What to expect

Job interviews usually have a certain structure. We will work on great answers together in this lesson. No matter what kind of profession you practice, the interview questions usually remain the same. Today we will look at common questions found in most interviews.

Wait a minute… Why do they ask you to introduce yourself if they already know who you are?

– If you are not a native speaker, this is basically a language test to check if you would be able to conduct business in English or not.

– Some people’s written and oral English are NOT on the same level.

– They want to see if you are presentable and whether you have confidence or not.

Meaning this is a vital part of your interview!

example answer for question #1

The structure of an excellent introduction:

Introduce yourself and say thank you –

“Good morning! My name is Marie and I am from Cape Town, South Africa. I would just like to say thank you for giving me this opportunity to have this interview today. I have looked forward to meeting you! 

Briefly discuss your education and experience –

I graduated from Stellenbosch University in 2008 and I have been an English teacher for the past nine years. I have various teaching diplomas and I have completed many courses including a CELTA and TEFL. During the past few years, I have taught all levels and ages of students, from complete beginners to advanced students, as well as students aged 4-60 years of age. I had the privilege of teaching in two different countries, these include South Africa and South Korea. I am currently one of the head teachers at Fluentella. 

Use adjectives to describe your personality and work ethic –

People describe me as a supportive colleague who is willing to step in and pick up the slack. I am able to work well in a group as well as by myself. I am also incredibly thorough. I finish what I start on time, I pay a lot of attention to details and deadlines are very important to me. 

Talk about why you are interested in this job –

I believe this position would enable me to develop as a teacher and educator. I am an exceptional communicator and can relate to students studying a second language as I am bilingual myself. I would like to focus more on administration and writing children’s fiction. That is why this position as Head of the Language Department would suit me very well.

Make the interviewer remember you by having a strong but friendly conclusion to your introduction –

Lastly, I would just like to say that I look forward to working with you and meeting the team.  I have heard a lot of good things about this company and it would be an honor to call this place my second home. Thank you very much!”

How to answer this question:

Talk about the research you have done about the company. Tell the interviewer where you found the information. 

Try not to mention anything negative you read. Focus on the positive. Briefly talk about the positive reviews of customers and employees.

Mention an article you read in the media (if applicable)

example answer for question #2

“I have done a lot of reading about (name of company) and so far I am very impressed. According to customer reviews, your service and assistance are of a very high standard. People are genuinely satisfied with your products. I currently use some of your products and love it myself. Last week I spoke to an employee from your office in Shanghai. He told me that he couldn’t be happier with the environment he works in, they have great work benefits and there are always opportunities to develop one’s career when working for (company’s name).  To top it all, your company won the “Company of the Year” award in 2019. That is incredible! Congratulations!”

question #4

example answer for question #4:

“Mmm, well, there is one situation that really stands out. Back in 2012, while I was a teacher in South Korea, I had a little boy in my class called Sam. Sam was not a typical student. He had a hard time keeping up and finishing on time. His mother was upset and blamed me. I decided to show her that her son was talented in other things but that he could also be successful in what she wanted. I worked with him one on one for almost a year before we started to see an improvement. I am still in contact with him and I am proud to say that he is not only good at learning languages, but also in creating and designing cars. I used an interest of his to make him fall in love with English. Sam is such a dedicated and intelligent child!”

strength and weakness vocabulary

example answer for question #5:

“This is not an easy question to answer! But, I suppose my biggest strength is that I am flexible. I am good at taking on challenges and the fact that some things change suddenly does not bother me. It is not a problem for me to adjust and I will always continue to work and finish on time, no matter the circumstances. I will figure out a way to be successful.   This leads me to my biggest weakness. I am very hard on myself when it comes to failure. In the past, it really got me down when I struggled and failed at work. Now, I am trying my best to try even harder the next time and learn from my mistakes. I believe in the saying, “There are only two options: Make progress or make excuses.” I prefer to not make excuses.”