There is one question that you will definitely be asked in any job interview, a question for which you should always prepare a response. That is: “Do you have any questions for me?”

In this Business English lesson, we will focus on how to deal with this question. We’ll talk about what interviewers expect from you and we’ll emphasize the importance of preparation. We’ll also study how you can use this opportunity to “interview the interviewer” – that is, to find out whether the company is a good fit for you. Meanwhile, we’ll talk about how, for the interviewer, this is a chance to put your company in the best possible light.

In the listening, we will return to Yala Santos’ interview. Remember, she is an HR specialist at a manufacturing company who is interviewing for an HR manager position in a business unit of a fast moving consumer goods company, Fun Beverages International.

Listening Questions:

1. What is Yala’s first question for the interviewer?
2. How does the interviewer respond?
3. Yala’s second question is a little tougher – what does she ask?

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In this Business English lesson we continue to look at the language and skills of interviewing for jobs in English.

So far in this series, we’ve examined two common question themes that you will likely be asked in almost any interview. They were, “Tell me about your previous experience?”, and “What is your most significant accomplishment?”

In this lesson, we will likewise deal with another extremely common question. Unfortunately, it’s almost as challenging to answer as it is popular to ask. It requires you to think about possible problems with your working style and personality, and to give an answer that demonstrates professionalism and the ability to present your weakness as a strength. That’s right, you guessed it, the question is: What’s your greatest weakness?

Talking about your weaknesses tests a unique skill: It investigates your ability to present a drawback as an advantage. Thus, the theme of this episode is “be positive”, and that’s the main point that we’ll be focusing on.

Listening Questions – Good Example

1. What is Sherry’s weakness?
2. Did this weakness affect her GPA (exam scores)? How?
3. Does Sherry explain the positive aspects of the weakness she describes?

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