Interview in English via Skype. What English is needed for an interview? Why do you want this job

Friends, of course, an interview in English is very pre-heart attack. And at the same time, it is quite within the capabilities of a person even with a level no higher than Intermediate, but with proper preparation and, most importantly, self-presentation, the happy owner of a not-so-confident Pre-Intermediate is able to make the right impression and be proud of himself. And a new job.
So, how to properly prepare, first-hand advice from and part-time HR Director, who regularly conducts the notorious interviews in English.

1. The best improvisation is home preparation. Dial in Google “brand manager interview questions”, “category manager interview questions”, “accounting&Tax Expert interview questions”. In general, you understand the logic. Research the questions that may be asked during an interview for your position. Browse several sites, study the key questions, as well as options for how they can be formulated and posed in English. Be fully prepared. Think about it, or better yet, write down the optimal answers to these questions. There is no need to be clever, even if these are very simple and short sentences, but clear, understandable and convincing for the interviewer.
For example, I manage, monitor and coordinate the work of my department or It’s important for me to work in a reputed company.
Is it really difficult?!
Well, if it’s a little difficult, do it first in Russian, and then translate it into English. You don’t need to answer too ornately and complexly; simple and concise phrases are what you need!

2. The next step: you need to “say” these phrases and sentences, that is, say out loud the answers to the recruiter’s possible questions many, many times. To get used to pronouncing these phrases, to sound more natural and relaxed.
Believe me, at an interview I, as an interviewer, can always “hear” that the candidate has not had speaking practice for a long time. And here and there something was rusty. This “abstinence” from English is very noticeable and hurts the ear.

3. You need ears. The best way to do this is to find a teacher. But God forbid you study grammar with him. You will only go into the wilds, get confused and lose faith in yourself. Leave the rules and times alone, even if you make some mistakes, it will not be the deciding factor whether to take you on the team or stay away from you. The main thing is that we can speak and be able to convey our thoughts. Therefore, just “go through” the list of questions with your teacher several times, let him ask you (in different forms) questions that are waiting for you, support the conversation, and pretend to be an interviewer. Corrects roughness. Perhaps he will offer more interesting and simple words and phrases.

4. By the way, if you know that you are “threatened” with an interview in the near future, hire a teacher. My warning still stands: ignore the grammar, don't bother yourself with exercises, and just discuss a wide variety of topics, not even necessarily professional ones. You just need to learn to react quickly and switch from topic to topic.

5. Prepare your questions for the interviewer in advance and carefully. This, by the way, is the key point. Write them down in your diary the day before so you don't get overwhelmed and miss anything. Be sure to ask ALL questions at the end of the interview! Ask them in any case, even if it seems to you that you looked pale, were a bit weird, and in general - the game is lost. It will be very cool if at the end of the interview your interviewer talks a lot, answers your questions, explains what is unclear - in the end he will get the impression that you are such a good speaker. Your task is only to nod and smile.
In my practice of preparing for interviews, there were cases when we (my students) swam only on such additional questions. To be continued...

Live and learn in the 21st century!

By practicing with your teacher the answers to the recruiter’s questions and self-presentation to a potential employer, you don’t just play out the most typical questions and answers, but find yourself in real situations that can happen SPECIFICALLY to YOU when you are interviewed for the position YOU want. You learn special vocabulary that is used in the field of activity of the company in which you will be interviewed, and also learn to speak in business style. The teacher will also help you create (correct) a resume and cover letter.

Convenient course duration

Our short-term interview preparation course English language via Skype is designed for minimal deadlines, because your dream job won’t wait long. You yourself choose a convenient number of classes to fully prepare for the interview, and the teacher selects the materials and workload for you during the lesson.

Personal teacher

In our School, you will take an interview preparation course in English via Skype with a personal teacher who will devote the entire lesson time only to you. He, just like you, is interested in quick and high-quality preparation, and will worry about you and keep his fingers crossed on the day of the interview. And he will be glad if you inform him personally about the results. During your free trial lesson, you will tell your teacher what industry you are going to work in and when you will be interviewing. Knowing this information, the teacher will be able to prepare the necessary vocabulary and teaching materials, as well as develop the pace of learning and the load in the lesson.

Fast process organization

We understand that preparing for an interview in English must take place as quickly as possible, because you are tied to a specific date. We take into account your needs and select a teacher for you within 12 hours, after which you can immediately begin classes. This is the advantage of an online course, because regular courses foreign language they don’t have such speed, and live lessons with a tutor will cost 2–3.5 times more than online lessons.

