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Hi there, and welcome to Wall Street’s “Two-Minute English”.
Today, I’ll give you some examples of how you can answer difficult job interview questions:
(1) Tell me about yourself.
This seems straightforward, but you’ll be surprised how some people don’t know how to answer this. Keep this part short and interesting. The interviewer is more interested in hearing you present yourself than actually knowing your details. I would say something simple like this: “Hi. My name is Ben. I am from Hong Kong but I grew up in the UK and Australia. I love hiking, playing music and chatting with people.”
(2) Why do you want to work for us?
This requires a bit of homework. Find out about the company, what your role is, and convince the interviewer that you want this job. Here is what I would say if I was applying to be a teacher at Wall Street: “I have heard a lot of good things about your company. It seems like a dynamic, vibrant and fun place to work. Teaching is my passion, but I feel this environment is particularly suitable for me because of the small class sizes and the way the students learn. I think I will really enjoy working here.”
(3) What are your strengths and weaknesses?
This is quite standard in interviews. Always prepare around 3 for each. This is what I would say – I’ll start with my strengths: “I am highly organised, I speak and communicate very clearly, and I am a good listener.” Here are my weaknesses: “Sometimes I am too much of a perfectionist, my Chinese language skills are not very good, and I can be quite sensitive to criticism.”
(4) Do you have any questions for us?
Usually, an interviewer would end with this question. Once again, use this to demonstrate interest and that you have done some research. I would say something this: “I know teaching adults can be challenging. What are some of the difficulties that the teachers here face every day?”
Or: “If I were to get an offer, what can I do to prepare for this job before I start?”
Well, that’s all for this week’s “Two-Minute English”. Bye-bye.
