Jobs: Interviewing for a job

The job interview is a critical step in the career process, serving as the bridge between submitting an application and securing a position. For English language learners, this interaction requires not only professional knowledge but also the ability to communicate skills and experience clearly and confidently. This lesson is designed to equip students with the essential vocabulary, practical phrases, and conversational tools needed to navigate an interview successfully and make a positive impression on potential employers.

Basic vocabulary

Start with essential words related to job interviews. These should be simple, commonly used terms that learners can easily apply.

Vocabulary for expansion

• Interviewer: The person asking questions during the interview.
• Cover letter: A letter sent with a resume to explain why you want the job.
• Strength: A positive quality or skill (e.g., “My strength is problem-solving.”).
• Weakness: An area where you need improvement (e.g., “My weakness is public speaking.”).
• Reference: A person who can confirm your skills or experience.
• Attire: The clothes worn to an interview (e.g., formal attire).

Teaching tip: Use visuals like a sample resume or a job ad. Practice pronunciation for “resume” (REZ-oo-may) and “qualifications” (kwol-i-fi-KAY-shuns).

Grammar spotlight: The present perfect vs. past simple

In the context of job interviews, we often switch between the past simple and the present perfect. Understanding when to use each helps candidates describe their history and current abilities accurately.

Using the past simple for finished events

We use the past simple to talk about specific tasks, roles, or events that happened at a definite time in the past. These actions are finished.

• Structure: Subject + past tense verb (e.g., worked, studied, managed).
• Time markers: Yesterday, in 2022, two years ago, when I lived in London.
• Interview examples:
  • “I worked as a cashier for two years.”
  • “I graduated from university in 2020.”
  • “I managed a small team in my last position.”

Using the present perfect for experience and results

We use the present perfect to talk about life experiences or actions that happened at an unspecified time. In an interview, this is used to show that you have a specific skill or that your past experience is still relevant today.

• Structure: Subject + have/has + past participle (e.g., worked, seen, been).
• Time markers: Ever, never, already, yet, so far, recently.
• Interview examples:
  • “I have worked with many different types of software.”
  • “I have handled difficult customer situations before.”
  • “She has completed several training courses recently.”

Choosing the right tense

Use this quick guide to decide which tense to use during a conversation:

• The “When” rule: If you say when it happened (e.g., “last year”), use the past simple.
• The “What” rule: If the focus is on the experience itself and not the specific date, use the present perfect.

Comparison example:

• Present perfect: “I have used Excel many times.” (Focus: I have this skill).
• Past simple: “I used Excel to create the monthly budget last week.” (Focus: A specific task at a specific time).

Common mistakes with interview grammar

• Incorrect: “I have graduated in 2015.”
• Correct: “I graduated in 2015.” (Specific year = past simple).
• Incorrect: “I work there for three years.” (If you still work there).
• Correct: “I have worked there for three years.” (Action continuing to the present).

Useful phrases

Teach simple sentence structures for discussing job interviews. These phrases should be versatile and practical for describing the process or experience.

• Talking about the interview
  • “I have a job interview at [company/place].”
  • “I applied for a [position] job.”
  • “The interview is on [day/time].”
• Describing the process
  • “They asked me about my [skills/experience].”
  • “I answered questions about [topic].”
  • “The interview lasted [time, e.g., 30 minutes].”
• Expressing opinions or feelings
  • “I was nervous, but it went well.”
  • “I think the interview was [easy/hard].”
  • “I hope they hire me!”
• Asking questions
  • “Have you had a job interview?”
  • “What questions do they ask in interviews?”
  • “Did you get the job?”

Example conversations

Provide short, realistic dialogues to model how to talk about a job interview.

Conversation 1: Basic exchange

• Anna: Do you have a job interview soon, Tom?
• Tom: Yes, I have one tomorrow at a store.
• Anna: Nice! What job is it?
• Tom: It’s for a cashier position.
• Anna: Are you nervous?
• Tom: A little, but I practiced my answers.

Conversation 2: Adding details

• Sara: Hey, Juan, how was your job interview?
• Juan: It was at a tech company for a programmer job.
• Sara: Cool! What did they ask you?
• Juan: They asked about my coding skills and experience.
• Sara: How did it go?
• Juan: I think it went well. I hope they hire me!

Teaching strategy

Here’s a step-by-step lesson plan to teach this topic effectively (approximately 45 minutes):

• Step 1: Warm-up (5 minutes)
  • Ask: “Have you ever had a job interview? What job would you like?” to spark interest.
• Step 2: Vocabulary introduction (10 minutes)
  • Present the vocabulary list using visuals like a resume or job ad.
  • Play a quick game: Say a word (e.g., “candidate”), and learners explain what it means.
• Step 3: Phrase practice (10 minutes)
  • Display key phrases and model them with your own example.
  • Have learners practice by filling in the blanks.
• Step 4: Conversation practice (15 minutes)
  • Read one example conversation aloud, emphasizing natural tone and flow.
  • Pair learners to practice the dialogues, encouraging personalization.
• Step 5: Wrap-up and personalization (5 minutes)
  • Have each learner share one or two sentences about a job interview.
  • Assign homework: Write 3-5 sentences about a job interview.

Common mistakes to address

• Grammar: Learners may say “I have interview” instead of “I have an interview.” Emphasize the article.
• Pronunciation: Terms like “resume” or “qualifications” may be mispronounced; practice these explicitly.
• Word choice: Clarify differences like “skills” (abilities) vs. “qualifications” (formal credentials like degrees).

Homework or follow-up

• Writing: Write a short paragraph (5 sentences) about a real or imagined job interview.
• Speaking: Record a 30-second audio describing a job interview experience or preparation.
• Research: Look up a job ad online and write down three new words related to interviews (e.g., “applicant,” “panel”).