It's no secret that it is much more profitable to work abroad. And it’s no secret that foreign employers are quite willing to hire Ukrainian specialists. In principle, finding a job abroad is not so difficult if you have the necessary skills and knowledge, have sufficient work experience, and so on. But finding a suitable vacancy is not all. One of the most difficult stages lies ahead: an interview with a potential employer. In English, as a rule.

Statistics show that Western employers conduct more than half of interviews with foreign applicants via Skype. This is not surprising, since a Skype interview, although different from a real one, is small, and allows you to fully evaluate the applicant, at least, make the first, most important impression about him.

Yes, such an interview is an important stage, and you need to pass it with dignity. How to pass a work interview via Skype? Let's talk about this.

Secrets of a successful Skype interview

1. Environment, your appearance.

Yes, you need to pay attention to all this. It is unlikely that your interlocutor will be happy to see you in your home clothes, household members or pets flashing in the background, or, excuse me, the chaos in the background. You are undergoing an interview, the severity is exactly the same as in the office. Therefore, make sure that the environment is as reminiscent of an office environment as possible. Minimum details on background, strict, albeit not office clothes, neat hair - all this will be a plus. As well as silence, absence of distracting sounds (turn off other instant messengers, phone, music, etc.), absence of strangers in the room. In a word, imagine that you are in the office.

2. Technical support.

The laptop battery must be fully charged, the webcam must be charged high quality image and sound. Make sure you have a respectable Skype login; frivolous, vulgar or “game” logins are definitely not suitable. By the way, it wouldn’t hurt to look for yourself on the Internet and evaluate your image. This applies to social networks, photographs and other things - all the information that search engines provide.

If any problems suddenly arise, do not panic. Equanimity and calmness are your plus in the eyes of the interlocutor, so if there is a problem with communication, tell or write that you will call back in a couple of minutes. It's much the best option than panic, confusion in the eyes and attempts to troubleshoot problems right during the interview.

Don't forget about the time difference - if it's broad daylight outside your window, it may be late at night at your employer's. Therefore, determine the time of the interview in advance, and at the same time, clarify who should call whom.

3. Behavior during the interview.

Skype interviews have their own nuances. First of all, this is the direction of your gaze. Do not look into the eyes of your interlocutor - the camera is above his eye level, look into it. Otherwise, the interlocutor will see you with downcast eyes; this is not the best angle. If you are not used to communicating this way, practice beforehand. Or, somehow mount the camera so that you can look into it without difficulty.

You shouldn’t get too close to the camera, but you shouldn’t move away either - the interlocutor should see you in approximately the same way as he would see you in a real interview, sitting at the table.

During the interview, everything you need should be at your fingertips, but out of sight of the interlocutor.

Your behavior should be calm, friendly, positive and confident in every sense. Do not answer questions instantly - you should delay your answer slightly, literally for a second.

And most importantly: the interview will be conducted in English. And you must be prepared for this.

Passing a Skype interview in English: how to prepare for it?

Of course, you need to know English. At what level? But here it all depends on the position for which you are applying. If you are a specialist in a certain field, whose work will not involve serious negotiations or writing kilometer-long texts, the Intermediate level is enough for you. If you are applying for a position related to working with people, you need a higher level, Special attention It is worth paying attention to spoken English. And the accent - Russian or Ukrainian, a pronounced accent always hurts the ear, so practice your pronunciation.

If your position is related to finance, analytics, law, medicine, or other “narrow” areas, then you should place more emphasis on business or technical English.

It is clear that you need to learn the language, practice listening and study specific terms before you take an interview in English. Online help will help you with this - you can start from the level you need, and for quite a bit short term achieve great success in knowing the language. A large selection of online courses allows you to quickly find the one that best suits you - business English, a specialized course or a general English course. In any case, you will be satisfied with the result of the training, which means that during the interview your potential employer will be pleased with you. At least in terms of English proficiency.

But knowing English is not everything. It is worth preparing for the interview itself, again, with the help of specialists. The fact is that during interviews there are often typical questions, but the answer to them is not typical. Tell us about your professional experience. Why do you want to work for our company? Where do you see yourself in 5 years? Familiar questions, they are often asked here too. But this does not mean that you should answer such questions in a standard way. The best option would be to make a list of typical questions and, as an answer to them, write a short “essay” - under the guidance of a teacher, preferably a native speaker. In this case, you will be confident in yourself at the interview, and this is important.

