If you speak English as a second language , it can feel challenging to answer interview questions in a language that's not native to you . Preparing your responses to the most common questions that interviewers ask in English speaking interviews may help you feel more confident .
Practicing answers too frequently Asked questions gives you an opportunity to enhance your language skills and communicate effectively with potential employers . In this episode I broke down the lesson into six parts and shared common interview questions and some sample answers to help you practice answering questions for an interview in English .
But first make sure to download , click , like and share this podcast series on a playlist or with your friends . Also , I invite you to join my YouTube channel . Look and Listen English Lessons with Sharon Faye . You won't regret it , I promise . So sit back and enjoy your listening . Hi , mr Hazra Ali . What can you tell me about yourself ?
Hi , my name is Ali . I live in Jordan . I study for about three years editing . I married my wife and I just had our first child , oh , congratulations . Thank you . I have been working as an editor since 2021 as a freelancer , but now I'm looking to be an employee .
Right , right . So are you interested in a full-time or part-time position ?
I enjoy working in a full-time position , but one day I might like to move to a part-time position .
I see , did you bring your CV .
Certainly , here it is .
May I have a look ? Okay , thank you , so let's see . So , ali , do you have a degree ?
Yes , I do have a degree .
Oh , so what is it ? Oh , where is it ? Oh , here it is . Graphics and video editing . Oh , that's great , I see , I see . So what was your last job ?
My last year was an editor , because I was working as a taxi driver as well .
Oh , I see .
Yes , I need to support my family and it is not enough to just to rely on editing .
Right , so how long did you work as a taxi driver ?
I worked for three years before starting my business as a freelance video editor .
Yeah , but why did you leave your last job as a taxi driver ?
Well , I didn't just yet . I actually run the station from time to time , but I hope to get this job , so then I can quit doing this , you know .
Right , so do you have any references ?
Sure , I'm sure I could ask some of my previous bosses for you , and I'm sure most of my clients , mostly YouTube creators , will be happy to recommend and share the experience working with me Right , so do you work well with others ? I'd like to think I do .
Great , so can you work in a group setting , because it's very important .
Yes , I can .
Right , right , right , right . So what is your biggest strength ?
I think I'm very creative and like to meet my clients expectations . I can say that I have patience with people .
Okay , now , what is your biggest weakness ?
Sometimes I get a bit stressed .
Have you ever worked in this field , allie ?
Well , I am an editor , so I can edit all kinds of material on YouTube channels , weddings and bar meds , you name it .
Yes , but you know , working on CNN news can be very stressful . You know news editing requires different qualifications which , frankly , I don't see on your CV . Are you an organized person ?
In my work life yes and my personal life no .
Okay , now how would you say why are your short-term goals ?
I would be happy to get this position .
What are your long-term goals ?
I suppose , to live a happy life .
Indeed , indeed , indeed well done . So why should we hire you ?
I think I am proactive , creative and enthusiastic , and I learn fast .
That's great , so when can you start ?
Immediately .
Hey there , listeners pay attention . Cv is a short written summary of a person's career , qualifications and education references . People who can talk about their work experience , work ethic , character and ability . Now we are about to continue . This time it is a conversation , a telephone survey of two people talking about their jobs .
Hello , hello , hi , sharon , my name is Anita and I'm calling from OMG . Now I'm calling you about the career survey in which you agreed to participate earlier . I would like to go through the survey with you now . Is this a good time to speak with you ? Oh , yeah , go ahead , right . So , sharon , where do you work ?
Well , I do many things , so I have my business teaching English , but I am also a professional actress , so I'm taking TV and movie projects occasionally , only if it's worth it . You know what I mean . I mainly enjoy working as a YouTube creator , podcaster and content writer . Oh , wow , that sounds interesting , not to mention not boring . Not at all .
Wow , yeah , I love what I do , but it's you know it's difficult and challenging . I must say Right . So what is the most important part of your job ? I think I love teaching my wonderful students and create new stuff . Okay , how many days a week do you work ? Around five to seven , during weekends as well . What can I say ?
No rest for the weekend , huh , right , right , right , but you are your own boss , right ? So can't you take a break ? Oh yeah , that's a good question . What was your first acting job ? You know , I had a role in a great student film years ago . You know what I think ? My first was when I was around 14 , I had my own clownery business .
