English Job Interview Dos & Dont's! | English Conversation Practice

2,547,944 views ・ 2021-08-03

Rachel's English


Please double-click on the English subtitles below to play the video.

00:00
It’s one of my most popular series ever  here on Youtube. Today it’s a compilation  
0
80
5120
00:05
interviewing for a job in America. If English  isn’t your native language, you’re going to  
1
5200
4320
00:09
learn some English and some important phrases  to know for interviewing and everybody is  
2
9520
4160
00:13
going to learn that you can prepare for and  ace your next job interview, let’s do this.
3
13680
5025
00:19
You’re hired! Two words everybody loves  to hear. But before we hear these words  
4
19280
6320
00:25
comes (dun dun duuuuhn!) the  
5
25600
2480
00:28
interview. Today’s video is part one in a series  that’s all about preparing for a job interview.
6
28080
1190
00:29
This is part one of a five part series on  preparing for an interview. Interviewing  
7
29270
1130
00:30
for a new job can be a huge  source of stress and anxiety.  
8
30400
4240
00:34
And if you’re interviewing for a job in a  non-native language, the stress can be even  
9
34640
5440
00:40
higher. In this video you’ll see me interview for  a job. Throughout the interview, we’ll discuss  
10
40080
6960
00:47
some of the most common interview questions and  how to answer them. You’ll also learn some basic  
11
47040
6560
00:53
information to get you started on creating your  own answers to these questions. Let’s begin.
12
53600
6760
01:00
TK: Hello Ms. Smith, I’m Tom Kelley.  Thanks so much for coming in.
13
60360
3800
01:04
RS: It’s my pleasure, thanks  so much for meeting with me.
14
64160
2160
01:06
TK: Of course. Did you have  any trouble finding the office?
15
66320
2661
01:09
Small Talk. Most interviews will start out  with a handshake and some small talk – this  
16
69200
6560
01:15
may include questions about how you’re doing,  your travel to the interview, the weather,  
17
75760
5883
01:21
how your weekend went, and more. All you  need to do is be polite and friendly.  
18
81840
6409
01:28
Keep your answers short. You can  also feel free to turn the question  
19
88400
4480
01:32
back to the interviewer. For instance, if the  interviewer asks you how your weekend was,  
20
92880
6400
01:39
you might respond, “It was great, we celebrated my  Mom’s birthday. How was your weekend?” Small talk  
21
99280
7680
01:46
is used to build a more comfortable environment  before the interview begins. It may seem silly,  
22
106960
6240
01:53
but you can practice small talk on your own  by asking yourself simple, easy-to-answer,  
23
113200
6560
01:59
non-personal questions. You could also practice  with a friend. Here is an example of small talk:
24
119760
8080
02:07
>> How are you doing?
25
127840
1120
02:08
>> I’m great, thank you, and you?
26
128960
2829
02:14
>> How are you doing?
27
134548
1800
02:16
>> I’m doing really well. It’s  such a nice day out there.
28
136348
2692
02:19
>> It is! It was perfect weather all weekend.
29
139040
4080
02:23
>> It was.
30
143120
1745
02:27
>> Did you do anything  interesting over the weekend?
31
147337
3240
02:30
>> Yes, I went to the park  with my family for a picnic.
32
150577
2703
02:33
>> That sounds nice.
33
153280
1440
02:34
>> It was. And you?
34
154720
2600
02:37
>> I worked this weekend, but I  got a lot done, so that was good.
35
157320
4640
02:42
>> It does feel good to get work done!
36
162709
2946
02:48
You can see we haven’t said much of importance,  but the conversation is friendly and open,  
37
168000
5920
02:53
and can make two people feel more  comfortable in each other’s presence.
38
173920
4283
02:58
TK: Hello Ms. Smith, I’m Tom Kelley.  Thanks so much for coming in.
39
178440
3800
03:02
RS: It’s my pleasure, thanks  so much for meeting with me.
40
182240
2160
03:04
TK: Of course. Did you have  any trouble finding the office?
41
184400
2320
03:06
RS: Nope. The directions  on the website were great.
42
186720
2560
03:09
TK: Good. Would you like some  coffee or water before we begin?
43
189280
3040
03:12
RS: I’m okay, thank you.
44
192320
1600
03:13
TK: Alright. So, to get started, why don’t  you tell me a little bit about yourself.
45
193920
4400
03:18
RS: Sure.
46
198320
875
03:19
Common Question: Tell me a little bit about  yourself. It’s very common for interviewers  
47
199840
6160
03:26
to simply ask you to tell them about yourself.  That can feel overwhelming! But don’t worry;  
48
206000
6880
03:32
what they really want you to focus on is  your education and work history. You can  
49
212880
5440
03:38
also let them know what areas you have a lot  of experience in, or what your interests are  
50
218320
5920
03:44
when answering this question. Here are a  few different ways to begin your answer.
51
224240
5760
03:50
I studied at Harvard University and  graduated 2012 with a degree in business.
52
230960
6031
03:58
I’ve been working at Smith  Incorporated for 10 years as a manager.