An interview in English is a serious test. After all, the employer will evaluate not only your professional quality, but also knowledge of English. We want to help you pass this test with honor, so we have prepared a cheat sheet for you in which we will tell you what questions are most often asked in interviews and how to answer them correctly in English. At the end of the article, we will share with you tips on what not to do and say during an interview.

And a webinar conducted by our teacher from the UK, Dave, on the topic “You’re Hired!”

Our articles help improve your English. But a good teacher can handle this even better. At the Inglex online school, we combine strong teachers and the comfort of online classes. Try English via Skype on .

TOP 10 interview questions in English and examples of answers to them

Let's first look at the most common questions that you may be asked during an interview in English. We will also provide answer options and recommendations for each of them.

1. Tell me about yourself - Tell me about yourself

Advice: This is perhaps one of the most difficult and important questions. You need to unobtrusively show yourself to the interviewer from the best side, briefly tell about yourself, without going into unnecessary details.

What to do:

Make a brief summary of your resume: talk about your education, work experience, skills and personal qualities that will help you achieve success in a specific profession. For example, for a sales manager, excellent communication skills, the ability to persuade and do good presentations. You don’t need to talk about yourself for a long time, just casually mention that you have certain qualities or skills. By the way, if you are still puzzling over how to write your resume correctly, our step by step guide « »
Mention your non-work related hobby. It would be great if it was related to management healthy image life (yoga, non-hazardous sports) or intellectual development (reading, passion for history/astronomy, etc.).

What not to do:

Retell your autobiography. The employer does not need details of your personal life, where you were born, when you got married, etc. Your answer should be clear and take just a couple of minutes.
Ask “What would you like to know?” This is a recipe for failure. The fact is that asking you to tell us about yourself is not a specific question, it is a way to check how well you have prepared for the interview and, in principle, know how to answer these kinds of questions.

Example of a successful answer:

I’d describe myself as a goal-oriented and hardworking person with good organizational skills and strategic thinking.

Furthermore, I’m a good speaker and even a better listener - that’s why I’ve always been able to get along with different types of people. I have over six years of experience in sales. After working the past four years as a sales manager, I’ve developed a number of important skills, including decision-making and multitasking. That background will help me achieve all goals you have set for this position.

In my free time I enjoy reading and bicycling. It provides me with a good balance in my life.

Translation:

I would describe myself as a goal-oriented and hard-working person with good organizational skills and strategic thinking.

Moreover, I am a good speaker and an excellent listener, so I have always been able to get along easily with different types of people. I have over six years of experience in sales. The last four years of working as a sales manager have developed a lot in me important qualities, including decision making and multitasking. This experience will help me achieve all the goals you have for this position.

2. What are your strengths? - What are your strengths/advantages?

Advice: In answering this question, you need to focus on those qualities and skills of yours that are directly related to the desired position. For example, it would be appropriate for a designer to mention creativity and good imagination, for an accountant - about attentiveness and accuracy, etc.

What to do:

Select 2-4 of your most outstanding qualities or skills needed for this position and describe them in detail.
Justify your choice, that is, tell, for example, what these skills allowed you to achieve in your previous job or in life.
Mention what quality or skill people around you consider to be yours strong point. This way you will show the employer that you know how to look at yourself from the outside.

What not to do:

It takes a long time to list your advantages without any justification or explanation. This sounds implausible and overly self-confident.
Give a 20-minute monologue. This will be a song of praise to yourself, so keep it short.
Talk about only one of your qualities.

Example of a successful answer:

My strengths are excellent written and verbal communication skills. I can usually win people over to my point of view. Also, I’m competitive and like to excel at everything I do. My goal is to achieve results beyond the expectations of my supervisor. And last but not least, I’m very flexible and adaptable to new situations. Regardless of the situation, I have the ability to adapt and work under any circumstances. These skills seem to be directly related to the job.

Translation:

My strengths are excellent written and oral communication skills. I know how to convince people. I am also a win-oriented person and like to succeed in everything I do. My goal is to achieve results that exceed my manager's expectations. Last but not least, I am very flexible and easily adapt to new environments. Regardless of the situation, I know how to adapt and work in any circumstances. These qualities seem important to me for this job.

3. What are your weaknesses? - What are your weaknesses/disadvantages?

Advice: Don't be afraid to answer this question truthfully. Absolutely every person has shortcomings, so the employer will be okay with the fact that you have them too. The main thing is to tell the truth, but present it carefully.

