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Unit 5 Job Interview

READING AND SPEAKING

Text 1

1.Answer these questions before reading the text: What do you know about job interviews? Have you ever had one?

2.Read the text. Why do you think the interview is so important for the employer? Is it of the same importance to the applicant?

JOB INTERVIEW

On today’s job market, many applicants compete for few openings, and several people may be right for one job. So interviews are usually the deciding factor in the application process. During the interview, you will have to effectively market your skills and give a highly polished presentation of yourself. It is also a chance for the employer to see how you handle yourself – the way you look, act and react.

There are two basic kinds of interviews: one is a screening interview, where numerous applicants are invited so that a company can narrow down the candidates. The second kind of interview is known as a line interview. Here the employer invites only a few select applicants to the company’s office. Interviews may last half an hour or extend over two or three days. You may meet with one interviewer, a group, or several groups in succession. You may be interviewed alone or with several candidates at once. Take as many interviews as you can if you are interested in the position. Generally, your confidence and competence will increase with each.

Screening candidates by phone interviews is becoming more common. It is highly efficient and costs less than bringing a candidate over in person. Other interviews may be held over a meal, or a company may bring you in for an on-site interview in another city. In the latter case, the company pays the airplane fare, arranges the hotel, car rental, meals, etc. Usually you do not have to pay, but some companies may ask you to and then submit an expense report so you

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can be reimbursed. As this kind of interview is more expensive, local candidates are more likely to be invited.

There are several points you should think about when getting ready for a job interview. Preparation is everything. You can prepare for an interview by doing some investigation about the type of job you will be doing: learn about the job’s duties, and review the technical skills most relevant for the job. You may also want to review sections of a textbook or study some relevant journal articles. Find out background information on the company from trade literature, industrial indexes and annual reports. Learn its history, products, services, organizational structure, branch locations, competitors, contributions to the field or the community. If you know someone who works for the company, ask them about the above, as well as working conditions and benefits.

Pay special attention to your appearance because it is the first thing the interviewer will notice. It should be favorable and professional because the dress code* is an important part of an organization’s culture. How to dress for the interview depends on the position, but it seldom hurts to be formal. When in doubt, do not hesitate to ask. Asking, “Should I wear a business suit?” when you arrange the interview on the phone is easy and quite appropriate. Most companies view a job interview as a very formal affair. Usually, men should wear a business suit and a conservative tie, and women should wear a daytime dress or business coordinates* (skirt and blouse with a matching jacket). Being overdressed* or underdressed* at the interview can indicate that you do not really know what the potential employer is about. Come appropriately dressed for the type of the job you are applying, as if you already work for the company and are “one of the team”.

During the interview you can expect questions about your education, job experience, and personal style. An interviewer will want to discover your good points as well as your bad ones. Anticipate questions you will be asked and practice possible responses to the obvious ones: Why do you want to work here? What do you know about our company? What would you like to be doing in ten years? What do you see as your biggest weakness / your biggest strength?

Since you will be asked to speak at length, prepare a brief (oneor two-minute) review of your qualifications to deliver orally, should you be asked about yourself. The trick is to know your would-be employer and to profit from that employer’s preferences. Bring an updated version of your resume with you. Your interviewer will have a copy on the desk, so you can be sure that its contents will be the subject of many questions. Be able to elaborate and supplement what is on your resume. Any extra details or information that brings your resume up to date will be appreciated. Consider how your skills and experience can specifically benefit the company, and plan how you will convey that information to the interviewer.

Be on time! Being late for an interview makes a very poor impression. Leave yourself enough time to allow for traffic and other delays. Remember that you are supposed to meet the interviewer at the designated time, not just enter the building. Some time may be required to negotiate entry with the security guards, waiting for the elevator, etc. If you arrive more than ten minutes early, wait somewhere away from the reception area. If you do have some extra time,

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stop by a restroom for a minute and check your appearance. If you are running late, make every effort to call, apologize, and tell them to expect you late. If you are going to be more than half an hour late, offer to reschedule for another day.

