INTERVIEW

The first question is often a "breaking the ice" type of question. Don't be surprised if the interviewer asks you
something like:
How are you today? GOOD / I'm fine thank you, and you? / I'm well thank you.
Are you having a good day so far? Yes, very good thank you very much.

What is most important?

Talking about your experience and credentials (qualifications) is the most important part of any job interview.
Your qualifications include your education from High School on and any special training you may have done
in the past. Your experience is any work that you have done that is directly or indirectly related to the job you
are applying for.

Education
Remember that your education took place in the past. Therefore you need to use the past tenses, for
example:

- I attended the University of Helsinki from 1987 to 1993.

- I graduated with a degree in marketing.

If you are currently a student you should use the following present tenses:

- I am currently studying at the University of New York and will graduate with a degree in Economics
in the spring.
- I am studying English at the Borough Community College.

Remember to include any training you may have had when talking about your education. This includes any computer
training, correspondence courses, etc. Make sure to mention your English studies, this is very important as English is
not your first language and the employer may be concerned about this fact. Assure the employer that you are
continuing to improve your English skills by any courses you may be taking, or by saying that you study a certain
number of hours a week to improve your skills.

Experience and Qualifications

Work experience is by far the most important topic of any job interview. Therefore, it is important to explain what
experience you have in detail.

The tenses you should use are the following:

When talking about current employment be careful to use the present perfect or present perfect continuous. This
signals that you are still performing these tasks at your current job, for example:

- Smith and Co. have employed me for the last 3 years as a salesperson.
- I have been creating customer contacts for 6months.

When talking about past employers use the past tenses to signal that you are no longer working for that company, for
example:

- I was employed by Jackson's from 1989 to 1992 as a clerk.

- I worked as a receptionist at the Ritz while I was living in New York.

Talking about Responsibilities

The job skills that you have acquired in the past may not have been for the same exact job. Therefore, it is important to
show how the capabilities you do have relate to the job you are applying for.

Use the Right Word

Below is a list of great verbs to help you express just exactly what you did with impressive vocabulary. These verbs are
used to express responsibilities and tasks performed:
JOB VOCABULARY
VERBS NOUNS
 Apply for a job: Solicitar un trabajo.  Boss: Jefe.
 Be afraid of: Tener miedo de.  Break: Descanso.
 Be in charge of: Estar a cargo de algo.  Budget: Presupuesto.
 Be sacked: Estar despedido.  Company: Empresa, compañía.
 Be unemployed: Estar sin trabajo / estar en el paro.  Contract: Contrato.
 Do overtime: Hacer horas extra.  Day off: Día libre.
 Get a job: Conseguir un trabajo.  Duties: Tareas.
 Get promoted: Conseguir un ascenso.  Employee: Trabajador, empleado.
 Have an interview: Tener una entrevista.  Experience: Experiencia .
 Hire / Contract: Contratar (a alguien).  Flexible-time: Tiempo flexible.
 Look for a job: Buscar un trabajo.  Full-time: A tiempo completo, jornada completa.
 Reject: Rechazar.  Health insurance: Seguro médico.
 Request a job: Solicitar un trabajo.  Maternity leave: Baja por maternidad.
 Resign: Dimitir, dejar (un trabajo).  Overtime: Horas extraordinarias / horas extra.
 Take risks: Asumir riesgos.  Paperwork: Papeleo.
 Work: Trabajar.  Part-time: A tiempo parcial, jornada partida.
 Perks / Benefits: Beneficios.
To describe your skills the following adjectives are useful  Permanent job: Trabajo fijo.
Accurate Tactful  Qualifications / Studies: Cualificaciones, estudios.
active trustworthy  Risks: Riesgos.
adaptable sincere
broad-minded successful  Salary: Sueldo, salario.
Competent sensitive  Schedule: Programa.
creative sense of humor  Self-employed: Autónomo, trabjador por cuenta
determined self-disciplined propia.
diplomatic resourceful  Skills/Abilities: Habilidades, cualidades.
discreet reliable
efficient practical  Temporary job: Trabajo temporal.
energetic productive  Timetable / Hour: Horario, calendario.
enthusiastic practical  Trade unión: Sindicato.
experienced positive  Working day: Día laboral.
fair pleasant
 Workmate: Compañero/a de trabajo.
firm outgoing
honest objective
innovative motivated
loyal methodical
mature

Common Interview Questions

Questions about you:

 Tell me about yourself?