What to do:

Tell about 1-2 minor shortcomings that will not scare the employer. For example, if you get a job as a customer service manager, you cannot say that you are a shy person and have difficulty communicating with people. Are you going to work in an open space (an office without walls or partitions)? Then it is better not to tell the employer that you need absolute silence to work.
Explain how you work on your weaknesses. This is the only true way to answer this question. The employer is waiting for you to say that you are not “slowing down”, but are ready to change yourself for the better.
Turn a disadvantage into an advantage. For example, you might say that being overly self-critical helps you do your job as well as possible, and that lack of experience in your chosen field will allow you to quickly learn exactly those functions that are important to the employer.

What not to do:

Say you have no weaknesses. Every person has flaws, so this answer will be a lie and will cause negative emotions in the interviewer.
Talk about shortcomings that may affect your work. The innocent “I am often late” will be perceived as “I am a disorganized and irresponsible person.” Be honest but careful in your wording.
List weaknesses without explanation. Try to level out each disadvantage with the technique with which you fight it.

Example of a successful answer:

I admit being a bit of a perfectionist. Sometimes when I’m working on a big project, I focus too much on the details. But I’ve learned that it’s not always possible or even practical to try to perfect your work.

Translation:

I admit that I am a bit of a perfectionist. Sometimes when I'm working on a big project, I focus too much on the details. But I have already realized that it is not always useful and possible to try to perfect my work.

4. Why should we hire you? - Why should we choose you?

Advice: This is very important question, and you need to prepare for it in advance. So, you need to tell what your advantages will help the company achieve the desired results. That is, you must study in advance all the information about the company: what area it operates in, what its position in the market and directions of development are, as well as what goals the management sets for itself. Data about almost any company can be easily found on the Internet.

What do we have to do:

Tell what the company will receive if they choose you. The employer needs to know what you can give to the company.
Highlight one of your qualities as unique. Think in advance about what it is about you that makes you stand out from other candidates. During the interview, tell us how this unique quality will work for the benefit of the company.

What not to do:

Praise yourself. An answer in the style of “I am the best specialist in this field” sounds completely unconvincing and even arrogant. The interviewer is not interested in your personality, but in what benefit you can bring to the company.
Speak uncertainly. Try to find the fine line between arrogance and self-confidence, do not be modest. If you really want the job, be clear about your advantages over other candidates.
Do not voice reasons that are not relevant to the position.

Example of a successful answer:

My years of experience in this industry make me sure I can do this job and bring added value. I’ve gained a reputation as a key player when it comes to negotiations. In my last job I was able to negotiate profitable business deals. I know this business from the ground up, and you can be assured that I know what I’d be getting into as a sales manager here.

Translation:

Years of experience in this industry give me the confidence that I can do this job and make a great contribution to the community. I have gained a reputation as a leader in cases where we're talking about about negotiations. In my last job, I was able to negotiate good deals. I know this industry very well and I can assure you that I understand what I have to do as a sales manager.

5. Why are you leaving (have left) your job? - Why are you going to leave (left) your job?

Advice: A very slippery question that needs to be answered carefully and unemotionally. Your answer should not cast aspersions on your former boss or colleagues. No one is interested in your problems and complaints, so be positive.

What do we have to do:

Say that you are striving to develop. This is the best option that will show that you are interested in working in this field and are ready to learn.
Mention the change in operating principle. If you were a freelancer and decided to return to the office, or worked part-time and wanted to work full-time, say so at the interview. These are quite good and adequate reasons for changing jobs.
Talk about changing circumstances. Normal reasons for the employer are relocation or change in family circumstances. Has your company left the market? Tell your employer about this. In this case, the truth is on your side.

What not to do:

Talk badly about your former colleagues and boss. Under no circumstances should you do this: the interviewer does not know you, so he may think that you are to blame for the situation due to your quarrelsome nature.
Reveal unpleasant reasons for dismissal. Yes, you can’t lie during an interview, but it’s still better to save stories about how you were fired because of an unsuccessful project for a group of friends.
Say that you are bored with your job. This way you will make it clear to the interviewer that in a month or two you may also become bored with the potential position and the company will waste time choosing you. Look for a more compelling and “adult” reason.

Examples of a successful answer:

My potential for growth in this area is limited at AAA because of the size of the company and the fact that expansion is not a part of its current strategic plan.
I am interested in a position with a stable company where I will have room for growth and an opportunity for advancement.
I relocated to this city due to family circumstances that is why I had to leave my previous position.
I wanted a new challenge. There wasn’t room for growth with my previous employer.
This job seems like an excellent match for my experience and skills. I was not able to fully utilize them in my previous position.