53
238240
4409
04:03
I have 12 years of experience in graphic design.
54
243920
3244
04:08
Because of my time at Verizon, I have a lot  of experience in providing customer service.
55
248720
5597
04:16
If you're preparing for an interview, practice  talking about yourself and your work history.   
56
256320
5187
04:21
Record yourself with a video camera if possible.   Make sure it's not too long, maybe around a  
57
261920
6080
04:28
minute.  Go back and listen or watch, and write  down phrases that worked well to use again.  If  
58
268000
7120
04:35
there was anything you stumbled over or left out,  write down some possible phrases you could have  
59
275120
6000
04:41
used.  The next day, do the same exercise.  It's  important that you don't just write a paragraph  
60
281120
7200
04:48
and memorize it, but simply practice free-talking  with some key phrases. The more you practice  
61
288320
7280
04:55
before the interview, the more comfortable you’ll  feel answering the questions during the interview.
62
295600
5360
05:00
TK: So, to get started, why don’t you  tell me a little bit about yourself.
63
300960
4320
05:05
RS: Sure. I studied at the University of Florida  and graduated in 2010 with a Masters Degree in  
64
305280
6320
05:11
Toy Design. After graduation, I was hired at  Happy Kid’s Creative. I’ve been there for the  
65
311600
5920
05:17
past five years and am currently the Director  of Toy Production. During that time sales have  
66
317520
6400
05:23
grown steadily. It’s been a great experience,  but I’ve run out of room to grow with HKC and  
67
323920
6480
05:30
I’m looking for new opportunities. I have a lot of  experience leading teams in the creative process  
68
330400
6000
05:36
and finding new markets for  the products that we create.
69
336400
3160
05:39
TK: That’s great. Can you tell me  how you heard about this position?
70
339560
4677
05:45
Can you tell me how you heard about this  position? This is a common question that  
71
345040
4880
05:49
you’ll hear in interviews. It’s a chance to share  a little bit about the research that you’ve done  
72
349920
5840
05:55
in order to learn about the position you are  applying for. It’s also a chance to share if  
73
355760
5680
06:01
someone from inside the company let you know about  the position. Here are some example responses:
74
361440
6935
06:09
I heard about the position from one  of your current employees, Bob Greene.
75
369600
4364
06:15
I heard about the position from my friend  Liz Miller, who works in Accounting.
76
375200
4231
06:20
I saw this position on LinkedIn.
77
380400
2341
06:23
I read about the position on your website.
78
383840
2240
06:27
Since this is a simple question with a simple  answer, think about your answer and practice  
79
387680
5200
06:32
it out loud before your interview. Record  yourself and listen. Are you easy to understand?  
80
392880
6432
06:39
Are there any words that are challenging for  you? Practice these words separately, slowly,  
81
399760
8480
06:48
thinking about the mouth position.  As it becomes more comfortable,  
82
408240
4400
06:52
speed it up. You’re going to want to practice  tough words 10, 20, 30 times in a row.  
83
412640
6560
06:59
Build your muscle memory, so in the interview  it will naturally be easier to pronounce.
84
419920
5998
07:06
TK: That’s great. Can you tell me  how you heard about this position?
85
426361
3639
07:10
RS: Of course. A friend of mine saw the position  listed on LinkedIn and forwarded it to me,  
86
430000
6640
07:16
so I spent some time on your website learning  about the position and the company. I also  
87
436640
5200
07:21
read an article in Business Weekly about  your work that really got me interested.
88
441840
4809
07:27
TK: What attracted you to our company?
89
447080
2760
07:30
Common Question: What  attracted you to our company?  
90
450400
3358
07:34
This question gives you the opportunity  to share what you know about the company,  
91
454560
4480
07:39
and why you would like to work there. Some ways  to begin your response include the following.  
92
459040
5929
07:45
Notice that most responses show that you have a  strong feeling about what you learned. This will  
93
465360
6160
07:51
give the interviewer more information about who  you are and what you might bring to the position.
94
471520
6320
07:58
I was really impressed with your  commitment to renewable energy.
95
478480
4055
08:03
I was very excited to learn that you support  your research department so strongly.
96
483120
5152
08:09
I read that you encourage employees  to spend time with each other  
97
489520
3920
08:13
outside the workplace, and that  is something I really appreciate.
98
493440
4705
08:18
Again, think about the answer to this question  before your interview, and practice your  
99
498800
5200
08:24
responses using recordings and repetition.  Even if this question is not asked, the time  
100
504000
7280
08:31
spent practicing the response will be helpful when  you answer other questions during the interview.
101
511280
5480
08:37
TK: What attracted you to our company?
102
517714
2440
08:40
RS: To be honest, what really caught my eye was  your focus on growth. I was really impressed with  
103
520154
5606
08:45
your ambitious goals and the clear plan you  have for achieving those goals. I also like  
104
525760
5760
08:51
the support you provide for your employees.  I love your continuing education initiatives,  
105
531520
5440
08:56
where you pay for employees to learn new techniques and skill sets.  
