An interview is not a test of your English. It is a test of whether you can talk about your own work clearly. Prepare six answers and you can handle almost any question.
1. Arriving for the Interview
Receptionist: Good morning. Do you have an appointment?
Nadia: Yes, at ten, with Ms. Okafor.
Receptionist: May I have your name?
Nadia: Nadia Farouk.
Receptionist: Please take a seat. She'll be down shortly.
Nadia: Thank you.
2. Tell Me About Yourself
Ms. Okafor: So, tell me about yourself.
Nadia: I've worked in logistics for six years.
Ms. Okafor: Where, mainly?
Nadia: Two years at Delta, four at Meridian.
Ms. Okafor: And what do you do there now?
Nadia: I run a team of eight.
3. Why Do You Want This Job?
Ms. Okafor: Why this role?
Nadia: I want to work on bigger contracts.
Ms. Okafor: Bigger than your current ones?
Nadia: Considerably.
Ms. Okafor: And why us?
Nadia: You're the strongest name in the region.
4. Talking About What You Are Good At
Ms. Okafor: What are you strongest at?
Nadia: Keeping calm when a plan fails.
Ms. Okafor: Can you give me an example?
Nadia: We lost a supplier last March.
Ms. Okafor: What did you do?
Nadia: Found two new ones in nine days.
5. Talking About a Weakness
Ms. Okafor: And what do you find hard?
Nadia: Delegating. I used to do everything myself.
Ms. Okafor: Used to?
Nadia: I've been working on it for a year.
Ms. Okafor: How?
Nadia: I give my team the whole task now, not pieces.
6. Describing Something You Achieved
Ms. Okafor: What are you most proud of?
Nadia: Cutting our delivery times.
Ms. Okafor: By how much?
Nadia: From five days to three.
Ms. Okafor: Over what period?
Nadia: One year, with the same budget.
7. Asking Your Own Questions
Ms. Okafor: Do you have questions for us?
Nadia: Two, if I may.
Ms. Okafor: Please.
Nadia: Who would I report to?
Ms. Okafor: To me, directly.
Nadia: And how is success measured here?
8. Ending the Interview
Ms. Okafor: That's everything from me.
Nadia: Thank you for your time.
Ms. Okafor: We'll be in touch this week.
Nadia: I'll look forward to hearing from you.
Ms. Okafor: It was good to meet you.
Nadia: You too. Have a good afternoon.
Words to know
| appointment | a fixed time to meet someone Do you have an appointment? |
| run a team | to manage a group of people I run a team of eight. |
| role | a job, in formal English Why this role? |
| considerably | much more, in a formal way Considerably. |
| delegate | to give your work to your team Delegating. I used to do everything myself. |
| proud of | pleased about something you achieved What are you most proud of? |
| report to | to work under someone Who would I report to? |
| be in touch | to contact you later We'll be in touch this week. |
Quick practice
Complete each sentence with an expression from the lessons.
1. A: Do you have an ________?
B: Yes, at ten, with Ms. Okafor.
2. A: So, tell me about ________.
B: I've worked in logistics for six years.
3. A: Why this ________?
B: I want to work on bigger contracts.
4. A: What are you ________ at?
B: Keeping calm when a plan fails.
5. A: What are you most ________ of?
B: Cutting our delivery times.
6. A: Who would I ________ to?
B: To me, directly.
Show the answers
1. appointment 2. yourself 3. role 4. strongest 5. proud 6. report
Common mistakes
Not: I am working here since 2019.
Say: I've been working here since 2019.
For a job you still have, use have been + -ing with since or for.
Not: I am perfectionist. That is my weakness.
Say: Delegating. I used to do everything myself, and I've been working on it.
A weakness that is secretly a boast sounds rehearsed. Name a real one and say what you changed.
Not: I don't have any questions.
Say: Two, if I may. Who would I report to?
Having no questions reads as no interest. Prepare two, and ask them even if you already know the answer.
Your turn
Prepare for a real interview. Say these five answers aloud, timing yourself at under thirty seconds each.
- Answer Tell me about yourself in three sentences.
- Say why you want this particular job, and why this company.
- Name one strength and give a real example with a number in it.
- Name one real weakness and what you have done about it.
- Ask two questions of your own.
Quick review
Numbers are what interviewers remember. From five days to three, in one year, with the same budget stays in the mind; I improved our processes does not. Go through your last two years of work and find three numbers you can say out loud. Those three numbers are your interview.