Translation:

My opportunity to grow in this industry is limited at AAA due to the size of the company and the fact that expansion is not part of the current strategic plan.
I am interested in a position in a stable company, where I will have prospects for development and the opportunity for advancement.
I moved to this city for family reasons, so I had to leave my previous job.
I need new goal. I had no prospects for growth at my previous employer.
I think this is where I can best apply my experience and skills. I didn't have the opportunity to fully utilize them in my previous position.

6. Why do you want this job? - Why are you interested in this work?

Advice: This is a question to which applicants quite often give completely inappropriate answers. Oddly enough, but here you again need to unobtrusively mention what you can give to the company, and not vice versa.

What do we have to do:

Again, say what you can do for the company. For example, mention that you would be interested in using your communication skills and knowledge of English to work with foreign partners and you are confident that you could attract new clients.
Try to show that you know the specifics of the vacancy. For example, if you are applying for a management position, mention your ability to negotiate with clients.

What not to do:

Telling the “bitter truth.” Forget the three answers: “I need money,” “I need a job,” “It’s convenient for me to get to your office.” The interviewer will definitely not like such statements. No one expects you to love material goods, talk about higher goals.
Show that you are new to the vacancy. For example, if you are going to work as an accountant, then it would be inappropriate to say that you like to communicate with people and want variety in your work.

Example of a successful answer:

I look forward to a position that offers more opportunities to work with corporate clients. I have had a few opportunities to do this with my current (previous) employer. I’ve read about the company’s future projects that are designed to move the company forward towards achieving its mission. I want to be a part of this company because I believe I can be of assistance in its growth.

Translation:

I expect to receive a position that offers more opportunities to work with corporate clients. I had little experience with this kind of work. I read about the company's future projects that will help it achieve its mission. I want to be part of the company because I believe that I can help it grow.

7. What are your goals for the future? / Where do you see yourself in five years? - What are your goals for the future? / Where do you see yourself in five years?

Advice: The answer to this question shows the employer how ambitious you are and what really matters to you what you strive for. Most importantly, your answer will show how long you plan to work in this field and in this company.

What do we have to do:

Inform about future work related to this company. Every employer is interested in having an employee come for a long-term stay, so it would be right if in the future you imagine yourself in the company where you are going to get a job.
Tell them that you are going to develop together with the company. This is exactly what any employer wants to hear. At the same time, don’t call specific position, speak in a streamlined manner.

What not to do:

Don't give an answer. In fact, most people get confused when asked a question like this, so answering it will give you an immediate advantage over other candidates.
Name a specific position. The fact is that you can “miss” and name a position that, in principle, does not exist in the company. In addition, your expectations may be considered too low or, on the contrary, too high.
Talk about things not related to work. The interviewer does not need to know that you are going to start a family, children and live in a big house by the lake. So speak closer to the point, or rather, work. The HR manager will prefer to hire a candidate who has indicated more stable prospects for the company.

Example of a successful answer:

I see the next few years here at BBB as an opportunity to gain the skills and knowledge to run one of the departments in this company. If I continue working in the department where this position is, I hope to be a senior manager and participate in shaping the strategic plans for development in B2B sales and marketing.

Translation:

I view the next few years here at BBB as an opportunity to gain the skills and knowledge to manage one of the departments of this company. If I continue to work in a department where the position is available, I hope to become a senior manager and be involved in shaping the plan strategic development in B2B sales and marketing.

8. What are your salary expectations? - What salary do you expect?

Advice: As a rule, all candidates are embarrassed to answer this question. It seems that something needs to be said, because each of us works primarily to earn a living. On the other hand, doubts are always tormented: “What if my requirements turn out to be too high or too low?” That's why best option- do not name the exact amount, but only hint at your expectations.

What do we have to do:

Avoid a direct answer. Try to avoid a direct answer to the question and say general, streamlined phrases. It is better to discuss the exact amount later, when the interviewer tells you in detail about the job.

What not to do:

State the exact amount. This is incorrect: it is unlikely that you will be able to guess the exact salary that your employer is willing to pay you.
Ask “How much are you willing to offer?” You are being asked a question that is impolite to answer with a question.
Talk about the salary at your previous job. Interviewers don't like it when their company is compared to another company.