106
536960
3840
09:00
I think that really helps to build  employee satisfaction and loyalty.
107
540800
4409
09:06
TK: You’ve obviously done your homework.  What would you say is your greatest strength?
108
546000
5278
09:12
Common Question: What would you say is your  greatest strength? This question gives you the  
109
552240
6160
09:18
chance to talk about what you do really well as an  employee, and as a person. You can share what your  
110
558400
6800
09:25
greatest strength is, then explain how that helps  you in your current job or life. For example:
111
565200
6880
09:33
My greatest strength is _________. I find  that this is very important when I _______.
112
573280
6200
09:40
My greatest strength is flexibility.  I find that this is very important  
113
580640
4960
09:45
when I’m working with lots of  different people and opinions.
114
585600
4240
09:50
To practice answering this question,  write down: My greatest strength is  
115
590880
5415
09:56
(blank). Then, fill in your strength. Write down  how this strength is demonstrated in your life and  
116
596720
7360
10:04
work. You may come up with several  different strengths you want to highlight.  
117
604080
4880
10:08
That’s great, practice them all. But in  the interview, you’ll only want to use  
118
608960
5040
10:14
one or two answers. Practice answering the  questions out loud, based on what you wrote  
119
614000
5680
10:19
down. But don’t just memorize written text.  Practice speaking freely on these ideas.
120
619680
6400
10:26
TK: What would you say is your greatest strength?
121
626080
3400
10:29
RS: I would say, my greatest strength is a  combination of enthusiasm and persistence.  
122
629480
6840
10:37
My work ethic won’t let me settle for less  than my best. I’m able to persevere through  
123
637120
5520
10:42
challenges and setbacks without falling  into frustration or anger. I’ve noticed  
124
642640
5520
10:48
that this tends to keep those around me  in good spirits as well, which is a plus.
125
648160
4625
10:53
TK: That’s very good.
126
653398
1135
10:54
TK: Can you tell me about  a time where you suffered  
127
654533
2347
10:56
a setback and had to maintain your enthusiasm?
128
656880
3360
11:00
Common Question: Can you tell me about  a time when you suffered a setback and  
129
660240
4800
11:05
had to maintain your enthusiasm? The  interviewer may ask questions like  
130
665040
5360
11:10
this to get a better sense of how you behave  and perform in certain stressful situations.  
131
670400
6157
11:16
The question may be about your actual past  experiences, or a hypothetical situation,  
132
676960
6080
11:23
to see how you would respond. Here are examples  of other questions that are similar to this one:
133
683040
6352
11:30
Tell me about a time when you had to  deal with a difficult client or coworker.
134
690400
4661
11:36
Tell me about a time when you  had to respond to a crisis.
135
696640
5200
11:41
Tell me about a time when you  had to give difficult feedback.
136
701840
3438
11:47
How would you handle a situation  where you and your supervisor  
137
707680
3760
11:51
disagreed about an issue or course of action?
138
711440
3719
11:56
You can see, there’s a lot of variety  in the kind of way question is asked,  
139
716560
5120
12:01
so it’s impossible to know exactly  what you might need to say.  
140
721680
3723
12:05
In the days leading up to your interview, practice  responding to several different versions of this  
141
725760
5360
12:11
question every day. This will help build important  vocabulary you might need in the interview,  
142
731120
6400
12:17
and will also help you feel ready  to answer questions like these.
143
737520
4040
12:21
TK: Can you tell me about  a time where you suffered  
144
741560
3080
12:24
a setback and had to maintain your enthusiasm?
145
744640
2640
12:27
RS: Sure. One definitely comes to mind. Last year  a project for a new toy was in its final stages  
146
747280
7600
12:34
after two years of work. As we were looking at the  branding and working up a final marketing plan,  
147
754880
5440
12:40
a competitor launched a version of the  exact same toy that we were launching.  
148
760320
4443
12:45
As the leader of the project, I knew that my  reaction would set the tone for the group.  
149
765200
4981
12:50
I acknowledged that it was a setback, but  challenged the group to think of this as a  
150
770720
4640
12:55
blessing in disguise. I asked them to go out  and buy the competitor’s product and make a  
151
775360
5920
13:01
list of anything they wished the toy could do  that it didn’t. It turned out that the list was  
152
781280
5680
13:06
pretty long. We added these items to our toy, and  launched a far superior product 6 months later.  
153
786960
6000
13:13
So, in many ways, the competitor’s  product became the key to our success.
154
793520
4520
13:18
TK: That sounds like a great victory. Now.  What would you consider your greatest weakness?
155
798040
5880
13:24
Common Question: What do you consider to be your  greatest weakness? This question can be a tough  
156
804640
6880
13:31
one. You want to be as honest as possible when  answering this question. This is an opportunity  
157
811520
6400
13:37
to show a future employer that you know yourself,  and are willing to work to improve yourself.  
158
817920
6158
13:44
Share a weakness, like public speaking, or  attention to detail, fear of failure. And  
159
824720
6560
13:51
then talk about ways you’ve worked on improvement  in that area. Here is a way to start a response:
160
831280
6957
13:59
My greatest weakness is ___.
