Cracking Job Interviews in English: Tips and Advice for nonnative Speakers www.englishlanguage.pro.br Professional 1) What post did you hold in your last job? Examples: I was a Training Analyst I was a Materials Manager I was an Information Technology Director 2) How do you briefly describe the organization chat of your area in your last job? Examples: There were the President Director and other managements, including the industrial one, to which I used to report. There was the project management near my department. Below, we had the product development area and the packaging design one. I was responsible for 18 emplyees. I was the Purchasing Manager and was responsible for a 10-person team, divided between the Panning Department and the Acquisition Department. I used to report to the Administrative Director. I was the Collection Supervisor and I had 2 assistants and used to report to the Financial Manager. Cracking Job Interviews in English: Tips and Advice for nonnative Speakers www.englishlanguage.pro.br 3) Were you assigned to represent your former company in trade shows? Examples: I participated in hundreds of trade association meetings, fairs, and congresses, abroad too. No, hardly. However, if necessary , that would be no problem. I used to represent the company in the emplyer’s association meetings. 4) How many hours a day did you usually work in your last job? Examples: I used to work 8 to 10 hours a day. I used to work in 12-hour shift, every other day. I used to work every morning, from 7 a.m. to 1 p.m. Cracking Job Interviews in English: Tips and Advice for nonnative Speakers www.englishlanguage.pro.br Educational 1) Describe briefly your academic background. Examples: I entered the Engineering College XYZ in 1990 and graduated in 1994. Later, I took a post-graduation course in Business. I graduated in Statistics from University Y and Economics from College X. I have taken Business at College X and MBA at University Y. 2) What influenced you to enter this profession? Examples: I studied Engineering basically because I have always had some affinity with calculus and also because my father was an engineer himself. I have opted for Publicity because it has always fascinated me and also because I was influenced by my older sister, who is a publicist too. Cracking Job Interviews in English: Tips and Advice for nonnative Speakers www.englishlanguage.pro.br I am a lawyer because, when I was a child, I was always excited wherever I saw movies about trials. I grew up and I still like this profession. 3) What was your favorite school subject? Examples: Since I was a child, I have always preferred studying subjects that involved calculus. I also liked, and I still do, to read anything about information technology. I really enjoyed writing. I have always liked drawing, that is why I chose this profession. 4) What subjects did you like the least? Examples: I have never liked History. I can’t stand Mathematics. I don’t like to study Accounting. Cracking Job Interviews in English: Tips and Advice for nonnative Speakers www.englishlanguage.pro.br Behavioral 1) What are the qualities you think a pro is supposed to have nowadays? Examples: Currently, a pro is supposed to correctly manage all the available data he/she has, besides having skills to turn ideas into sollutions, teamwork capacity, and always try to meet customers’ needs. Entrepreneurship is essential to be successful. Furthemore, a pro is supposed to have some deep technical knowledge and great leadership capacity. A professional is currently supposed to have several features to win in business world, but all of them must be based on ethics. 2) Do you think you are able to easily adapt to a new job? Examples: My professional history supports my highly adaptive capacity. I think I have a high capacity to adhere to a company’s policy, which is obviously a positive step towards a good adaptation. Cracking Job Interviews in English: Tips and Advice for nonnative Speakers www.englishlanguage.pro.br I have never had any difficulty adapting to a new job. 3) Do you prefer working by yourself or taking part in a teamwork? Examples: No matter how prepared we are, we are extremely limited as individuals. That’s why teamwork is simply the ideal solution. I like team work whenever everyone’s good points become stronger and bad point tend to be overcome. Nowadays it is not possible for one to work alone. 4) How do you see yourself as a team member? Examples: The name itself is far enough: team. In order to effectively work as a team, everyone is supposed to share the same objectives that were previously set. There is no place for vanity fairs or individual interests. Otherwise teamwork is not valid. As a chief and also member of a team, I always try to listen to others, for everyone usually does his best. Cracking Job Interviews in English: Tips and Advice for nonnative Speakers www.englishlanguage.pro.br I am always ready to participate. That one who takes part ina team must not act alone, because it is not profitable. Personal 1) Do you have a career plan? Examples: Nothing can be done without a due planning. Otherwise, it may lead to mistakes. To be successful, a career must be planned step by step, like any other activity. Since my first internship, I have planned everything so that my career could so develop without any turbulence. 2) What are your career objectives in the short and long run? Examples: In the short run, I intend to join a leading company in order to solidify my career and develop my skills. In the long run, I want to join high management posts, preferably abroad, so that I can share strategic decision-makings of a large organization. Cracking Job Interviews in English: Tips and Advice for nonnative Speakers www.englishlanguage.pro.br In the short run, I want to work as an economist with a large bank. Later I would like to be in a steady postion so that I could be self-employed in a city of the interior of the country. Currently, I want to work as a stockbroker and with and investment broker abroad some years from now. 3) What do you think you will be doing five years from now? Examples: I will be occupying a strategic post in a large orgnization, here or abroad, and being recognized as one of the best professionals in my field. I want to hold a management or direction post. I intend to be the Human Resources Director in a large multinational company. 4) Have you ever lived abroad? Examples: I took Economics in Canada for tow years. I have never lived abroad. No, but I have been abroad many times already as a tourist.