Examples of a successful answer:

I am interested in finding a position where I can use my professional skills and abilities and build a good career. I’m sure that you’re offering a salary which is competitive in the market.
According to my experience, I think that $30,000-45,000 per year is a typical salary in the market.
I would need to know more about your salary structure and how often you review salaries as well as your entire package before I could discuss salary ranges. Could you provide me with more information before we discuss this subject?

Translation:

I am interested in a position where I can use my professional skills and abilities and build a good career. I am confident that you offer a salary that is competitive in this market.
Based on my experience, I think $30,000-$45,000 per year is the average salary in the market.
I would like to know more about the salary structure and how often you review salaries as well as the compensation package before I could discuss the salary range. Could you supply me with more detailed information before discussing this issue?

9. Tell me about an achievement you are most proud of - Tell me about the achievement you are most proud of

Advice: It seems that this is the simplest question: you just need to talk about some of your merits. However, the question only seems simple. In fact, in answering it you need to adhere to the same strategy: focus on those qualities that will interest a particular company.

What do we have to do:

Talk about a specific event. Don’t get lost in thought: think in advance about what achievement might impress your employer, and talk about exactly that. Mentioning all achievements will look less convincing than being specific.

What not to do:

Talk about achievements not related to work. The interviewer is interested in what value you can bring when working in a particular field.

Example of a successful answer:

I improved the inquiry management system at the company where I previously worked. I decided to set up a system grouping inquiries according to region. This approach enabled the entire marketing team to come up with more efficient solutions to our distribution problems.

Translation:

I improved the market survey system at the company where I used to work. I decided to implement a system of group surveys by region. This approach allowed the entire marketing team to develop more effective solutions for our problems of selling goods.

10. Do you have any questions? - Do you have any questions?

Advice: It would seem that at this stage you can exhale: the interviewer’s questions are over, you have successfully “shot back.” However, it is too early to relax, there is only one last battle left, and, as you know, it is “the most difficult.” Even if you are terribly tired and want to quickly run home and relax, find the strength to once again collect your thoughts and ask good questions. This will show the interviewer that you are truly interested in the position and are serious about it.

What do we have to do:

Show that you have carefully read the job requirements. Ask questions about what is not covered there or ask for clarification of some point that you do not understand.
Show interest. Try to finally clarify not only pragmatic questions like the size of the salary and the exact location of the office, but also more pleasant ones for the interviewer: about the purpose of the work, the skills you need, etc.

What not to do:

Summarize “Everything is clear to me.” The interviewer may get the impression that you are not interested in the vacancy or that you essentially don’t care where or who you work for.
Re-ask the points disclosed in the vacancy requirements. This will show that you did not read the information carefully, which means you may also be inattentive to your work.

Example of good questions:

How many employees work for the organization?
Please tell me a little bit about the people with whom I’ll be working most closely.
Will I work independently or in a team?
Where will I be working?
How advanced is the hardware and software I will be expected to use?
How did this job become available?
Before you’re able to reach a hiring decision, how many more interviews should I expect to go through and with whom?
Does this job usually lead to other positions at the company?
Will the company be entering any new markets in the next couple of years?

Translation:

How many employees does the organization have?
Please tell me a little about the people I'll be working with most closely.
Will I work independently or in a team?
Where will I work?
How complex is the equipment and software will I have to use?
Why is this vacancy available?
How many more interviews do I have before you can make a hiring decision? Who will conduct them?
Does this job offer career advancement?
Will the company enter any new markets in the next few years?

And on this page you will find more than 40 examples of questions in English that are appropriate to ask during an interview.

What not to say and what not to do during an interview in English

So you have learned approximate answers to the most common interview questions in English. However, your answers may differ slightly from those indicated by us, and others may ask you questions. Therefore, we want to give you some recommendations on what not to say and what not to do during an interview. So, during an interview you cannot:

Talk bad about previous work

Remember a simple axiom: about past work, former boss and colleagues say either good or nothing. If you say that the job was boring and unloved, the interviewer may assume that this vacancy will eventually become boring and unloved for you. If you tell the whole truth about your harmful boss and overly curious colleagues, you may be perceived as a person who does not know how to get along with people.

Be the first to ask about money

Try to put aside the question wages until the potential employer himself raises it. Otherwise, he may think that you are not interested in anything other than your salary.

Ask for a delay before starting work

Try to settle all your affairs before employment and be ready to start work at a time convenient for the employer. It is advisable not to ask for even a short vacation or time off at the beginning of your career.