161
839200
3680
14:02
It shows up in my work when __.
162
842880
2840
14:06
The ways I’ve worked to  improve in this area are __.
163
846960
3880
14:12
Take a moment to think about something  you’ve struggled with in your work life.  
164
852400
4000
14:17
Think of ways that you’ve worked to improve, any  books that you’ve read, classes you’ve taken,  
165
857360
5520
14:22
and so on. These are the things you want to share  with the interviewer when answering this question.  
166
862880
5712
14:29
Remember, the important thing is  to show that you are aware of your  
167
869280
3600
14:32
weak spots – and that you are already  working at improving in these areas.
168
872880
4680
14:37
TK: Now, what do you consider  your greatest weakness?
169
877560
3800
14:41
RS: Chocolate. Just kidding! No, my biggest  weakness is public speaking. It’s something  
170
881360
7840
14:49
that I’ve spent a lot of time working on  and in which I’ve improved a great deal.  
171
889200
4284
14:54
I’m very comfortable in smaller meetings  with my teams. But when I present an idea  
172
894000
5040
14:59
or concept to a larger audience, I still  experience some stage fright. At this point,  
173
899040
6480
15:05
I can handle these situations professionally,  but I would like to be more comfortable in these  
174
905520
4560
15:10
moments so I can really enjoy the experience  of presenting, rather than just survive it.
175
910080
5552
15:15
TK: Fear of public speaking is a very common  fear; I’m in the same boat on that one!
176
915960
5680
15:22
TK: Where do you see yourself in five years?
177
922423
3337
15:25
Common Question: Where do you see yourself in  five years? This is a chance to share your goals  
178
925760
6880
15:32
for the future. You want to demonstrate that  you understand what is realistically achievable  
179
932640
6160
15:38
over a certain period of time. You’ll also be  letting the interviewer know how ambitious you are  
180
938800
5760
15:44
with this answer. If you haven’t thought about  this question at all, it can be a great idea  
181
944560
5760
15:50
to think about this before your interview.  Also, think about answers to two variations:  
182
950320
6501
15:57
where do you see yourself in one year,  where do you see yourself in 10 years.
183
957200
4947
16:03
You start this response by saying:
184
963600
2409
16:07
In five years I would like to be ___.
185
967120
2840
16:11
Practice answering this question out  loud as you prepare for your interview.  
186
971360
4375
16:16
If you only practice your answers in your head,  it will be much more stressful when you’re in  
187
976240
4800
16:21
the room with the interviewer, speaking out loud  for the first time. Record yourself. Critique your  
188
981040
7200
16:28
own speech. What was unclear? How you could you  clarify, or say more concisely, your thoughts?
189
988240
8311
16:36
TK: Where do you see yourself in five years?
190
996960
2112
16:39
RS: As I mentioned before, I’m interested in  growth. In five years I would like to be a part  
191
999640
6840
16:46
of a company growing its business  on a regular and consistent basis.  
192
1006480
4400
16:51
I’d like to be in a Vice President position  with a focus on development. And while I know  
193
1011680
5120
16:56
that would require much more public speaking,  in five years I plan on being ready for it.
194
1016800
5400
17:02
TK: Okay, well, I have everything I need,  
195
1022200
3240
17:05
but do you have any questions for me,  about the company or the position?
196
1025440
4400
17:09
Common Question: Do you have any questions for me?  So far, the interview has been about whether or  
197
1029840
6880
17:16
not you would be a good fit for the company. With  the question “Do you have any questions for me?”,  
198
1036720
6877
17:23
it’s your turn to find out if the company is a  good fit for you. The questions you ask will also  
199
1043760
7280
17:31
show how well you know their company  and the requirements of the position.
200
1051040
4320
17:36
Before the interview, write down any questions  you have about the position, the company,  
201
1056240
5920
17:42
or the work environment. Then practice those  questions out loud. Chances are, you won’t need  
202
1062160
6720
17:48
to ask all of them. Some might be answered  during the earlier parts of the interview.
203
1068880
5120
17:54
TK: Okay, well, I have everything I need,  
204
1074000
3200
17:57
but do you have any questions for me,  about the company or the position?
205
1077200
3760
18:00
RS: Yes. Imagine you're looking back on this  hiring decision in a year. The person you hired  
206
1080960
8400
18:09
has exceeded your expectations. What did  he or she do that impressed you the most?
207
1089360
5655
18:16
TK: That’s a great question.  
208
1096240
1152
18:18
I think in one year the person would have come  in and spent some time learning from the team and  
209
1098400
4720
18:23
people that have been here a while. Then, she or  he will begin making changes in an informed way.  
210
1103120
6720
18:30
In one year I want this person’s team to  be a well-oiled machine. I want them to  
211
1110640
4880
18:35
be bouncing ideas off each other, coming up with  new designs and making headway into new markets.
212
1115520
5307
18:41
RS: That’s helpful. It’s good to  know what the expectations are.  