Oh man , that was so funny . My dad was my driver and my producer and he was in charge of blowing the balloons . That was great . The good old times . Oh right , nice . So would you like a new job ? No , I'm really happy with what I do . You know what I mean . Okay , let's see . Would you recommend your line of work to others ? What can I say ?
If you enjoy teaching , then I think it's a fabulous career path . Regarding all the rest of two , you know it's too much work . If you ask me , you need to be committed to it . It's not easy , right ? So what job would you never do ? To be honest , I would not do your job , that's for sure . No rest , for the wicked means that one's work never ceases .
Hi there , listeners . This part includes general questions and short response style which is commonly used in casual conversation . So let's go through these examples . Number one what did you do this weekend ? This weekend , we visited our friends and mostly relaxed at home . What about you ? Number two what will you do after work ?
Well , I think I'll go for a quick drink with Sam and Pam . Number three how was the traffic today ? Oh , terrible , as always . Number four when are you taking time off ? Good question . Number five what about you ? What are you going to do on your holiday ? Well , I think relax , explore and hopefully visit some vineyards . Number six Any plans for the weekend ?
Oh , we're going to see our families . Number seven Are you working late tonight ? Yes , I'm working unusually late tonight . Number eight Did you find a good parking spot ? I didn't have to park . I work from home . Number nine what time do you get home from work ? Well , I normally try to finish working at around nine o'clock .
Number ten how do you get to work ? I have my studio at home . Number eleven how are your kids ? Very well , thank you . To begin an interview , hiring managers often ask simple questions to learn more about you and your professional history . Now they usually start with tell me about yourself . As we learned in the first part of the lesson .
There are some common general questions employers may ask you during an interview in English . For example what's your ideal work environment ? How do you organize important tasks ? Can you tell me about a time you overcame a challenge ? Who do you admire and why ? What's something that motivates you ? What did you like the most about your previous job ?
What are your weaknesses ? What do you do for fun ? After learning general information about you , potential employers typically ask questions to determine your education and work experience . Hiring personnel may ask you questions like this to learn more about your experience and background . So number one would be can you describe your relevant work experience ?
Number two what training do you have that qualifies you for these position ? Number three what part of your education do you value the most ? Number four do you have any management experience ? Number five describe your main responsibilities in your previous job ? Number six what hours did you work in your previous role ?
Number seven do you have experience using software programs ? Number eight what was the most valuable thing you learned from your previous job ? Number nine have you ever served in leadership role ? And ten would be what skills have you learned that prepared you for this role ? We have reached part six how to finish the interview Now .
Once a potential employer learns more about your qualifications , they may finish an interview by asking more specific questions about your position or your skills . Employers may ask more complex questions , such as these in English , so pay attention . Number one what are your salary expectations ? Number two what are your career goals for the next five years ?
Number three describe your greatest accomplishment at your previous job . Number four in what areas do you want to grow or learn more ? Number five are you willing to travel for the position ? Number six are you willing to relocate for this position ? Number seven what might make you successful in this job ?
Number eight do you feel collaboration is important in the workplace ? Number nine how have you turned a weakness into a strength ? And 10 would be what do you feel you can offer our company if you get hired for this position ?
When you are asked what are your strengths , here's an option Excellent customer service , attention to detail and persistence are my strengths . When I started working in hospitality , I learned that effectiveness to customers needs makes them feel valued and helps you learn how to serve them better . It also helps me to create a positive customer experience .
Another strength of mine is how I'm persistent about making sure to complete a task . It's important to be that I complete tasks to the standards set by the organization and my personal standard of excellence work . These three attributes work together to make me a strong customer advocate . Why are you interested in this position ?
Now , many interviewers ask applicants why they're interested in position or the company .
When answering this question , it's important to focus on how your abilities and experience can benefit the company and position , so you can also discuss that you want to grow with the company , as many employers want to hire employees who play or who plan to stay with their business for at least five years . So here's a good example for an answer .
I'm interested in this position because I want to be part of an organization that values its employees and what they contribute to their workplace . I'm interested in your collaborative idea platform and emphasize on personal growth through professional development .
I want to earn additional industry certifications and believe this position can help me achieve my goals while contributing to the company's mission . Thanks for listening to Look and Listen . English Lessons broadcast To continue improving your English . You are welcome to join my channel and watch the videos on different topics and levels . Till next time , bye-bye .