This slideshow contains tips and techniques on how to answer interview questions effectively especially the most common interview questions. The material also presents some ways on how interviewees can describe themselves more convincingly. This is created by Sirhajwan Idek. It is also available in ESL Printables and ISL Collectives.

1. Job Interview
By Sirhajwan Idek

2. Job Interview (20 %)ROLE A:
• You have been looking for a company that will offer on-the-job training for
vocational students. You saw an advertisement online and decide to apply for
the vacancy.
• After a week, you received a call from the company requesting you to attend
an interview.
ROLE B:
• You are the Human Resource Manager of a company. You company has
vacancies for trainees and offers on-the-job training for students from
vocational colleges. After going through the applications, you called
prospective trainees for an interview.
Task :
• Act out the dialogue between the employee and customer
• Practise the communication skill taught in the module.

3. 1. "Tell Me About Yourself..."

4. 1. "Tell Me About Yourself..."
• DO:
• Succinct & to the point.
• Be work specific
• What learned from your past work experiences
• Do company research on what strengths and qualities this specific
company is looking

5. 1. Tell me about yourself.
• The ‘present-past-future’ formula
• Present- where you are now (current job , passion)
• Past – How you got where you are now ( education, past jobs,
experience)
• Future – Future goals
• (Bonus point - if you’re able to identify how the position you’re apply
for aligns with how you envision your future)

6. 2. "Why Should We Hire You?"

7. 2. "Why Should We Hire You?"
• Show that you are uniquely suited for the job.
• Show you know some significant details about the company
• Tell a “success story” that highlights how your qualities
• Don’t be too modest.
• Don’t sound too arrogant.

8. • This is another good time to review the qualifications and the
requirements in the job listing, so you can craft a response that
aligns with what the interviewer is looking for.

9. 3. "What Is Your Greatest Strength?"

10. 3. "What Is Your Greatest Strength?"
• Highlight a strength that is crucial to the position
• Research the company
• Don’t be too modest or too arrogant

11. • attributes that will qualify you for the specific job and set you
apart from the other candidates.
• “show” rather than “tell.”
(Tell a story from your experience that shows you are an excellent
problem solver, not just stating it)

12. 4. "What Is Your Greatest Weakness?"

13. 4. "What Is Your Greatest Weakness?"
• Show that you are aware of your weakness
• Describe what you have done to overcome it
• Don’t you DARE answer that you have no weaknesses
• Make the weakness seem like a positive trait
• Don’t highlight a weakness that is a core competency of the job.
• Don’t dodge this question.

14. Example
• “I’ve always struggled with perfectionism – I truly want to do the
job correctly the first time, but this sometimes means that I
devote more time to a project than is necessary. I’ve learned to
balance this drive with the equally important responsibility of
meeting deadlines.”

15. 5. "Why Do You Want To Work For Us?"

16. 5. "Why Do You Want To Work For Us?"
• Talk about specific things you are passionate about the company.
• Be complimentary
• Show how your strengths perfectly align with the job position and
company culture.

17. 6. "Why Did You Leave Your Last Job?"

18. 6. "Why Did You Leave Your Last Job?"
• Describe what is about the new company that attracts you
• If you were let go, be honest and explain why and what you have
learnt from it.
• Words like “downsizing” and “budget cuts” and “bad economy” are
good defenses

19. 7. "What Is Your Greatest Accomplishment?"

20. 7. "What Is Your Greatest Accomplishment?"
• Talk about an accomplishment that fit for the company and for the
position
• Show genuine passion
• Don’t sell yourself short!

21. 8. "Describe A Difficult Work Situation And What
You Did To Overcome It..."

22. 8. "Describe A Difficult Work Situation And What
You Did To Overcome It..."
• Be specific and fairly concise.
• Use the S.T.A.R. Method (Situation, Task, Action, Result )
• Don’t talk bad about anyone

23. 9. "Where Do You See Yourself In 5 Years?"

24. 9. "Where Do You See Yourself In 5 Years?"
• Link your answer to the level of commitment to the position.
• Describe how you will have contributed to the company
• Stress your interest in a long-term career at the company

25. 10. "Do You Have Any Questions For Me?"

26. What is your salary expectation
• What are you looking for in terms of salary? It seems like a simple
question, but your answer can knock you out of the contest for the
job if you overprice yourself. If you underprice yourself, you may get
shortchanged and a lower offer. Review the best way to answer
questions about salary so you get the fair pay that you deserve.

27. 10. "Do You Have Any Questions For Me?"
• Always have questions ready!
• Focus your questions on the company & what you can do for them.
• Ask about something you’ve researched about the company.

