Business English Pod / Job Interview in English

Job Interview in English

Learn English for interviews with our job interview English lessons. Get ready for your next interview in English with confidence. Learn how to answer questions in an English interview and achieve success in your next business English interview.

Job Interview in English | Business English Interview Lessons

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Explore Business English Pod’s collection of lessons for navigating a job interview in English. We cover all the essential English for interviews language you need to handle your next interview with confidence.

Whether it’s your first interview in English or you’re a seasoned professional looking to polish your business English interview skills, we’ve got lots of lessons to help you ace your next interview. Learn how to answer common interview questions, discuss your strengths and weaknesses, and handle difficult questions that might come up in a job interview.

A good place to start is with our early lessons that cover all stages of an interview in English. Learn how to introduce yourself and use small talk to establish a rapport with the interviewer. We’ll show you how to emphasize relevant skills and achievements when discussing your previous experience.

Explain your accomplishments while acknowledging weaknesses and show what steps you’re taking to improve on them. Stay calm when addressing difficult questions and demonstrate enthusiasm by asking questions about the job. As you progress to the second round, maintain confidence and communicate your unique strengths. Lastly, when discussing salary and benefits during an English interview, know your worth and clearly express your expectations.

In advanced interview situations, such as a technical or behavioral interviews, it’s crucial to demonstrate your expertise and suitability for the role. Prepare by reviewing technical concepts or behavioral scenarios relevant to the position. Additionally, be ready to navigate difficult interview situations with professionalism, showcasing your ability to handle challenges calmly.

For internal job interviews in English or when transitioning to a new career, explain your qualifications and reasons for seeking the role clearly. Highlight transferable skills and explain how they align with the new position or company’s needs.

Special situations, such as online job interviews or telephone interviews, require adaptation to different communication methods. Practice using appropriate interview phrases and techniques for virtual interviews. Additionally, if it’s your first job interview in English, you can learn about common interview questions and confidently discuss your qualifications for the job.

All our lessons for job interviews in English are listed below with the latest lessons at the top.

BEP 41c – Interview English: First-Round Job Interviews (2)

Business English, Intermediate English, Job Interview in English /

BEP 41c LESSON - English Interview: First-Round Interview 2

Welcome back to Business English Pod for today’s lesson on the skills you need to succeed in a first-round job interview in English.

A job interview is a chance to highlight your achievements and talk about the amazing things you’ve done in your career. By talking about what you’ve achieved, you can show how your experience fits the position. And by showing how your strengths have helped you, you can convince the interviewer that you’re the right person to hire.

If only it were that easy, though! Interviewers aren’t going to ask you only about the good stuff. They’re going to ask about difficult things as well. That means they might ask you about problems in your current or past jobs. And they might also ask you that dreaded question: what are your weaknesses?

But don’t worry. You know these questions are coming, so you can get ready. Think of some difficult situations you’ve been in. Focus on the ones where you were able to solve a problem or deal with difficult people. And think about your weaknesses honestly, and how you’ve tried to improve on these things. In that way, you’ll be able to face the tough questions confidently.

In this lesson, we’ll rejoin William as he interviews for a position at a bank in Hong Kong. William is being interviewed by Mike, an HR manager at the bank. You will hear how William deals with difficult questions, and how he isn’t afraid to discuss problems and how he dealt with them.

Listening Questions

1. William talks about a problem with short-term loans. What does he say was the cause of this problem?
2. What does William say is one of his strengths?
3. What does William say is one of his weaknesses?

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BEP 40c – Interview English: First-Round Job Interviews (1)

Business English, Intermediate English, Job Interview in English /

BEP 40c LESSON - English Interview: First-Round Interview 1

Welcome back to Business English Pod for today’s lesson on key skills for a first-round job interview in English.

If you find job interviews stressful, you’re certainly not alone. Many people struggle to feel confident and comfortable in interview situations. And there’s the added worry that the stress you feel will make it even more difficult to answer the questions well. But you can reduce this stress with effective preparation.

You know that you’ll be asked certain types of questions. So you can make notes about your responses, or make an outline of important ideas that you want to talk about. You can also develop skills to make sure you’re being clear and accurate in your responses.

So what should you prepare and what skills should you develop? Well, for starters, you should be ready to introduce yourself and your career path, and to summarize your current job responsibilities. In terms of skills, it’s good to practice clarifying the words you use, buying yourself time, and connecting your answers back to the question.

In this lesson, we’ll listen as William is interviewed for a position in business development at a bank in Hong Kong. He’s being interviewed by Mike, an HR manager at the company. This is a first-round interview, and you can hear William show how comfortable and skilled he is at responding to the questions.

Listening Questions

1. What information does William give about his education and work history?
2. What does William say about his management style?
3. What does William say to buy himself time to think of an answer?

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Skills 360 – Advanced Interview Skills for Effective Hiring (2)

Business English, Business Skills 360, Human Resources, Job Interview in English /

Skills 360 - Advanced English Interview Skills 2

Welcome back to the Business English Skills 360 podcast as we continue our look at advanced interview skills for interviewing and hiring the right people.

