English Job Interview Tips and Tricks - How to Answer Job Interview Questions in English

Summary

This video script offers valuable tips for non-native English speakers preparing for job interviews. It introduces eight common questions and outlines strategies such as conciseness, signposting language, the STAR method for structured responses, and mirroring to align answers with company values. The aim is to enhance clarity and impact, boosting the candidate's chances of success in the interview process.

Takeaways

• 😀 Be concise in your answers to avoid unnecessary details and maintain focus.
• 🎯 Use full sentences with clear beginnings and ends to ensure your responses are coherent and understandable.
• 🔍 Prioritize key points in your answers and place them at the beginning to establish a clear direction.
• 📈 Practice speaking by recording yourself to refine your answers and eliminate rambling.
• 🚀 Utilize signposting language to guide the listener through your responses, making them easier to follow.
• 🌟 Highlight your strengths and weaknesses clearly using signposting to make your points distinct.
• 📚 Adopt the STAR method (Situation, Task, Action, Result) to structure longer answers for complex questions.
• 🔑 Mirror the interviewer's language and the company's values to show attentiveness and alignment with the company's culture.
• 🔍 Research the company and job description to understand the key words and phrases that can be mirrored in your answers.
• 💡 Reflect on the company's values and how they align with your own to create a compelling reason for why you want the job.
• 👍 Show that you are a good fit for the company by using mirroring to demonstrate shared values and understanding of the role.

Q & A

What is the main focus of the video script provided?

The main focus of the video script is to teach viewers how to effectively answer job interview questions in English, particularly for those for whom English is not their first language.

How many common job interview questions are discussed in the script?

The script discusses eight common job interview questions.

What are the four techniques introduced in the script to help improve answers in job interviews?

The four techniques introduced are being concise, using signposting language, using the STAR method to structure longer answers, and mirroring key words and phrases.

What does the term 'concise' mean in the context of the script?

In the context of the script, 'concise' means not wasting words, getting right to the point, and not adding anything unnecessary to the answer.

Why are open questions considered dangerous in a job interview according to the script?

Open questions are considered dangerous because they might lead to rambling, which means talking a lot without saying much, potentially giving the interviewer a bad impression.

What is the STAR method and how does it help in structuring answers?

The STAR method stands for Situation, Task, Action, Result. It helps in structuring answers by starting with the context, then detailing what was done, and finally discussing the outcome.

How can practicing with recording oneself improve interview answers?

Practicing with recording oneself can help identify incomplete sentences and unnecessary words, allowing for refinement until the answer is clean and focused.

What is signposting language and why is it important in job interviews?

Signposting language consists of words and phrases that guide the listener through the speaker's points. It is important because it helps keep answers clear, structured, and easy to follow.

What is mirroring and how can it help during a job interview?

Mirroring is the technique of using some of the same words and expressions as the interviewer. It helps keep answers focused, relevant, and shows that the interviewee is actively listening and cares about the company's values.

Why should interviewees avoid unnecessary details when answering questions?

Interviewees should avoid unnecessary details to prevent their answers from becoming long and unfocused, which can negatively impact the impression they make on the interviewer.

How can interviewees prepare for using the mirroring technique effectively?

Interviewees can prepare for using the mirroring technique by researching the company's language and values, and by carefully reading the job advertisement to understand the words and phrases used to describe the ideal candidate.

Outlines

00:00

😀 Introduction to Job Interview Tips

Gina from Oxford Online English introduces a lesson on answering job interview questions in English, particularly for non-native speakers. She acknowledges the added stress of using a second language during interviews and offers simple tips to improve responses. The lesson covers eight common interview questions and four techniques to answer them effectively. Gina emphasizes the importance of being concise, using full sentences, and having a clear direction in responses to avoid rambling.

05:00

📝 The Art of Conciseness in Interview Answers

The paragraph focuses on the importance of being concise in job interviews. Gina provides examples of ineffective and effective answers to common open-ended questions like 'Tell me a little about yourself' and 'Where do you see yourself five years from now?' She advises avoiding unnecessary details, speaking in full sentences, and highlighting key points at the beginning of the answer to maintain focus and clarity. Gina suggests practicing by recording oneself and refining the responses to achieve conciseness.