213
1121418
4143
18:45
Can you tell me a little bit more about the team  that I would be working with?
214
1125561
3877
18:49
TK: Sure. I believe all of them have been with the  company for over five years and know the ropes. I  
215
1129813
6267
18:56
would say there’s a little bit of frustration  currently because of our lack of growth.  
216
1136080
4101
19:00
This will be the third time we’ve brought  in a new team leader in four years.
217
1140400
3958
19:05
RS: Do you know what’s causing  that kind of rapid turn over?
218
1145005
3287
19:08
T: To be honest, the last three team leaders  have been hired from within the company.  
219
1148769
4271
19:13
And sometimes it’s hard to think outside the  box when you’ve been inside the box for awhile.  
220
1153040
4512
19:17
We’re hoping to bring in some new ideas and  energy and get our development team back on track.
221
1157920
5122
19:23
RS: That makes sense. I really appreciate  that you’re considering me for the position.  
222
1163383
4909
19:28
I’d love to be a part of the  company achieving its goals.
223
1168560
2640
19:31
TK: Very good. Okay. That’s great,  thanks so much for coming in,  
224
1171200
4400
19:35
Rachel. It’s great to meet you. I’ll  give you a call in the next three days.
225
1175600
2800
19:38
RS: Sounds good, I look  forward to it. Thanks again.
226
1178400
2960
19:41
TK: My pleasure.
227
1181360
1107
19:43
Notice that the interview  ends with another handshake.  
228
1183760
3471
19:47
You may have some more small talk at the end  of the interview as well. Hopefully by the  
229
1187440
5040
19:52
end of the interview you feel more comfortable  and confident than you did when you arrived.
230
1192480
5425
19:58
Today we’ll discuss things like body language,  
231
1198560
3200
20:01
humor, and expression, and how to use  them to your advantage in an interview.
232
1201760
5061
20:07
First, let’s look at the complete mock interview  from the series. What do you notice about how  
233
1207520
6080
20:13
I present myself, and the interviewer? What do  our postures and facial expressions say to you?
234
1213600
6821
20:21
TK: Hello Ms. Smith, I’m Tom Kelley.  Thanks so much for coming in.
235
1221771
2949
20:24
RS: It’s my pleasure, thanks  so much for meeting with me.
236
1224720
2160
20:26
TK: Of course. Did you have  any trouble finding the office?
237
1226880
2320
20:29
RS: Nope. The directions  on the website were great.
238
1229200
2560
20:31
TK: Good. Would you like some  water or coffee before we begin?
239
1231760
3040
20:34
RS: I’m okay, thank you.
240
1234800
1680
20:36
TK: Alright. So, to get started, why don’t  you tell me a little bit about yourself.
241
1236480
4400
20:40
RS: Sure. I studied at the University of  Florida and graduated in 2010 with a Masters  
242
1240880
5920
20:46
Degree in Toy Design. After graduation,  I was hired at Happy Kid’s Creative.  
243
1246800
5520
20:52
I’ve been there for the past five years and am  currently the Director of Toy Production. During  
244
1252320
5920
20:58
that time sales have grown steadily. It’s been a  great experience, but I’ve run out of room to grow  
245
1258240
6080
21:04
with HKC and I’m looking for new opportunities.  I have a lot of experience leading teams  
246
1264320
6000
21:10
in the creative process and finding new  markets for the products that we create.
247
1270320
5520
21:15
T: That’s great. Can you tell me  how you heard about this position?
248
1275840
3520
21:19
RS: Of course. A friend of mine saw the position  listed on LinkedIn and forwarded it to me,  
249
1279360
6720
21:26
so I spent some time on your website learning  about the position and the company. I also  
250
1286080
5120
21:31
read an article in Business Weekly about  your work that really got me interested.
251
1291200
4957
21:36
TK: What attracted you to our company?
252
1296440
2440
21:38
RS: To be honest, what really caught my eye was  your focus on growth. I was really impressed with  
253
1298880
6560
21:45
your ambitious goals and the clear plan you  have for achieving those goals. I also like  
254
1305440
5760
21:51
the support you provide for your employees.  I love your continuing education initiatives,  
255
1311200
5440
21:56
where you pay for employees to learn new techniques and skill sets.  
256
1316640
3552
22:00
I think that really helps to build  employee satisfaction and loyalty.
257
1320480
4238
22:05
TK: You’ve obviously done your homework.  What would you say is your greatest strength?
258
1325680
6160
22:11
RS: I would say, my greatest strength is a  combination of enthusiasm and persistence.  
259
1331840
6432
22:18
My work ethic won’t let me settle for less  than my best. I’m able to persevere through  
260
1338800
5520
22:24
challenges and setbacks without falling  into frustration or anger. I’ve noticed  
261
1344320
5520
22:29
that this tends to keep those around me  in good spirits as well, which is a plus.
262
1349840
4080
22:33
TK: That’s very good. Can you tell me about a time  
263
1353920
3840
22:37
where you suffered a setback and  had to maintain your enthusiasm?