Talk about your problems

Moscow does not believe in tears, and the interviewer does not believe in persuasion, so do not say that you really need a job, that you are in need, etc. Not a word about your problems: a complaining employee is unattractive to the employer.

Asking “What do you do?”

If a company arranges interviews in English, it means that it is a fairly large player in the market, and it will not be difficult to find information about it. Be sure to find information about the company and do not ask such questions.

Give the answer “It was indicated in the resume”

This answer sounds very rude. Most likely, the interviewer remembers perfectly well what was stated in the resume, but for some reason wants to hear the answer to the question directly from you. So just repeat what you wrote about in your CV.

Not answering a question or saying “I don’t know”

Such answers will immediately reduce your attractiveness in the eyes of the employer. Be prepared for questions not listed in our article and even strange questions, for example, those that our teacher Natalia wrote about in the article “10 unusual questions that you can hear at an interview.” Don’t hesitate, but answer the question taking into account our recommendations: try to say something good about yourself in any answer.

Give advice to the employer

Have you carefully studied the company's activities and decided to brag to the interviewer that you found some errors? Keep your recommendations to yourself for now: you can make rational suggestions after you are hired. Not all interviewers are okay with criticism of a company during an interview.

Give memorized answers

Of course, you should think through your answers to the main questions in advance and even sketch out a sample text. However, make sure that each of your answers sounds natural and not memorized from a piece of paper.

Don't ask questions

We will repeat ourselves, since this point plays a very important role. Many candidates are so “exhausted” by the end of the interview that they completely forget about asking questions to the employer. Try not to miss this important point and re-establish yourself as a candidate interested in this vacancy.

Ask to finish quickly

Allow sufficient time for the interview. A potential employer is under no obligation to accommodate you, so don't ask when the interview will end or ask for it to end as soon as possible.

Concerning issues of religion, politics, and other personal topics

Leave discussions of the actions of politicians and your religious views for friendly gatherings. During the interview, do not bring up personal views or topics that are not related to the job.

Tell the interviewer that you are nervous

Serious companies need self-confident people. And, although it is normal to be nervous during an interview, do not tell the HR manager about it, create the image of a confident specialist. By complaining about your nerves, you subconsciously demand some indulgence towards yourself; the interviewer senses this very well and, as a rule, does not approve.

Ask to change your work schedule

Every employer lists their working hours in the job posting, so only go for an interview if you're comfortable with the schedule. You can discuss the schedule only if the employer has incorrectly indicated it or has not indicated it at all in the information about the vacant position.

Insist on remote collaboration

If your schedule doesn't work for you, you shouldn't ask questions about working remotely during the interview. Clarify this before the interview in correspondence with the employer; there is no need to waste the HR manager’s time.

Lie

There is no point in lying about yourself during an interview: the interviewer will always be able to find the information he needs at your previous place of work or even just on the Internet, because the pages in in social networks reveal our true views on life. One of the most common mistakes is lying about your hobbies. Applicants are often caught doing this. If you say that you love to read, be prepared to answer questions about literature, otherwise you will definitely not get the position.

Be late

We think this point doesn’t even need to be explained: if you’re late even for an interview, then most likely you won’t show up for work on time; no one needs irresponsible employees. If you are late for a very good reason, be sure to call the interviewer, warn him about this and apologize. Force majeure circumstances happen to everyone, so you will be forgiven.

Make and answer calls

To be on the safe side, turn off your phone during the interview, or at least put it on silent. Remember: there are no calls that cannot be made after the interview. If you are expecting a really important call, ask to reschedule the interview for another day.

Sitting in uncertain or too closed positions

Most interviewers are familiar with body language, so be aware of not only what you say, but also how you sit and move. An incorrectly chosen position will reveal your uncertainty or irritation, which, of course, will be taken into account by the interviewer. An overly relaxed posture is also “contraindicated”; try to stay straight and calm.

We think you are now ready to pass an interview in English, answer the employer’s questions correctly and show your best side. If you feel unsure of your English skills and want to improve them before the interview, we invite you to a quick course in preparing for an interview in English, ours will help you prepare well and easily pass this test. Whichever method you choose, we wish you good luck in passing the interview in English!

: we will talk about the features of communication using the most popular Skype program, which, due to its convenience and versatility, is increasingly used for work purposes. Has your potential employer scheduled you for a Skype interview? In our article you will find some tips, following which you will feel at your best.

We tried to cover all aspects of a professional interview via Skype- from optimizing the quality of communication to psychological preparation for an interview.

