The big day
You've done all the necessary preparation, and now it's time for the big day.
The day of your interview is a crucial one. This lesson will show you certain things you should definitely pay attention to before and during your interview.
This should be an easy and interesting lesson. A lot of the answers in the multiple-choice questions below are self-evident and there is an element of humor in some of the answers, ho ho.
Why did you leave your previous job?
Although this question is not related to the topic of the lesson, it has been covered earlier in this course and will indicate whether the student has prepared adequately for the interview. It’s a tough question, but one that is often asked. For that reason, it will test the student’s confidence and see how (s)he acts under light pressure.
We have already seen the kind of language you can use to evaluate ideas. We saw some useful phrases for evaluation and justification in Lesson 1.2. Let’s have a look at some more:
Positive evaluation:
- I think the best idea is (A).
- In my opinion, (A) is the best option.
- The way I see it, (A) is probably the correct thing to d.o
- (A) is definitely the proper thing to do in my view.
- From my point of view, the most appropriate choice is (A).
- As far as I’m concerned, the preferred option in (A).
Negative evaluation:
- I don’t think you should do (B).
- (B) doesn’t seem like a particularly good idea.
- I definitely wouldn’t do (B).
- As I see it, (B) is a terrible idea.
- I really don’t think (B) is the correct approach.
- From my perspective, (B) is the worst thing you can do.
Justification:
- … because…
- … as…
- … owing to the fact that…
- … on account of…
- … in view of the fact that…
- I say this due to the fact that…
- This is because…
- If you do that….
Language notes:
We’ve already seen some useful phrases for evaluation and justification in Lesson 2 (Pre-interview 1.2). Here are a few new ones, including different phrases for expressing opinions. Go through the phrases with your student and make sure they understand correct usage. Give examples where the student has doubts. They should be comfortable with using this language as they will need it in the Practice section.
In the multiple-choice questions below, choose the answer that you think is most appropriate. Be prepared to justify why you have chosen a specific answer and why you haven’t chosen the other options.
1. When you go for your interview, you should:
A wear a black suit.
B wear smart jeans and a jacket.
C wear a brown suit.
2. When you go for your interview, you should:
A wear your hair off the collar if you are a man or woman.
B have a trendy hairstyle if you are a man.
C wear your hair long if you are a woman.
3. It’s a good idea to
A wear a strong, expensive cologne if you are a woman.
B wear aromatic aftershave if you are a man.
C wear a subtle cologne, or nothing at all.
4. When you meet your interviewer, it’s advisable to
A give the interviewer a very firm handshake.
B give the interviewer a not-too-firm handshake.
C shake the interviewer’s hand with both of yours.
5. When you greet your interviewer, you should say
A “How do you do?”
B “How are you doing?”
C “Hey… how’s it hanging homie?”
6. During the interview, it’s best to
A sit on the interviewer’s desk.
B sit on the edge or at the back of your chair.
C sit in the middle of your chair.
7. During the interview, it’s important to
A speak as much as possible to show your confidence and abilities.
B listen carefully to what the interviewer has to say.
C think about what you are going to say next while the interviewer is talking.
8. For the duration of the meeting, it’s a good idea to
A make eye contact all the time.
B look at the floor.
C make eye contact most of the time, but not all the time.
9. While you are being interviewed,
A keep your hands in your pockets.
B put your hands on your lap or on the table but make some hand gestures.
C make lots of hand gestures to show you are confident.
10. If you don’t understand a question,
A ask for clarification.
B answer what you think the interviewer asked.
C say “Pass”.
11. While the meeting is going on
A don’t ask any questions.
B ask lots of questions about anything you can think of.
C ask relevant questions to find out important aspects of the job and company.
12. At the end of the meeting, the best policy is to
A leave the interview with a wave and say “Speak to you soon.”
B shake the interviewer's hand and say “Thank you for your time.”
C Give the interviewer a big smile and say “Phew, I made it!”.