10:01

🗣️ Signposting Language for Clear Communication

Gina explains the use of signposting language, which involves using words and phrases to guide the listener through the speaker's points. She demonstrates how signposting can improve the clarity of answers to questions about strengths and weaknesses and leadership style. The paragraph includes examples of answers with and without signposting, highlighting the difference it makes in the structure and comprehensibility of responses.

15:07

🌟 The STAR Method for Structured Answers

This paragraph introduces the STAR method (Situation, Task, Action, Result) for structuring answers to questions that require detailed responses. Gina uses examples to show how the STAR method helps in building clear and structured answers. She encourages viewers to practice using the method by pausing the video and crafting their own answers to hypothetical interview questions.

20:11

🔍 Mirroring for Relevance and Connection

Gina discusses the technique of mirroring, which involves using the same words and expressions as the interviewer to keep answers focused and relevant. She explains that mirroring shows the interviewer that the candidate is listening and cares about the company's values. Gina advises researching the company's language and incorporating it into the interview answers. The paragraph provides examples of how to use mirroring effectively without sounding robotic.

🚀 Wrapping Up: Techniques for Effective Interview Answers

In the concluding paragraph, Gina summarizes the four techniques introduced in the lesson: being concise, using signposting language, applying the STAR method, and mirroring. She reiterates the importance of these techniques for giving better answers in job interviews and wishes viewers good luck with their upcoming interviews. The lesson ends with a reminder to practice these techniques to improve interview performance.

Keywords

💡Job Interview

A job interview is a formal meeting between a potential employer and a candidate where they discuss the candidate's suitability for a job. In the video, job interviews are the central theme, with the focus on how to answer questions effectively in English, especially for non-native speakers. The script provides tips and examples of common interview questions like 'Tell me a little about yourself' and 'Why do you want this job?'

💡Concise

Conciseness in communication means being brief and to the point without including unnecessary details. The video emphasizes the importance of being concise in job interviews to avoid rambling and to make a clear and strong impression. For instance, when answering 'Tell me a little about yourself,' candidates are advised to avoid unnecessary details and speak concisely.

💡Ramble

To ramble means to speak or write at length in a disjointed or aimless manner. The script warns against rambling in job interviews as it can lead to an unfocused and ineffective answer. An example given is a candidate's lengthy and unstructured response to 'Tell me a little about yourself,' which included excessive and irrelevant details.

💡Signposting Language

Signposting language refers to words and phrases that guide the listener through the speaker's train of thought. The video script explains that using signposting language like 'for example' or 'on the other hand' helps to structure answers and makes them easier to follow. It is particularly useful in answering questions about strengths, weaknesses, and leadership style.

💡STAR Method

The STAR method is a structured approach to answering behavioral interview questions. It stands for Situation, Task, Action, and Result. The script introduces this method as a way to build clear and focused answers, especially for questions that require detailing a specific experience or situation, such as demonstrating excellent customer service.

💡Mirroring

Mirroring in the context of the video refers to the technique of using the same words and expressions as the interviewer or the company to align one's answers with their values and expectations. It helps to show that the candidate is attentive and values what the company stands for. The script provides examples of how to mirror terms like 'innovative' and 'forward-looking' from the company's self-description in the candidate's answers.

💡Leadership Style

Leadership style pertains to the manner in which a person leads and manages a team. The video script touches on the importance of being able to articulate one's leadership style during an interview. It suggests using signposting language to structure the response and make it clear and understandable.

💡Customer Service

Customer service is the provision of assistance to customers before, during, and after a purchase. The script uses the context of customer service to illustrate how to answer questions about demonstrating excellent service in a previous role, applying the STAR method to provide a structured and impactful response.

💡Challenge

In the video, a challenge refers to a difficult situation or problem that one has faced in the workplace. The script advises candidates to prepare for questions about handling challenges by using the STAR method to structure their answers and effectively communicate their problem-solving skills.