264
1357760
3440
22:41
RS: Sure. One definitely comes to mind. Last year  a project for a new toy was in its final stages  
265
1361200
7600
22:48
after two years of work. As we were looking at the  branding and working up a final marketing plan,  
266
1368800
5440
22:54
a competitor launched a version of the  exact same toy that we were launching.  
267
1374240
4000
22:59
As the leader of the project, I knew that my  reaction would set the tone for the group.  
268
1379120
5015
23:04
I acknowledged that it was a setback, but  challenged the group to think of this as a  
269
1384560
4720
23:09
blessing in disguise. I asked them to go out  and buy the competitor’s product and make a  
270
1389280
5920
23:15
list of anything they wished the toy could do  that it didn’t. It turned out that the list was  
271
1395200
5680
23:20
pretty long. We added these items to our toy, and  launched a far superior product 6 months later.  
272
1400880
6000
23:27
So, in many ways, the competitor’s  product became the key to our success.
273
1407440
4440
23:31
TK: That sounds like a great victory. Now.  What would you consider your greatest weakness?
274
1411880
6437
23:38
RS: Chocolate. Just kidding! No, my biggest  weakness is public speaking. It’s something  
275
1418317
7283
23:45
that I’ve spent a lot of time working on  and in which I’ve improved a great deal.  
276
1425600
4240
23:50
I’m very comfortable in smaller meetings  with my teams. But when I present an idea  
277
1430480
4960
23:55
or concept to a larger audience, I still  experience some stage fright. At this point,  
278
1435440
6480
24:01
I can handle these situations professionally,  but I would like to be more comfortable in these  
279
1441920
4640
24:06
moments so I can really enjoy the experience  of presenting, rather than just survive it.
280
1446560
5552
24:12
TK: Fear of public speaking is a very common  fear; I’m in the same boat on that one!  
281
1452360
6195
24:19
Where do you see yourself in five years?
282
1459360
2101
24:21
RS: As I mentioned before, I’m interested in  growth. In five years I would like to be a part  
283
1461960
6920
24:28
of a company growing its business  on a regular and consistent basis.  
284
1468880
4320
24:34
I’d like to be in a Vice President position  with a focus on development. And while I know  
285
1474000
5120
24:39
that would require much more public speaking,  in five years I plan on being ready for it.
286
1479120
5781
24:45
TK: Okay, well, I have everything I need,  but do you have any questions for me,  
287
1485418
4662
24:50
about the company or the position?
288
1490080
1755
24:52
RS: Yes. Imagine you're looking back on this  hiring decision in a year. The person you  
289
1492244
7036
24:59
hired has exceeded your expectations. What  did he or she do that impressed you most?
290
1499280
6307
25:06
TK: That’s a great question. I think in  one year the person would have come in  
291
1506880
4720
25:11
and spent some time learning from the team  and people that have been here a while.  
292
1511600
3600
25:15
Then, she or he will begin making  changes in an informed way.  
293
1515920
4867
25:21
In one year I want this person’s team to  be a well-oiled machine. I want them to  
294
1521280
4800
25:26
be bouncing ideas off each other, coming up with  new designs and making headway into new markets.
295
1526080
5591
25:32
RS: That’s helpful. It’s good to  know what the expectations are.  
296
1532000
3849
25:36
Can you tell me a little bit about the team  that I would be working with?
297
1536400
3892
25:40
TK: Sure. I believe all of them have  been with the company for over five years  
298
1540645
4315
25:44
and know the ropes. I would say there’s a little  bit of frustration currently because of our lack  
299
1544960
5040
25:50
of growth. This will be the third time we’ve  brought in a new team leader in four years.
300
1550000
4680
25:55
RS: Do you know what’s causing  that kind of rapid turn over?
301
1555668
2852
25:58
T: To be honest, the last three team leaders  have been hired from within the company.  
302
1558520
5160
26:03
And sometimes it’s hard to think outside the  box when you’ve been inside the box for awhile.  
303
1563680
4342
26:08
We’re hoping to bring in some new ideas and  energy and get our development team back on track.
304
1568560
4640
26:13
RS: That makes sense. I really appreciate  that you’re considering me for the position.  
305
1573200
5440
26:19
I’d love to be a part of the  company achieving its goals.
306
1579200
2560
26:21
TK: Very good. Okay. That’s great,  thanks so much for coming in,  
307
1581760
4400
26:26
Rachel. It’s great to meet you. I’ll  give you a call in the next three days.
308
1586160
2880
26:29
RS: Sounds good, I look  forward to it. Thanks again.
309
1589040
2960
26:32
TK: My pleasure.
310
1592000
1277
26:34
First let’s talk about the handshake. A long  time ago, women used to shake hands more like  
311
1594240
5440
26:39
this. But now, men and women alike use the same  handshake, putting your right hand forward. Make  
312
1599680
7280
26:46
it firm but not too tight or aggressive. A firm  handshake makes a good first impression.
313
1606960
6920
26:53
TK: Hello Ms. Smith, I’m Tom Kelley.  Thanks so much for coming in.