 How do/would your friends describe you?
 What is the most interesting thing you've done in the past three years?
 What do you want me to know about you that isn't on your résumé?
 Tell me about an interesting article you recently read in the newspaper.
 What’s the last non-school related book you read? What did you learn from this book?
 What kinds of tasks and responsibilities motivate you the most?
 Why should I hire you and not the next candidate who walks in the door?
 Do you prefer to work with others or on your own?
 What is your greatest strength? Weakness?

Questions about your qualifications:

o Why do you want to work here? Why should I hire you?

o Do you have the skills to work in this position/company?
o What specific skills have you acquired or used in previous jobs that related to this position?
 o Tell me about what you learned from your previous jobs and internships.
o What did you like/dislike about your last job?
o What is your biggest accomplishment?
o Describe your leadership/communication/coordinating/etc style?

Questions about your education:

o Why did you choose to study ___?

o Describe the course that has had the greatest impact on your thinking.
o What courses did you enjoy the most? Least?
o Tell me about your extracurricular activities during school. What do you believe you have gained
from these experiences?

Questions about your understanding of the job/company:

o What do you know about our company? Position?

o Why did you apply to our organization?
o What interests/impresses you about this organization?
o What criteria are you using to evaluate the organization for which you hope to work?
o What can you tell us about our company?
o What do you think of our organizational structure?
o Who else are you interviewing with? What do you think of those organizations?
o Are you seeking employment in a company of a certain size? Why?
o Do you have a geographic preference?

Other questions:

o What are your salary expectations for this position?

o Where do you see yourself in ___ years?

Behavioural-based Interview Questions

Assertiveness:

o Tell me about a time when you were able to express your opinions maturely in spite of
disagreements or objections.
o Give me an example of a time when you had to be assertive in giving directions to others.
o Tell me about a time when you successfully expressed your ideas/opinions in a tactful and careful
way.
o Tell me about a time when you were willing to disagree with another person in order to build a
positive outcome.
o Describe a time when you had to sell an idea to our boss, authority figure, or technical expert.

Communication:

o Tell me about a time when you had to present a proposal/idea to a person in authority and were able
to do this successfully.
o Tell me about a situation where you had to be persuasive and sell your idea to someone else.
o Tell me about your most successful experience when make a speech or presentation to a group.
o Tell me about an experience of yours that illustrates your ability to influence another person verbally.
o Tell me about a specific time when your skill in listening helped you to communicate better.
o Tell me about the writing experiences you have had that you think will contribute to your ability to do
this job well.

Creativity and Innovation:

o Tell me about a situation in which you were able to find a new and better way of doing something
significant.
o Tell me about a time when you were creative in solving a problem.
 o Describe a time when you were able to come up with new ideas that were key to the success of
some activity or project.
o Tell me about a time when you had to bring out the creativity in others.
o Give me an example of a time when you came up with a unique and novel solution to a common
problem.

Customer Service:

o Tell me about a time when you had to deal with an irate customer.
o Tell me about one or two customer-service related programs that you've done that you're particularly
proud of.
o Tell me about a time when you made a lasting, positive impression on a customer.

Decision Making:

o Describe for me a time when you had to make an important decision with limited facts.
o Tell me about a time when you were forced to make an unpopular decision.
o Describe for me a time when you had to adapt to a difficult situation. What did you do?
o Tell me about a time when you made a bad decision
o Tell me about a time when you resisted the temptation to “jump to conclusions” and thoroughly
obtained all facts associated with a problem before coming to a solution.
o Give me an example of how you reached a practical business decision by an organized review of the
facts and weighing of options.

Delegation:

o Tell me about a time when you delegated a project effectively.

o Tell me about a time when you did a poor job of delegating.
o Describe for me a time when you had to delegate to a person with a full workload, and how you went
about doing it.