Effective interviewing is essential for finding the right candidate. That’s not just someone with the right qualifications but also the right mindset and skills for long-term success. Beyond education and experience, advanced interviewing techniques can help identify critical thinking, problem-solving ability, and workplace compatibility.

Spotlight on Critical Thinking
Critical thinking is a vital 21st-century skill that isn’t always listed in job descriptions. It involves analyzing, evaluating, and making logical inferences – all crucial in today’s fast-paced work environments. To assess this, use scenario-based questions tailored to the role. For instance, ask: “You are tasked with creating a low-budget marketing campaign. What steps would you take to ensure its success?” Such questions delve deeper than generic prompts, revealing a candidate’s thought process and creativity.

Challenge-Specific Questions
Understanding how candidates handle challenges is key to gauging their suitability. Ask direct questions about common role-specific difficulties. For example: “This role involves tight deadlines. How do you manage pressure?” Responses can reveal practical strategies and resilience.

Workplace Compatibility
Discuss workplace setups—whether hybrid, remote, or in-office—and ask how candidates thrive in these environments. Instead of a simple yes/no question about preferences, explore strategies they’ve used to succeed in similar settings. This helps you understand whether they’ll adapt to your unique work culture.

Long-Term Goals
Assessing a candidate’s career aspirations ensures alignment between their goals and the role. Questions like “Where do you see yourself in five years?” can clarify whether the position supports their professional journey.

With rising costs, fierce competition, and high turnover, effective interviewing is more critical than ever. By evaluating critical thinking, adaptability, and alignment with your workplace, you’ll make informed hiring decisions that benefit both the candidate and your company.

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Skills 360 – Advanced Interview Skills for Effective Hiring (1)

Business English, Business Skills 360, Human Resources, Job Interview in English /

Advanced English Interview Skills (1)

Welcome back to the Business English Skills 360 podcast as we look at advanced interview skills for interviewing and hiring the best staff.

Interviewing effectively is a skill that goes beyond asking common questions – it’s about uncovering the ideal candidate who fits both the role and the organization’s culture. Here’s how to elevate your interviewing game.

Start with Fit
Interviewing isn’t just about verifying skills; it’s about evaluating fit. A candidate may have the right experience but still might not align with your company’s values, mission, or work style. Frame your questions around this concept. For instance, “Can you describe a workplace where you felt most productive?” helps identify if their preferences match your environment.

Values Matter
Understanding a candidate’s values is key to predicting how they’ll integrate into the team. Ask open-ended questions like, “What motivates you most in your work?” or “What does success look like to you?” Such questions provide deeper insights into their core drivers and compatibility with your organization’s culture.

Assess Soft Skills During the Interview
Strong soft skills such as communication, collaboration, and problem-solving often make the difference in team performance. Use the interview to dig deeper: ask candidates to share examples of handling conflicts or overcoming challenges. Observe their responses for clarity, tone, and adaptability. This will help you gauge their interpersonal and emotional intelligence.

Build Rapport without Bias
Creating a comfortable environment helps candidates show their true selves. Begin with job-related small talk, avoiding potentially sensitive topics like family or health. Remember, rapport shouldn’t overshadow diversity. A hiring panel with varied perspectives can provide valuable insights and help counter biases.

Adopt Fair Practices
Blind screening of resumes and consistent, structured interview questions can mitigate bias and ensure objectivity. This approach prioritizes finding the most qualified candidate rather than the one who interviews most smoothly.

Ultimately, an effective interview isn’t about who you personally like most – it’s about finding evidence of alignment with the job, the team, and the company. Perfecting your interviewing strategy is the foundation of successful hiring.

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BEP 403 – Recruiting 2: Developing the Job Description

Business English, Human Resources, Job Interview in English /

English for HR - BEP 403 - Developing the Job Description

Welcome back to Business English Pod for the second in our two-part series on recruiting. Today we’re going to focus on developing the job description.

In the current business climate, the competition for talent is fierce. People looking for work have an array of choices. And because company loyalty isn’t what it once was, people are apt to change jobs every few years. For these reasons, companies have to stay sharp when it comes to recruiting, not to mention retention.

So how can you find the “right” person for a job? Well, that begins with understanding the job itself. In our last lesson we looked at how to identify needs and changes to a role. Once you’ve done that, you’ll be able to develop a suitable job description, and progress on to the hiring phase of the recruiting process.

Developing the job description will require you to outline duties and responsibilities as well as key qualifications for the role. You’ll also have to describe the required experience and personality fit. And in the modern workplace, you’ll likely find yourself discussing in-person versus virtual modes of working.

In today’s dialog, we’ll rejoin Steph, an HR manager, and Maya, a recruiter, as they talk with Josh. Josh is a marketing manager who’s looking to hire a new brand manager. They’ve discussed the role’s changing needs, and now they’re putting together a job description.

Listening Questions

1. What are the minimum qualifications for the role as far as education?
2. How many years of management experience is required for a successful candidate?
3. In terms of personality fit, what two characteristics does Josh say are desirable?

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