💡Values

Values in the context of a job interview refer to the principles and standards that guide a person's behavior and decision-making. The video script discusses how candidates can align their personal values with those of the company they are applying to, using mirroring to show a good fit for the company culture.

💡Communication Skills

Communication skills are the ability to effectively convey information and ideas. The script highlights the importance of good communication skills in customer service roles and provides an example of how a candidate might reference this skill in their answer to 'Why should we hire you?' by mirroring the company's emphasis on these skills.

Highlights

Introduction to the lesson on answering job interview questions in English.

Importance of clear and natural English communication in non-native speakers during job interviews.

Overview of eight common job interview questions covered in the lesson.

Introduction of four different techniques for effective answering in job interviews.

Explanation of the term 'concise' in the context of interview answers.

Common open-ended interview questions and the risk of rambling.

Sample answer critique and advice on avoiding unnecessary details.

Technique of speaking in full sentences with clear direction for better answers.

Examples of concise answers to 'Tell me a little about yourself'.

Advice on avoiding rambling and the importance of clear, full sentences.

Technique of signposting language to make answers clearer and more structured.

Examples of using signposting language for the questions on strengths, weaknesses, and leadership style.

Introduction of the STAR method for structuring longer answers in interviews.

Explanation and example of the STAR method applied to customer service scenarios.

Practical exercise for viewers to apply the STAR method to a challenging work situation.

Combining STAR method with signposting language for complex answers.

Definition and benefits of mirroring in interview communication.

How to use mirroring effectively by aligning with company values and job requirements.

Examples of mirroring in answers to 'Why do you want this job?' and 'Why should we hire you?'.

Final tips and summary of techniques for better job interview answers in English.

Closing remarks and encouragement for upcoming job interviews.

Transcripts

Hi, I’m Gina.

Welcome to Oxford Online English!

In this lesson, you can learn how to answer job interview questions in English.

Have you ever had a job interview in English?

If English is not your first language, answering job interview questions in English can add

stress to the experience.

However, there are some simple, effective tips you can use to give better answers to

job interview questions in clear, natural English.

You’ll learn about these tips and tricks during this lesson!

You’ll see eight common job interview questions and four different techniques you can use.

You’ll see how to answer these common job interview questions, using the techniques

we’ll show you.

Let’s start with our eight common job interview questions.

Tell me a little about yourself.

Where do you see yourself five years from now?

What are your strengths/weaknesses?

What is your leadership style?

Can you tell me about a time when you demonstrated ----?

--> For example, can you tell me about a time when you demonstrated strong leadership?

Or, can you tell me about a time when you demonstrated excellent customer service?

Tell me about a time you dealt with a challenging situation at work.

Why do you want this job?

Why should we hire you?

What does concise mean?

It means that you don’t waste words.

If you speak concisely, you get right to the point and don’t add anything unnecessary

to your answer.

Let’s look at two questions in this section:

Tell me a little about yourself.

Where do you see yourself five years from now?

These are very common job interview questions, and they’re also very open questions.

Open questions can be dangerous.

Do you know why?

It’s because you might ramble.

Ramble means to talk a lot without saying much.

This won’t give the interviewer a good impression!

Let’s start by looking at a sample answer to the question tell me a little about yourself.

Well, I was born in a small town in northern Italy, where I also went to school.

I studied engineering at university and then…

So, after I graduated…

I mean, I did a master’s degree first, but then I worked for a small firm in my hometown

for a few years, which was great fun.

After that…

Okay, we can stop there.

Do you think this is a good answer?

Why or why not?

It’s not a very good answer.

Why not?

There are three things the candidate does which you should try to avoid:

One: the candidate includes lots of unnecessary details.

Two: he doesn’t speak in full sentences.

Three: he doesn’t have any clear direction.

If you do these things, your answer to this answer will be long and unfocused.

What’s the solution?

You need to be more concise.

But how?

First, avoid unnecessary details.

Don’t give your entire work history; the interviewers can get that from your CV if

they want it.

Secondly, speak in full sentences with a clear beginning and end.

This means you need to be thinking ahead while you speak.