EXERCISES

3.Study the text and find answers to the following questions.

a)1. What are the types of interviews and how do they differ? 2. Why is it good to take as many interviews as possible? 3. What is meant by “understanding the job you are applying for”? 4. What are the sources of your investigation? 5. What questions will you ask a person who works for the company? 6. What does it mean to dress appropriately for a certain position? 7. What are the most likely questions the applicant will be asked? 8. What regulations should be observed when coming for an interview? 9. Have you ever had such an experience? 10. Do you think the points above are equally important for a successful interview?

b)1. You have come for an interview in casual dress. Is that right? What dress should you wear? 2. At one screening interview, most candidates were dressed in business suits, while one girl wore jeans and another one a cocktail dress. Which of the two would you call underdressed or overdressed? 3. You are on your way to the interview early in the morning, but you are nervous because of a possible traffic jam. What actions should you take? 4. You arrived 10 minutes before the interview, feeling hot, looking red-faced and shaggy-haired. What should you do? 5. You have prepared for the interview very carefully, but all of a sudden an urgent matter turned up that you cannot avoid attending to. What should you do?

4.Replace the words and phrases in italics with those from the key below.

1.In today’s job market, many job seekers compete for few openings. 2. The company can decrease the number of candidates. 3. Interviews can last two or three days. 4. Review the technical skills most important for the job. 5. How to dress for the interview depends on the specific job you are applying for. 6. Most companies consider a job interview as a very formal affair. 7. Being inappropriately dressed at an interview indicates that you do not know what your potential employer is about. 8. An interviewer will want to know your good qualities as well as your bad ones. 9. Since you will be asked to speak in detail, prepare a brief review of your qualifications. 10. Any extra details that update your resume will be appreciated. 11. Consider how your skills can specifically profit the company. 12. You are supposed to meet the interviewer at the appointed time. 13. If you have some extra time, step into a restroom for a minute and check your appearance. 14. If you are unavoidably delayed, offer to set up the interview for another day.

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Key: applicants; narrow down; extend over; relevant; position; view; overdressed or underdressed; points; at length; bring your resume up to date; benefit; designated; stop by; reschedule.

5.Look at the phrases and words below. Can you word them differently, through synonyms, antonyms, or definitions?

1)to make smb. or smth. marketable; 2) job benefits; 3) to hurt smb.’s chances to win the job; 4) a dress code; 5) to be overdressed; 6) to be underdressed; 7) a job applicant; 8) a prospective employer; 9) business coordinates; 10) to dress casually.

6.When answering interview questions, you will have to make suppositions about the future and the past, which is usually expressed by if-clauses. Study the models:

a)When you imagine a future happening, use a Past tense after if and would + Infinitive in the other part of the sentence:

Model:

If I needed some information, I would call the company.

b)When you are talking about the past, use a Past Perfect tense after if and would + Perfect Infinitive in the other part of the sentence:

Model:

If I had investigated the company’s history before the interview, I would have known the right answer.

c) Sometimes the if-part may be absent, but the supposition remains:

Model:

a)St. 1: What would you do to get ready for an interview?

St. 2: First, I would learn about the persons interviewing me.

b)St. 1: What would you have done differently in your life?

St. 2: I would have paid more attention to my health, like eating right, watching my diet, and exercising to stay in shape.

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7.Practice making suppositions about the future.

a)Assume that one of your classmates is getting ready for an interview. Working together as a group, say what you would do to prepare for an interview. Use the common pre-interview tips below:

Model:

St. 1: When getting ready for an interview, I would study some recent information in the field.

St. 2: While preparing for an interview, I would learn the interviewer’s name and title.

St. 3: In your case, I would drop by* the day before.

Tips to be used: 1) find out about the interviewer’s name, title and phone number; 2) know the company’s address and directions; 3) if possible, try to drop by the day before; 4) make sure that you have a pen and some paper; 5) bring your driver’s license; 6) take with you several copies of your resume; 7) bring notes for the application form; 8) do not forget your list of references with phone numbers or e-mail addresses; 9) be sure to take the list of questions you want answered and the list of points you want brought up; 10) do not smoke or drink alcohol before the interview; 11) try to be rested and get a good night’s sleep and a nutritious snack before the interview.

b)Give reasons for each of the tips that make them relevant. What other points about the interview techniques can you make? Work according to the model:

Model:

St. 1: I would know the interviewer’s name, title and phone number in case I needed to call and reschedule.

St. 2: I wouldn’t smoke or drink alcohol before the interview as they have a lingering odor.

You may give the following reasons: to appear polite and well-behaved; to be able to reschedule the interview if you need it for getting there on time; to know the route; not to be late; to take notes; to interview with a team of people and not make them share one resume; to identify yourself; to give your employment history in more detail; to give the names and phone numbers of your past managers; to appear competent and interested; to be strong physically and mentally, because taking an interview is a hard job, etc.