314
1613880
3800
26:57
RS: It’s my pleasure, thanks  so much for meeting with me.
315
1617680
2200
26:59
TK: Of course.
316
1619880
913
27:01
Let’s look at my posture. It’s good to sit upright and look alert. You  
317
1621200
6047
27:07
don’t want to slump back or slouch, that’s  a bit too casual for a job interview.
318
1627247
6976
27:15
Don’t sit stiffly, but do sit upright with a  good energy. Let’s look at facial expressions.
319
1635440
8453
27:24
Notice that my face is very  engaged. I look excited and happy.  
320
1644640
4339
27:29
That’s the message you want to send.  It’s not unprofessional to be energized.
321
1649360
5059
27:35
In some cultures, it might be professional to  be more reserved, but in America, a friendly,  
322
1655440
5920
27:41
engaged demeanor is important. Watch my  face as I listen to the interview questions.
323
1661360
6480
27:48
Smiling and nodding are a way to show  that you’re engaged and listening.
324
1668640
4853
27:55
When watching the interview,  did you notice I made a joke?
325
1675920
3480
27:59
TK: Now, what would you  consider your greatest weakness?
326
1679400
3800
28:03
RS: Chocolate.
327
1683200
1937
28:06
Using humor or making a joke in an interview  can show your personality. But limit it to maybe  
328
1686320
6160
28:12
one or two moments. Otherwise, it will distract  from the other important things you want to say.
329
1692480
6295
28:19
This wraps up our interview series. I hope  it helps you prepare for job or school  
330
1699760
5520
28:25
interviews in the US. How does this compare  to your culture? Are interviews more casual,  
331
1705280
6400
28:31
or more formal? Let me know in the comments below.
332
1711680
3507
28:35
To close, here’s the full interview one more time.
333
1715680
3461
28:39
TK: Hello Ms. Smith, I’m Tom Kelley.  Thanks so much for coming in.
334
1719560
3800
28:43
RS: It’s my pleasure, thanks  so much for meeting with me.
335
1723360
2160
28:45
TK: Of course. Did you have  any trouble finding the office?
336
1725520
2320
28:47
RS: Nope. The directions  on the website were great.
337
1727840
2560
28:50
TK: Good. Would you like some  water or coffee before we begin?
338
1730400
3040
28:53
RS: I’m okay, thank you.
339
1733440
1600
28:55
TK: Alright. So, to get started, why don’t  you tell me a little bit about yourself.
340
1735040
4400
28:59
RS: Sure. I studied at the University of  Florida and graduated in 2010 with a Masters  
341
1739440
5920
29:05
Degree in Toy Design. After graduation,  I was hired at Happy Kid’s Creative.  
342
1745360
5600
29:10
I’ve been there for the past five years and am  currently the Director of Toy Production. During  
343
1750960
5920
29:16
that time sales have grown steadily. It’s been a  great experience, but I’ve run out of room to grow  
344
1756880
6080
29:22
with HKC and I’m looking for new opportunities.  I have a lot of experience leading teams  
345
1762960
6000
29:28
in the creative process and finding new  markets for the products that we create.
346
1768960
4840
29:33
T: That’s great. Can you tell me  how you heard about this position?
347
1773918
4791
29:38
RS: Of course. A friend of mine saw the position  listed on LinkedIn and forwarded it to me,  
348
1778709
5931
29:44
so I spent some time on your website learning  about the position and the company. I also  
349
1784640
5200
29:49
read an article in Business Weekly about  your work that really got me interested.
350
1789840
4843
29:55
TK: What attracted you to our company?
351
1795080
2440
29:57
RS: To be honest, what really caught my eye was  your focus on growth. I was really impressed with  
352
1797520
6560
30:04
your ambitious goals and the clear plan you  have for achieving those goals. I also like  
353
1804080
5760
30:09
the support you provide your employees.  I love your continuing education initiatives,  
354
1809840
5440
30:15
where you pay for employees to learn new techniques and skill sets.  
355
1815280
3450
30:19
I think that really helps to build  employee satisfaction and loyalty.
356
1819120
4613
30:24
TK: You’ve obviously done your homework.  What would you say is your greatest strength?
357
1824320
4960
30:29
RS: I would say, my greatest strength is a  combination of enthusiasm and persistence.  
358
1829800
7249
30:37
My work ethic won’t let me settle for less  than my best. I’m able to persevere through  
359
1837440
5520
30:42
challenges and setbacks without falling  into frustration or anger. I’ve noticed  
360
1842960
5520
30:48
that this tends to keep those around me  in good spirits as well, which is a plus.
361
1848480
4080
30:52
TK: That’s very good. Can you tell me about a time  
362
1852560
3840
30:56
where you suffered a setback and  had to maintain your enthusiasm?
363
1856400
3440
30:59
RS: Sure. One definitely comes to mind. Last year  a project for a new toy was in its final stages  
364
1859840
7600
31:07
after two years of work. As we were looking at the  branding and working up a final marketing plan,  
365
1867440
5360
31:12
a competitor launched a version of the  exact same toy that we were launching.  