Thirdly, think about what you want to highlight in your answer, and put it at the beginning.

This will give your answer a clear direction.

Let’s look at some examples of this:

I’ve always loved designing and building things, so I suppose it’s natural that I

became an engineer.

I’ve worked in a variety of roles and companies, which I’ve learned a lot from, but now I’m

ready for a new challenge.

What do you think?

Better?

It’s much better.

Let's look at the start.

Immediately, the candidate identifies a key feature (he loves designing and building things),

and links it to his engineering career.

The candidate’s answer is very concise: there are no unnecessary details, and it also

has a clear end.

What about our second question?

Here’s one possible answer:

There are many things I could be doing.

I’d like to have, you know, some sort of progress…

What I mean is that I don’t just want to be doing the same things I’m doing now.

I like to be moving forward in my career, for example…

Err…

I definitely see myself in a better position than I am now.

Good answer?

Bad answer?

Okay, it’s not terrible, but it could be much better.

The candidate is rambling.

She doesn’t make her point clear, she doesn’t speak in full sentences, and she wastes words

on unclear and unnecessary ideas.

Here’s a better answer:

I don’t know exactly, but the most important thing is that I continue to learn and grow

in my career.

I’m the kind of person who needs new challenges to stay focused.

I might even start my own business, because that’s something I’ve always wanted to

do at some point in my life.

This is much more concise.

The candidate’s answer has a clear beginning and end, and doesn’t waste words.

So, what can you do to make your answers more concise?

The best way to practise is to record yourself speaking.

You could record yourself answering these two questions.

Then, listen to yourself.

Try to find sentences which you don’t finish, or words which don’t add anything to your

meaning.

Then, try again.

Keep practising until your answer is clean and focused.

Next, let’s look at another point which will make your answers clearer and more structured:

signposting language.

Signposting language means words and phrases which show your listener where you’re going.

For example, the words ‘for example’ are signposting language.

When I say for example, you know I’m about to give you an example.

Simple, right?

Yes, but it’s also very important.

Without signposting language, longer answers can lose focus and be hard to follow.

You’ll see answers to two questions in this section:

What are your strengths and weaknesses?

What is your leadership style?

Let’s look at a sample answer to the first question.

I’m very good at working with other people.

In my last job, I always tried to encourage my colleagues and create a good atmosphere.

I suppose I can be a little bit careless sometimes.

I’m not the kind of person who focuses on details.

I’m very calm, and I can keep a cool head in very stressful situations.

What do you think?

It’s not bad, but it could be hard to follow.

The candidate jumps around a lot.

Adding signposting language can make a big difference.

Let’s see how. Notice that the content is exactly the same.

We haven’t changed the candidate’s basic ideas at all.

However, the answer is now much clearer and easier to follow.

Using signposting language like this can make a big difference!

Let’s look at our second question for this section.

What is your leadership style?

Look at a sample answer which doesn’t use signposting language.

I’m quite a hands-off manager.

If one of my team has a project, I’ll keep an eye on things, but I don’t need to be

involved in every detail.

I’m very approachable.

I make sure my team know they can come to me with problems or questions at any time.

I like to lead from the front.

If everyone’s working late to meet a deadline, I make sure I’m there with them.

Now, look at some signposting language you could use in this answer.

Now, you have a job to do!

I want you to pause the video and put these signposting phrases into the answer you just

saw.

Go on, pause the video and do it now!

Ready?

Let’s look at the answers:

How did you do?

Were you able to use the signposting language?

Remember, signposting language might seem very simple, but don’t forget about it.

Using signposting language well makes your answers much clearer and easier to follow.

Now, let’s look at another way to make your answers more structured, clearer and

more focused.

You’ll see answers to these two questions in this section.

Can you tell me about a time when you demonstrated -----?

Tell me about a time you dealt with a challenging situation at work.

These questions are likely to need longer answers.

With longer answers, it’s really important that your answers have a clear structure.

Otherwise, your meaning might get lost!

There’s a method you can use here; it’s called the STAR method.

STAR means situation, task, action, result.

So, you start your answer by giving the context: what was the situation, and what did you have

to do?