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8.Practice making suppositions about the past. Assume that, unfortunately, you have failed your recent interview. Say what you would have done differently (you may use the pre-interview tips above, see Ex. 7):

Model:

St. 1 I would have studied some recent journal articles.

St. 2 I would have brought a list of questions to show I was interested.

9.Assume you were promoted to the next position in your company. Express suppositions about your future within the situations offered. Work in pairs.

Model:

–Do you think your life will change?

–Sure. My whole life would be affected.

I.Would your new position affect your family life? How would your wife / husband and children feel about your change in position; relocating their home; their Dad / Mom becoming a boss; setting priorities differently for your own time since on; new social and public demands on your new job; more favorable financial situation of the family; the increase of responsibilities on your new job?

II.Would your new position affect your business life? How would you select your successor? What criteria would you use in evaluating your subordinates’ performance? How would you energize and discipline them? Would you vary your approach for subordinates who are outstanding, good, satisfactory, mediocre? How would you deal with a subordinate whose performance seems to be going down or who seems to be under some sort of personal stress or tension? What would you take satisfaction in?

10. Express suppositions about your past within the situations below. Work in pairs.

Model:

–What would you have done differently during the last ten or fifteen years?

–I would have majored in a different field.

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Speak about: your family life; your attitude to people close to you; your attitude to your colleagues; your participation in social or community life; your business activity; your performance on the job.

11.Make up short dialogs using the situations below. Note that What-would-you-do questions are among the favorites with interviewers. You may use the prompts in the brackets or suggest your own answers.

Model:

–Assume you could start your career all over again. What would you do differently?

–I would not change a thing.

1.Assume your boss tells you to do something that you know is wrong. What would you do? (propose the alternative most politely; do it his / your own way; etc.).

2.Assume your boss dropped an assignment into your mailbox and left for a week. You can’t reach him, and you don’t fully understand the assignment. What would you do? (approach your boss’s boss for clarification, making sure that your question does not reflect badly on your boss; ask a knowledgeable person for advice, but not your boss’s boss, etc.)

3.Assume you were unfairly criticized by your boss. What would you do? (try to explain your point of view to him later, after the atmosphere has calmed; take it easy because you know your boss will regret it later and apologize; etc.)

12.Here are some over-a-meal interview tips. Do they make sense to you? Could you think of some other points?

1)However awkward it may be, try to take notes on a notepad during the meal. 2) Do not order dishes that need to be eaten by hand. 3) Do not talk with your mouth full. 4) Avoid alcohol, even if your interviewer does. 5) Try to order dishes in the same price range as your host. 6) Do not offer to pay for the meal.

13.Do you think the saying “Appearances can be deceiving” makes sense for the employer? or the applicant? Discuss it giving pro and contra arguments.

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Text 2

14.Read the text. Which is more important at an interview: your professional skills or the way you behave?

JOB INTERVIEW TECHNIQUES

The interview is where you actually sell yourself and get a job offer. Once you have an appointment for a job interview, take this practical advice on how to handle yourself when at it. These are some interview “dos” and “don’ts”:

Be polite during the interview. Do not smoke, chew gum, or drink alcohol, even if invited. Avoid fidgeting with your hair, clothes, or accessories. If you are nervous, try taking deep breaths (inconspicuously). Do not sit down until invited. Sit where you are asked to sit. If you are really uncomfortable (e.g. have light shining in your eyes), ask to move. If no seat is offered, ask where you should sit. If you are being interviewed in someone’s office, respect your interviewer’s personal place and do not lay out your belongings (coat, pads, pens, etc.) all over his / her desk.

Body language is equally important. Do have a firm handshake (this applies to both men and women). Try to look as alert as possible, neither slouching nor sitting ramrod straight. Do not fold your arms or legs – that is a signal indicating you are closed to the interviewer’s suggestions and comments. Make frequent eye contact and listen intently to what the interviewer is saying.

Use your best speaking manner: speak slowly, distinctly, with confidence; do not nervously hurry to finish your sentences, and never interrupt or finish an interviewer’s sentences. Avoid abrupt “yes” or “no” answers, as well as life stories. Make your answers concrete but to the point. Do not pretend to know more than you do; if you cannot answer a question, say so. Answer questions after they are asked. Once the interviewer is satisfied with your answer, try to stop talking and wait for the next question. Do not be afraid to allow silence. The interviewer may stop talking to observe your reaction to silence. Let the interviewer make the next move. Laugh when appropriate, but avoid making jokes, even if the interviewer does.