Consider the time difference

The reason you are interviewing via Skype is most likely due to the physical distance of your potential employer: often they are in another city or even another country. Suppose you are going to contact a foreign employer via Skype (this is where the conversational skills acquired during the course will be more useful to you than ever!). First of all, take an interest in the time difference between your countries and find out the exact local time of contact, otherwise, you risk missing the interview and ruining your first impression of yourself.

If you're talking to the UK, make sure you get the time difference right: many people think the UK is on GMT (Greenwich Mean Time), but don't forget that the UK switches to British Summer Time in the summer ) - keep this in mind.

The image on the screen is your business card

Before you contact your future interlocutor, find out whether you will need a video camera. Often, professional interviews are conducted without it - for example, among IT specialists it is usually not customary to “call with video.” But if you are going to have a video call, try to prepare properly for it.

First of all, take care of how you will appear on the screen of your interlocutor. There is no need to say that your clothes and hairstyle should be neat, but it is also a good idea to think about what background will be most advantageous: if you are calling from home, it will be awkward to call from the kitchen or bedroom - it is better to go to the living room or another room with a neutral interior.

Think carefully about your costume: Depending on the type of job you're applying for, your attire may be business casual, or less formal if your "dream job" doesn't have a dress code (though chances are, if you're taking a call at home, formal office attire will be inappropriate - but decide for yourself).

You, of course, may not care much about clothing if the camera does not capture the area below the neck. However, experienced “negotiators” do not advise placing the camera too close to the face: it is better that the camera also captures the shoulders. When positioning the camera, try to place it not directly in front of you, but slightly obliquely, so that the interlocutor does not feel uncomfortable under your gaze (if you still want to “meet the eyes” of your interlocutor, just look through the peephole of the webcam).

Ensure silence

Before your proposed Skype interview, you should take care of the issue of audibility: this is really very important. An ordinary city apartment is a surprisingly noisy place. Someone is listening to loud music, there is a TV on in the next room, children are making noise... Your interlocutor may be uncomfortable with sharp sounds interjecting into the conversation: agree with your family that During your conversation, silence should reign in the house.

Turn off all programs on your computer that may interrupt your call with unexpected sound notifications (for example, about a new comment on a topic, etc.) - this can distract and irritate the interlocutor.

If you want to choose a status in Skype busy To avoid being distracted by extraneous calls, do not do this: your potential employer will also not be able to reach you. If during the interview your people still try to call you, you’ll just have to ignore them.

Optimize your call quality

A special issue is Internet communication. If we talk about working on Skype, mobile phone or iPad - no the best choice for you: computer or laptop has higher performance. Generally speaking, in recent years the quality of communication has been steadily improving, but, nevertheless, you can optimize it: during the interview, refuse to download large amounts of data, ask your family not to load the home computer network at this time.

Next, before the communication session, check your audio settings: in the main Skype window, click on the menu title Calls and in the drop-down list click Sound settings. At the bottom of the sound settings window that opens, click Make a follow-up call toSkype- this way you will check the sound level on the microphone and headphones/speakers. If you can hear your speech during the test call, everything is fine and you are ready for the call. If not, use the program’s prompts to configure the sound settings - the Skype interface is simple and, as they say, user-friendly. Checking your audio settings before a call is very important: minor problems like these during an important interview can throw you off your feet.

If communication problems appear during the call, it is better to hang up and call again(however, if you have done a preliminary test call, you will at least know that the problem is not with your settings or headset). With the consent of your interviewer, instead of a video call, you can use a regular audio call via Skype: a call without video requires slightly less computer and network resources.

Needless to say, your webcam should display a fairly high-quality picture, and your headphones, speakers and microphone should reproduce and transmit sound clearly enough - you should take care of this in advance when choosing these devices.

If the sound from the speakers is bad, sometimes the problem is solved by choosing good headphones - increasing the volume will not solve communication problems.

Also Before the interview, go through the functionality of Skype, to remember all its capabilities - it may well be that during an interview you will have to perform actions in it that you do infrequently (for example, transfer or receive files, with several subscribers at once, etc.).

Calm, just calm!

Now let's talk about your voice. Many people feel insecure when talking on the phone or Skype: from excitement, their voice trembles, breaks, which makes an unfavorable impression. If you are a timid person, tune in to overcome your fear, restore your breathing, try to control your voice. Excitement during a professional interview is a natural thing, but often we worry out of nowhere just because the situation is unusual, because it’s not every day that we have an interview via Skype. Calm down, concentrate - and everything will work out!