Task 3: Job Interviews.

Read the article about how to have a successful interview. Complete A-H in the text with sentences 1-8 below.

1. You see, such spontaneous answers are a remarkable predictor of future performance….

2. They know which answers show if a candidate can do the same job year-in, year-out. …

3. Instead, impress them with answers that indicate you have the drive and talents for the job. …

4. Average interviewers often spend far too long on this. …

5. Be specific and avoid vague, general answers. …

6. They often do this by open-ended questions which don't signal a response. …

7.Resist the temptation to fidget. …

8. When they call you in, shake hands if they're offered. …

Everyone gets nervous before an interview. So a few minutes before you are due to go into the interview room, close your eyes and visualize yourself as relaxed and confident - this will help calm the butterflies in your stomach. A …. Otherwise simply say, 'good morning' and sit down. Keep your legs uncrossed and your hands folded on your lap.

B … Once the usual pleasantries like 'How was your journey here?' are out of the way, they will run through the details on your CV.

C … Their more expert colleagues, however, will wish to devote most of the time available gaining an insight into your talents and attributes. D.... Questions like 'How quickly do you learn new things?', or, 'How closely do you like to be supervised?', can produce revealing answers about how flexible and independent people really are. However, its straightforward questions like, “Why do you want the job?” which are often the most difficult to answer well.

A clichéd reply like ‘I enjoy the challenge’ is going to make them yawn. E… Sales people might say, 'I love turning a no into a yes', flight attendants may reply with something like, 'I enjoy making tired and stressed-out travellers happy and comfortable'.

Good interviewers know that each person breathes different psychological oxygen, and that each role requires a different mix of talents. F… Should you accidentally admit that you view 'a job in sales as a stepping stone to management', the interview will have finished before it has even begun. Make no mistake; they'll be listening intently to any response that appears to come 'off the top of your head'. And they're bound to believe it. G....Even if you answer the first question successfully, they're likely to use follow-up questions which probe for specifics. For example, ’That's interesting, so tell me about the last time you managed to soothe a tired and angry person.' H.....It's crucial that you can back up what you first said with some convincing illustrations - even if you only invented them the night before! However, do act as if you had no idea they were going to ask this question, so your answer appears truly spontaneous.

Answer the following questions:

1. What three main stages does an interview go through?

2. What is the, difference between an average and an expert interviewer?

3. Why are open-ended questions useful for interviewers?

4. How should candidates try and answer open-ended questions?

5. Why are expert interviewers interested in immediate responses to questions?

6. How and why do interviewers follow up an open question?

7. How should candidates reply to a probing question?

We Regret …

Here are the interviewer’s notes on a job applicant, together with three possible letters to the applicant. Which letter do you think is the best? Why?

Work in groups of six: three interviewers and three applicants and be ready to demonstrate your job interview.

1. The group chooses a job for which applicants will be interviewed.

2. Interviewers prepare their questions; applicants prepare details of their qualifications and experience.

3. Applicants are interviewed in turn.

4. Each group of three interviewers chooses the best applicant and writes letters to all three.

Date: 2016-01-14; view: 1014