Be positive about yourself and others. Avoid showing anything negative about yourself, your work or your ability to get along with others. They would try to determine whether you would be a team player and would get along with other people in the department. Do not put down* your former employers or co-workers.

Do not hesitate to ask questions as they occur. Prepare your own list of questions about the job and the organization. You will be invited to ask questions, and the questions you ask can be as revealing as the answers you give. The candidate who answers questions but does not ask any is seen by the interviewer either as shy or not terribly interested in the job. Asking well-formulated, intelligent questions demonstrates your knowledge, maturity, and interest in the

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organization. Thus, if you want the job, ask a few questions. Avoid asking for information that is readily available from the firm’s literature (showing that you have not researched it).

Try not to discuss money or benefits during the initial interview. Many companies are willing to negotiate the benefits package* after they have established that they want this candidate. Follow the interviewer’s lead – the interviewer will probably tell you about the salary and working hours. Showing too much interest in lunch time, vacation time, sick leave, or short working hours may give the impression that you are more interested in time off that in time on.

There are some questions that the interviewer cannot legally ask you (about your age or marital status, ethnic background or race, religion, etc.), but may disguise by asking indirect questions. Common sense dictates that you only reveal personal information that is required or that underscores your qualifications for the job. If your health problems do not affect your ability to perform the job, they are really none of the employer’s business.

Find out what qualifications the company seeks, then prove that you have them by citing appropriate accomplishments and episodes from your experience. Stay focused on what the interviewer thinks is important. Do not volunteer new information about yourself until you get some sense of whether it will count for you or against you.

When your interviewer hints that the meeting is ending (perhaps by checking a wristwatch), do not wear out your welcome*. Restate your interest, thank the interviewer for spending his/her time to talk with you and leave. It is a good idea to ask when the hiring decision will be made. If the employer has not given you a specific time frame, two weeks is an appropriate time to wait before calling to find out the status of your applications.

After the interview, follow up, writing a thank-you note. Thank-you notes may improve your chances of being hired since they establish you as a person mindful of manners and easy to work with. Besides, this is a polite gesture, often neglected, that may help the interviewer keep you in mind. It can also correct the last impression, if it gets read. But be brief, most people never bother to read it in detail.

Your interview skills should not hurt your chances as a candidate but help you stand out among the competition. They may be what gets you the job! But if you are not hired, you can get someone to talk to you on the phone and ask for the reasons of not hiring you. Perseverance often wins jobs.

EXERCISES

15.Read through the text again and answer the following questions:

1)You entered the interview room but nobody invited you to sit down. What would you do? 2) You are asked some questions about yourself that may require short “yes” or “no” answers. Would abrupt “yes” or “no” answers be appropriate? What kind of answers would you give? 3) While preparing for the interview, you have made investigation about the company you

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are seeking position in. You have got some information about it and feel you know a lot. Would you ask the interviewer any more questions about the company? 4) The interviewer seems to be satisfied with your answers and hints that the meeting is ending. What would you do? 5) At the end of the interview, the interviewer has not given you any specific time frame for the hiring decision. When would you call him / her to find out the status of your application?

16.In the text, find sentences with words or phrases which mean the following (use the key if necessary):

1)Make restless and nervous movements; 2) attracting little attention; 3) sit / stand / walk in an uncomfortable, awkward, lacking grace manner; 4) sit straight and stiff as a stick; 5) embrace him/herself; 6) having one’s attention firmly fixed; 7) break into a discussion; 8) stop in indecision, be reluctant; 9) make known; 10) payments made by an insurance company as during sickness or retirement; 11) hide the real nature; 12) underline; 13) mention by way of example, proof, etc.; 14) achievements; 15) one who offers to do something of his own free will; 16) make better; 17) continuing a course of actions in spite of difficulty, opposition.

Key: fidget; inconspicuously; slouch; ramrod straight; fold; intently; interrupt; hesitate; reveal; benefits; disguise; underscore; cite; accomplishments; volunteer; improve; perseverance.

17.Do you know what prepositions can be used after the verb “to work”?

a)Study the table.