During the Job Interview: The top 10 interview question part 2

Our Agenda1. Agenda

2. Objectives3. Introductions 4. Activity 1: Vocabulary review5. Activity 2: Discussion 6. Activity 3: Dialogue7. Activity 4: meaning of 5 common interview questions

7. Activity 5: practise answering interview questions 7. Activity 6: Case studies7. Activity 7: Dictation

Workshop Objectives

1. To learn 8 new words related to job interviews2. To learn the meaning behind 5 common interview questions3. To learn how to answer 5 common interview questions

• What is your name?

• Where are you from?

Introductions

Vocabulary ReviewActivity 1

Activity one: Vocabulary Review

Member of a nationut

to be direct

circumstances

opportunityto handle pressure/ stress

commitment

to badmouth someone concrete example

talk about important things to say bad things about someone

promise to do something

a favourable timeTo do well in difficult situations

a very good and clear exampleto be clear

a condition that modifies an event

to stick to the facts

Activity two: Fill-in-the-blank

1. We should never _____________________ our past employer.

2. We should __________________________ when speaking to our prospective employees.

3. This job could be a great _____________________ .

4. How do you ____________________________ ?

5. ____________________ when answering job interview questions.

6. Can give me a __________________________ about how you handle pressure?

7. Are you ready to make a ______________________ to work hard?

8. Can you tell me ___________________ about why you lost your last job?

to badmouth handle pressure

Be direct commitment

concrete example opportunity stick to the facts circumstances

Group discussionActivity 2

• Have you ever gone for a job interview?

• What are some common interview questions you have heard?

Listen to a dialogue.

What important points did you hear?

Activity 3

Listen to a dialogue:

Johanna

Johanna

Alicia

Johanna

Alicia

Johanna

Alicia

AliciaWow, thanks for inviting me to the job seminar!

Did you enjoy it?

I sure did!

What was your favourite part?

Well, probably about how I need to be ready to give concrete examples.

If you say, for example, that you are good at handling stress, you need to be ready to give a good example of this. That does make sense.

What was that again? I think I missed that part.

I also appreciated where the speaker said that we need to be direct when speaking during the interview.Johanna

Alicia Exactly. This is why it’s so important to understand what prospective employers are asking when asking job interview questions.

Listen to a dialogue:

Johanna

Alicia

Johanna

Alicia

Johanna

Alicia

Johanna

Alicia

Alicia Of course!

yes. For instance, a really difficult question is about why you left your previous job.

Right. It is so important not to badmouth our previous employer.

One more thing about is that we should be ready to discuss the circumstance that led to us leaving that previous employer.

I think the most important thing is to be able to show your commitment to the new company.

What did you take away from that?

Johanna Uh-huh, they want to know you are going to stick around.

Good point. Anyway, can I go to the next seminar with you?

Yes, and on the other hand we learned about how to answer when they ask why you want to work for them.

This is where speaking about your plans for the future is so important.

Let’s learn about 5 very common interview questions, and what they really mean!

Activity 4

1. Why are you leaving your job?Focus on the future!

1. Why are you leaving your job?Tips to answer question: Be direct Stick with the facts

1. Why are you leaving your job?

SAMPLE ANSWER:“I'm relocating to this area due to family circumstances. I left my previous position in order to make the move.”

2. Why do you want this job?What is attractive to you about the job or company?

Image by Festivio/ 8 images shared underCC0

2. Why do you want this job?

Tips to answer question: Be specific about why you are the one for the job. Focus on the future. Don’t talk about the location of the company or the hours of the job.

2. Why do you want this job?SAMPLE ANSWER:“ I think this is an excellent opportunity, and this company is a place where my qualifications can make a difference. I think the job will be a great challenge. This is the opportunity I am looking for”

3. How do you handle stress and pressure?What do you do when things go wrong?

Image by Gerault/ 10370 images shared under CCO

3. How do you handle stress and pressure?Tips to answer question: Give concrete examples of what you have done to handle stress in the past.

Image by Gerault/ 10370 images shared under CCO

3. How do you handle stress and pressure?SAMPLE ANSWER:“I find that I work very well under pressure. Once at my previous job 3 people were sick and the deadline was pushed back by 10 days. Despite this, I was able to get the work done before the deadline.”

Image by Gerault/ 10370 images shared under CCO

4. Describe how you overcame a difficult situation at work.When do you do when the “going gets tough”?

4. Describe how you overcame a difficult situation at work.Tips to answer question: Be ready to give some good examples.

4. Describe how you overcame a difficult situation at work.

SAMPLE ANSWER:“ Once while working on a team project, my colleagues and I had to make a number of choices about how to use our limited budget. These decisions depended on consensus from the group. I was able to get everyone to work together and the project was a great success.

5. What are your future plans?

Are you going to stick around?

Image by PublicDomainPictures / Peggy _Marco/ 4661 images Shared under CCO

5. What are your future plans?

Tips to answer question: Refer to the company and the position you want.

Image by PublicDomainPictures / Peggy _Marco/ 4661 images Shared under CCO

5. What are your future plans?

Image by PublicDomainPictures / Peggy _Marco/ 4661 images Shared under CCO

SAMPLE ANSWER:“My long-term goals involve growing with a company where I can continue to learn, take on additional responsibilities, and contribute as much of value as I can..” 

Let’s practise.• Choose a question and practise how you would answer.

Activity 5

Case studies

Read the studies.• What is done well?

• What is not so well done?

Activity 6

Case Study 1 Manager: “Why do you want to work for this

company?”

Candidate: “I really need a job. I have been out of work for 6 months!

Case Study 2 Manager: Why did you leave your previous

employer?

Candidate: “ My boss was very unreasonable. He was mad because I was late a few times. It wasn’t my fault that I missed my bus.”

Case Study 3

Manager: “How do you handle pressure?”

Candidate: “I react to situations, rather than to stress. That way, the situation is taken care of and doesn't become stressful. For example, when I dealing with an unhappy customer, I focus on the task at hand. I believe my ability to communicate effectively with customers during these moments helps reduce my own stress in these situations, and also reduces any stress the customer may feel.”

Case Study 4

Manager: Describe how you overcame a difficult situation at work.

Candidate: “ I was a manager at my previous company. Sometimes I have had to let people go, due to financial constraints. I would research to make sure I did what was best for the company, while releasing as few employees as possible.”

Case Study 5 Manager: Tell me about your future plans.

Candidate: “ I plan on building a house next year and maybe losing a little weight!”

Dictation

Write what you hear!

Activity 7

Dictation 1

It is important to know how to respond to typical interview questions.

Dictation 2

When answering questions always focus on the future.

Dictation 3

Interviewers will be checking to see if you have researched the company.

Dictation 4

Employers want to know if you are able to handle difficult situations.

Dictation 5

Employers want to know if you will be sticking around for the long-term.

Review: What did you learn today?• 8 new words related to job interview

questions• The meaning behind 5 common

interview questions• How to answer 5 common interview

questions

Thanks for attending.

See you next time!