Why is English so important in a Job Interview?
English is not only the language you will be tested in a job interview anymore, it is the language spoken in the corporate world all over the world so, there are number of issues that could go wrong starting with the level of English you have put on your resume.
It is known that 95% of Brazilians cannot speak English fluently so if you are in this percentage, know that your job interview will not be in Portuguese anymore, if you are applying to a multinational company. Maybe you think this might not be the case, but trust us, many things can happen, and we have witnessed it first-hand with our students. From the manager who was late and the American CEO itself conducted the interview, to the interviewer being completely fluent with experience abroad and conducting the interview 100% in English, our students have, gladly, always made it past the first step.
And apart from English, there are a few things that we have also mastered with time, by being in the position of hiring ourselves, to studying the human brain and the capacity of human beings to connect we like to not only teach English but also give life advice to our students. At Brisk we like to say that we teach life skills through English (English classes, following books, are somewhat outdated). And we take pleasure in giving the tips our students need to help them land that once-in-a-lifetime opportunity. We live what we say: Your result is our result.
So to conduct a number of classes preparing our students for that nerve-wrecking moment takes more than just mastering English because, most of the times, it’s not even the language that will take the best of you, but the sheer nervous tension of the situation, the expectations on both parts, the pressure of your life’s moment and the natural reactions of your body to them. I’m sure you never thought it is possible to cheat that nervousness, but it is. You never thought about simulating the trickiest questions, but it is possible.
For instance, it is important to know the background of the company you’re applying to, you need to do your research about the place, the people, the position in question so you don’t have to make too many questions in an interview where people, that are trying to get to know you better, feel like they’re being interviewed themselves.
So, whether you’re good at English and just need a little push, or you need to go the whole nine-yard, trust us, you will want to know how to behave, address certain questions or even avoid them in a polite way.
You can and you should anticipate and prepare for certain questions, practice them in front of the mirror if you may, but do not go unprepared. We all know the most difficult questions; they are the recurrent ones and those who always leave us feeling like the cat got our tongue.
· How would you describe yourself?
· What are your strengths and weaknesses?
· Where do you see yourself in five years?
· Why do you want to work here?
These are some of those questions and the answer to all of them is pretty simple. Be honest! Don’t lie, or make things up, there’s no point. If you lie in a job interview you’ll have to lie the whole time you’ll be working for that company. Speak the truth in a polite and considerate way. If you’re not in a good life situation, tell them about your plans to improve it. Instead of saying it, you can take the opportunity to show the interviewer that you are a solution-oriented person.
Never, ever, underestimate the importance of body language. And if you think you cannot control your body, you are wrong. Our bodily reactions are triggered by the brain and there are certain tricks that can help you control nervousness, sweating, or the typical “blue screen”. Don’t want to get nervous to the point that you have forgotten where you graduated? Try eating something or chew a gum, right before the interview, this will tell your brain that you are not in a dangerous situation and it will prevent that feeling of being overwhelmed with anxiety when they first start talking to you.
Always start with a smile. A smile can open many doors in life, especially the right ones. Try to have a confident attitude, not gesticulating a lot and not dominating the conversation (interrupting all the time is not only rude but can give an impression that you’ll be a problem for management). In mere seconds you can give a wrong impression, that’s why we always suggest humbleness and a nice outfit 😊
Yes, you need to dress according to the job you’re going for. We know it’s wrong to judge people by appearances, but this is the first impression you are giving someone and you just need to make sure you’re giving a good one, showing you’ve put a little effort, time and thought on that interview.
We could write a whole course about tips, other than the English we teach, to nail a job interview, but to find out about the rest, you’ll have to contact us for more details.
We leave you with the 5 top mistakes not to make in an interview and hope you enjoy the content of our articles.
1. Arriving late for the interview.
2. Badmouthing previous employers.
3. Inadequate research about the company.
4. Checking your phone/watch.
5. Being unprepared with your answers.
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