28. Words to describe yourself

29. Describing your personality
• Easy-going: a relaxed person who is easy to get along with
• Hard-working: someone who works well and isn’t lazy
• Committed: a person who is loyal to a project or person
• Trustworthy: someone who you can rely on
• Honest: someone who tells the truth
• Focused: someone who is not easily distracted
• Methodical: a person who pays attention to details and works in a logical way
• Proactive: someone who takes steps to complete tasks without supervision.
You can say: I’m (easy-going), or I’m a/an easy-going person/employee/worker.
If you’d like to add punch, use an intensifier like very, extremely, really. (“I’m very
trustworthy,” “I’m an extremely focused employee.”)

30. Describing your strengths
Some positive traits and skills managers look for include:
• Organization
• The ability to multitask
• Perform to a deadline
• Solve problems
• Communicate well
• Work in an international environment and with people from all over the world
• Speak foreign languages
• Enthusiasm
You can use phrases like:I’m good at/I’m skilled at multitasking/working under
pressure/working to a deadline, or
My strength is/are my ability to problem solve/be enthusiastic/speak fluent
English etc.

31. Describing your experience
Here are some phrases to use:
• I have five years’ experience as a waitress/in retail/as a teacher
• I worked in retail for seven years and was promoted to manager in my
second year
• I studied at the University of Queensland
• I worked for Anderson and Assoc. as a lawyer
• Be prepared to run through and explain the main points in your CV.
Use the opportunity to elaborate on what’s on your CV and give more
details.

32. Describing your goals for the future and why you
want this Job
• These phrases can help:
• I’m looking to further my skills as a barista/in hospitality, as a
childcare worker/in early childhood education
• I want to further my career in physiotherapy/as a physiotherapist, in
administration/as an administrator, in retail/as a branch manager
• I believe your company is an important player in its industry
• I feel my skills set is a perfect fit for your team and I can contribute
by…
(It’s very important to emphasize the last point )
your interviewer will want to be convinced that you really want the
role. Don’t overdo it, of course, but do make sure you make this point
clear.

33. These 5 Power Words Can Land You Your
Dream Job
1. Responsibility
- e.g. "It was my responsibility to..."Managers want to hire employees who
take responsibility for getting the job done. They don't want to hire
employees who shirk, foist work onto others or, worst of all, delegate tasks
upwards.Stating you took responsibility for achieving a goal, and then
explaining specifically how you achieved that goal, shows the hiring
manager that you're reliable, hard-working and conscientious.

34. 2. Initiative
- e.g. "I took the initiative to..."Managers want to hire employees who
don't wait around to be told what to do. That drives managers crazy.
Like everyone else, managers are pressed for time. They may be willing
to coach but they certainly don't want to be forced to hand-
hold.Stating you took the initiative to get the job done, and the
explaining how you got it done, tells the hiring manager that you're
self-motivated, self-confident and ready to get to work.

35. 3. Result
• e.g. "As a result of my actions..."Business is all about results, aka the
proverbial bottom line. During the interview, never mention any
activity without also describing the positive impact that activity had
on the company and team.Talking about results rather than mere
activity shows that you understand the basic rule of business and
understand what's really important. Ideally you want the hiring
manager to be thinking: "Wow! This candidate will get results!“

36. 4. Measurable
e.g. "The measurable increase in profit was..."In this case, it's not so
much the word itself as the concept behind it. In business
communications, concrete facts always outweigh abstract generalities.
The more specific you are, the more credible you seem. But you be the
judge. Which of the statements below is more powerful and
convincing? "I worked an average of 50 hours a week""I worked some
long hours."Or, similarly:"I increased sales by 25% in 3 months""I made
a lot of sales.“

37. 5. Example
"Here's an example of how I handled that..."This is the most powerful interview
word of all time because it allows you segue from an abstract discussion into a real
world story. It forces you to "show" rather than "tell" what you're really made
of.The word "example" is especially valuable when you're asked the corny standard
interview questions:Interviewer: "What's your greatest strength?"You: "I'm results-
oriented. For example, when my working group was faced with a new deadline, I
took the initiative..."Get the idea?
• When you're being interviewed, don't bother bloviating about your fabulous
personality traits. Instead, use the five power words to illustrate exactly how you
can help your future employer achieve their own ambitious goals.

38. Task
• Work in pair to interview each other (ask the 10 questions)
• Pick a specific job you would like to interview for
• Pick a specific company if possible
• Do research questions

39. Role Play – Customer Service (20%)
CUSTOMER :
• You order a Big Mac hamburger with no onions and a strawberry shake from your
local McDonalds restaurant at the drive-through. When you open your order, you
find that they gave you a fish sandwich and a vanilla shake. This is simply
unacceptable. You park your car and go in to complain, which makes you late for
your next appointment.
McDONALD EMPLOYEE
• You took the customer’s order. The trainee you are working with filled the order
wrong because she/he mistakenly looked at the wrong register and order.
• How are you going to handle this situation?
• Task :
• Act out the dialogue between the employee and customer
• Practice the communication skill taught in the module.