Then, you talk about what you actually did, and what the end result was.

Let’s do an example together.

Can you tell me about a time when you demonstrated excellent customer service?

Let’s use the STAR method.

There was one time when a customer’s order hadn’t arrived, and we didn’t know what

had happened to it.

The customer was very unhappy, and I had to try to solve the problem for him.

I arranged for a replacement to be sent, thinking we could find out what happened to the previous

order later.

In the end, the customer was happy that I could solve his problem quickly and simply.

You see how following this method lets you build clear, structured answers?

situation, task,

action, result

Let’s do another example.

Think about our second question.

Tell me about a time you dealt with a challenging situation at work.

This time, you’re going to try!

Pause the video and make an answer to this question.

Your answer should be four sentences long.

Follow the STAR method, one sentence for each part.

How was that?

Did you find it easy to make your own answer?

Let’s look at one way you could answer this question.

Once, we realised three days before a project deadline that two of our teams were using

incompatible software tools.

As the project manager, I had to find a way to deal with this without causing any delays.

I talked to both team leaders and we made a plan for one team to convert their work

into a different format, with help from some staff from other departments.

It was very close but we managed to get everything done on time.

Again, you can see the STAR method in action:

situation, task,

action, result.

If you combine this STAR method with the signposting language you learned about in part two, you’ll

be able to express yourself clearly in English, even in longer and more complex answers.

Finally, let’s look at another tip you can use to impress your interviewer and increase

your chances of getting that job offer!

You’re going to learn about mirroring and how it can help you.

What does mirroring mean?

It means using some of the same words and expressions as the person you’re talking

to.

For example, if the interviewer asks you:

How do you think your values fit our company culture?

You could start your answer by saying:

I think my values are a good fit for your company culture for two reasons.

One…

Mirroring has several benefits.

First, it keeps your answers focused.

By using the same words and phrases, your answer will be relevant.

More importantly, it shows the interviewer that you’re listening and that you care

about the questions and the company.

Mirroring is powerful.

We unconsciously mirror people when we like or respect them.

Using mirroring consciously will help you to make a better impression.

You should start by researching the company you’re applying to.

How do they describe themselves?

What adjectives do they use on their website or in their advertising?

Also, read the job advertisement carefully.

Pay attention to the words they use to describe the candidate they’re looking for.

Use these words in your answers.

Let’s think about this question:

Why do you want this job?

Imagine you’re applying to a company which describes itself as ‘innovative’ and ‘forward-looking’.

In the job advertisement, they say they want someone who is ‘creative’ and ‘flexible’.

Here’s a good sample answer:

Creativity is very important to me, and I’ve always wanted to work in an environment where

I can innovate and find my own solutions to challenges.

I also feel that your company will continue to evolve in the future, and I like the idea

of contributing to that development.

The candidate doesn’t use all four words, but she does reference all four ideas.

For example, instead of ‘forward-looking’, she talks about the company evolving in the

future.

In this way, she shows that she’s in tune with the company’s values.

Let’s do one more example.

Imagine you’re applying to a company which describes itself as ‘commanding respect’

and which talks with pride about its long history.

In the job advertisement, they say they want someone who has ‘great communication skills’

and ‘passion for helping others’.

During the interview, they ask:

Why should we hire you?

Here’s a good sample answer, using mirroring.

I believe that great customer service starts with good communication, which is a strength

of mine.

I also think that in customer service, you need to care about what you’re doing.

I care about helping others and as such I believe you would find me to be a respectful

and effective team member who can fit with the established traditions of your company.

Again, the candidate doesn’t necessarily use the words directly, but he does reference

all four of the ideas.

Be careful if you use mirroring; you don’t want to sound like a robot!

This is why you sometimes need to change words and phrases slightly, instead of repeating

them again and again.

Now, you’ve seen four effective techniques you can use to give better answers to job

interview questions in English.

Remember: be concise, use signposting language, use the STAR method to structure longer answers,

and mirror key words and phrases.

We hope it was useful.

Good luck if you have a job interview coming up soon!

Thanks for watching!

See you next time!