366
1872800
4080
31:17
As the leader of the project, I knew that my  reaction would set the tone for the group.  
367
1877680
4958
31:23
I acknowledged that it was a setback, but  challenged the group to think of this as  
368
1883200
4640
31:27
a blessing in disguise. I asked them to  go out and buy the competitor’s product  
369
1887840
5120
31:32
and make a list of anything they wished the toy  could do that it didn’t. It turned out that the  
370
1892960
6000
31:38
list was pretty long. We added these items to our  toy, and launched a far superior product 6 months  
371
1898960
6240
31:45
later. So, in many ways, the competitor’s  product became the key to our success.
372
1905200
5320
31:51
TK: That sounds like a great victory. Now.  What would you consider your greatest weakness?
373
1911644
4836
31:56
RS: Chocolate. Just kidding! No, my biggest  weakness is public speaking. It’s something  
374
1916480
7760
32:04
that I’ve spent a lot of time working on  and in which I’ve improved a great deal.  
375
1924240
4455
32:09
I’m very comfortable in smaller meetings  with my teams. But when I present an idea  
376
1929120
4960
32:14
or concept to a larger audience, I still  experience some stage fright. At this point,  
377
1934080
6480
32:20
I can handle these situations professionally,  but I would like to be more comfortable in these  
378
1940560
4560
32:25
moments so I can really enjoy the experience  of presenting, rather than just survive it.
379
1945120
5360
32:31
TK: Fear of public speaking is a very common  fear; I’m in the same boat on that one!  
380
1951000
5853
32:38
Where do you see yourself in five years?
381
1958000
1760
32:40
RS: As I mentioned before, I’m interested in  growth. In five years I would like to be a part  
382
1960520
6920
32:47
of a company growing its business  on a regular and consistent basis.  
383
1967440
4672
32:52
I’d like to be in a Vice President position  with a focus on development. And while I know  
384
1972640
5120
32:57
that would require much more public speaking,  in five years I plan on being ready for it.
385
1977760
5400
33:03
TK: Okay, well, I have everything I need,  
386
1983160
3240
33:06
but do you have any questions for me,  about the company or the position?
387
1986400
4237
33:11
RS: Yes. Imagine you're looking back on this  hiring decision in a year. The person you hired  
388
1991114
7446
33:18
has exceeded your expectations. What did  he or she do that impressed you most?
389
1998560
5655
33:25
TK: That’s a great question.  
390
2005440
960
33:27
I think in one year the person would have come  in and spent some time learning from the team and  
391
2007680
4720
33:32
people that have been here a while. Then, she or  he will begin making changes in an informed way.  
392
2012400
6720
33:39
In one year I want this person’s team to  be a well-oiled machine. I want them to  
393
2019920
4800
33:44
be bouncing ideas off each other, coming up with  new designs and making headway into new markets.
394
2024720
5080
33:49
RS: That’s helpful. It’s good to  know what the expectations are.  
395
2029800
4689
33:55
Can you tell me a little bit about the team  that I would be working with?
396
2035040
3440
33:58
TK: Sure. I believe all of them have been with  the company for over five years and know the  
397
2038480
5520
34:04
ropes. I would say there’s a little bit of  frustration currently because of our lack  
398
2044000
4640
34:08
of growth. This will be the third time we’ve  brought in a new team leader in four years.
399
2048640
4680
34:14
RS: Do you know what’s causing  that kind of rapid turn over?
400
2054308
3276
34:17
T: To be honest, the last three team leaders  have been hired from within the company.  
401
2057959
4361
34:22
And sometimes it’s hard to think outside the  box when you’ve been inside the box for awhile.  
402
2062320
4240
34:27
We’re hoping to bring in some new ideas and  energy and get our development team back on track.
403
2067120
5027
34:32
RS: That makes sense. I really appreciate  that you’re considering me for the position.  
404
2072760
5080
34:37
I’d love to be a part of the  company achieving its goals.
405
2077840
2953
34:41
TK: Very good. Okay. That’s great,  thanks so much for coming in,  
406
2081202
3598
34:44
Rachel. It’s great to meet you. I’ll  give you a call in the next three days.
407
2084800
2880
34:47
RS: Sounds good, I look  forward to it. Thanks again.
408
2087680
2960
34:50
TK: My pleasure.
409
2090640
1141
34:52
Thank you so much for watching,  I make new videos every Tuesday  
410
2092560
3760
34:56
and I love to see you back here, please  like and subscribe with notifications,  
411
2096320
4960
35:01
you can keep your learning going right now with  this video. I make new videos every Tuesday,  
412
2101280
5200
35:06
I’ll see you next week. That’s it and thanks  so much for using Rachel’s English.
413
2106480
6000
About this website

This site will introduce you to YouTube videos that are useful for learning English. You will see English lessons taught by top-notch teachers from around the world. Double-click on the English subtitles displayed on each video page to play the video from there. The subtitles scroll in sync with the video playback. If you have any comments or requests, please contact us using this contact form.

https://forms.gle/WvT1wiN1qDtmnspy7