 

Please start by introducing yourself.

“Thank you for this opportunity. I am a diligent, responsive, supportive and fast-working employee with the SKILLS to match the job description.

 Since graduating from college with qualifications in (insert your qualifications), I have worked for several companies where I gained EXPERIENCE working on time-sensitive projects, collaborating with co-workers to solve company problems, and delivering excellent customer service.

I have a track record of ACHIEVEMENT. In my last job, I was praised by my manager for being flexible and adaptable and for how I would offer to train new team members when they joined the company.

 If you hire me, I will be the TYPE of employee who takes ownership of challenging problems, sets a good example to others, and takes responsibility for my professional development to give you a good return from my salary. I look forward to sharing additional details regarding my suitability for this position in the interview.”

Once you have answered the first interview question using that script, the hiring manager will be impressed with your confidence and professional English speaking skills.

The hiring manager will then move on to the next interview question which will be:

“Why do you want this job?”.

The hiring manager will ask you this difficult interview question because they want to assess your motivations for choosing the role. If you are passionate about your work, you will be more likely to stay working at their company long term. Here is my example English answer to help you…

 Why do you want this job?

“I want this job because it is a role I am passionate about, and my educational background is perfectly aligned. We spend a lot of time at work, and I want that time to be spent doing something I love for a forward-thinking company such as yours, where I will be supported in achieving great things for the business.”

 In the next part of the job interview conversation, the hiring manager will want to assess your strengths and weaknesses. They will say to you: What are your greatest strengths?

 When answering this tough interview question, I recommend you give strengths that will help you stand out from the competition.

What are your greatest strengths?

“My greatest strengths include being responsive to work tasks and projects. Give me a task, and it will be done on time to exact standards. Other strengths include how I take responsibility for problems when they occur. Some people leave problems for others to resolve, but I will work hard to find a solution. Finally, perhaps my greatest strength is being flexible and adaptable. I will willingly carry out tasks outside my job description to help my employer succeed.”

Once you have answered the “what are your greatest strengths?” interview question, the hiring manager will move the conversation on and ask you “what is your biggest weakness?”. Do not say you don’t have any weaknesses. Everybody has weaknesses, and recognising them is important. 

What is your biggest weakness?

“My biggest weakness is saying YES to people. When someone asks me for help or to take on extra responsibilities, I automatically say YES, which sometimes means that I overcommit. I have this weakness because I don’t like to let people down. However, I am trying to be mindful of the need to assess my capacity for additional work before committing.” 

The next stage of the job interview conversation will be where the hiring manager assesses your career goals and aspirations. They will say to you, “where do you see yourself in five years?”. In your answer, make sure you show a passion for self-development and a desire to stay working at the company long-term. 

Where do you see yourself in five years?

“In five years, I plan to still work for your company, either in this role with extra responsibility or having earned a promotion. In five years, I will have completed several training courses to diversify and develop my skills, specialize in several areas that help the company thrive and be someone who can help train new team members when they join the company.” 

Once you have answered that tough interview question, the hiring manager will then move the conversation on and seek to determine how you deal with specific situations in the workplace. One of the most common interview questions that assesses your ability to solve workplace problems is, “how would you deal with a conflict with a co-worker?”.

Do not say you will tell your manager about the conflict so they can resolve it, but instead, show a willingness to resolve it yourself by being a professional employee.

How would you deal with a conflict with a co-worker?

“First, I would assess my words and actions to ensure I was not the cause of the conflict. I would then speak privately with my co-worker to assess their views and determine the conflict’s cause. Next, I would hold open and honest discussions with my co-worker to establish a resolution and amicable way forward that helped the team achieve its goals.”

The hiring manager will then move the conversation on and ask you what is probably the hardest interview question to answer, and that question is: “why should we hire you?”.

This is a difficult question because you must give reasons that make you stand out from the other candidates!

Why should we hire you?

“You should hire me for three reasons. The first reason is I have the skills and knowledge to meet the role’s demands, meaning I can have an immediate and long-lasting impact on my work. The second reason is I am flexible and adaptable. This means I will willingly carry out duties outside my job description to add more value to the company. Finally, you should hire me because I am a cost-conscious employee who uses supplies and resources responsibly to help save the company money.” 

The hiring manager has now asked you seven interview questions, which is the average number of questions asked in job interviews.

They will now ask you whether you would like to ask any questions. Most people respond by saying they don’t have any questions, but that is a mistake.

I recommend you ask the following three English questions that will show you to be a smart, confident, and caring employee who wants to help your employer be successful.

Do you have any questions for us?

“Yes, I have three questions I would like to ask. What do the top-performing employees do in the company to succeed? Can you tell me more about the team I would be a part of in this role? Is there any additional information you recommend I read to learn more about the company while I wait to hear the result of my interview?