Energizing:

o Give me an example of a time when your positive attitude caused others to be motivated or
energized.
o Tell me about a time when your ability to reward and encourage others created positive motivation.
o Tell me about a time when you successfully used competition as a means of encouraging others to
work hard.
o Describe a time when you were able to use recognition to create positive energy in another person.

Goal Setting:

 Tell me about the most important time in your work history when you successfully prioritized your goals.
o Tell me about a time when you took the initiative to set goals and objectives even though you were
not prompted or directed by others to do so.
o Give me an example of a time when you used a systematic process to define your objectives. What
type of system did you use? What payoff did you get from using the process?

Initiative and Follow-through:

o Give me an example of a situation where you had to overcome major obstacles to achieve your
objectives.
o Tell me about a goal that you set that took a long time to achieve or that you are still working
towards.
o Tell me about a time when you won (or lost) an important contract.
o Tell me about a time when you used your political savvy to push a program through that you really
believed in.
o Tell me about a situation that you had significant impact on because of your follow-through.
 Integrity:

o Tell me about a time when you were able to change in order to meet the needs of others.
o Tell me about a time when you felt it necessary to compromise your own immediate interests in order
to be socially flexible and tolerant of another person’s needs.
o Even more difficult than dealing with a difficult person is being of service to a difficult person. Tell me
about a time when you have been successful with this type of situation at work.
o Tell me about a time when you were asked to compromise your integrity.

Leadership:

o Describe a work situation where your ability to set a positive example served as a model to others.
o Give me an example of the greatest success you ever had in the use of delegation.
o Describe for me a time when you may have been disappointed in your behavior.
o Tell me about a time when you had to discipline or fire a colleague.
o Tell me about a time when you've had to develop leaders under you.
o Tell me about a time when you made an unpopular decision. Did it prove to be the correct one?

Organization and Planning:

o Give me an example of any time management techniques you have learned and applied at work.
o Tell me what you have done with such tools as flow charts, production schedule, filing systems, or
any other tools to help you implement a plan.
o Tell me about how you used realistic schedules and timetables to generate a plan leading to a
specific goal.

Priority Setting:

o Tell me about a time when you had to balance competing priorities and did so successfully.
o Tell me about a time when you had to pick out the most important things in some activity and make
sure those got done.
o Tell me about a time that you prioritized the elements of a complicated project.
o Tell me about a time when you got bogged down in the details of a project.

Team Building:

o Tell me about a time when you had your biggest success in building a team spirit.
o Tell me about a time when you contributed to a working group’s ability to direct itself by building
group standards for performance.
o Describe a time when you used the technique of collecting suggestions to build team commitment.
o Give me an example of a time when you confronted a negative attitude successfully with the result of
building teamwork and morale.

Thinking and Problem Solving:

o Tell me about a time when you had to analyze facts quickly, define key issues, and respond
immediately or develop a plan that produced good results.
o Describe for me a situation where you may have missed an obvious solution to a problem.
o Tell me about a time when you anticipated potential problems and developed preventative
measures.
o Tell me about a time when you used your analytical skills to identify potential problems at work
o Tell me about a time when you surmounted a major obstacle.

Working Effectively with Others:

o Give me an example that would show that you've been able to develop and maintain productive
relations with others, though there were differing points of view.
o Tell me about a time when you were able to motivate others to get the desired results.
o Tell me about a difficult situation with a co-worker, and how you handled it.
 o Tell me about a time when you played an integral role in getting a team (or work group) back on
track.

Case Interview Questions

Brainteasers:

o Why are manhole covers round?

o You have a 5-gallon jug and a 3-gallon jug. You must obtain exactly 4 gallons of water. How will you
do it?
o Without writing anything or using any calculating device, tell me if there are more 2s or 8s to be
found in all of the numbers from 1 to 50,000.
o A little girl is in Alberta, & her mother is in Ontario. The little girl is in an accident, & has to be rushed
to a nearby hospital. The little girl is the daughter of the nurse who assists her. How is this possible?

Guesstimates:

o How many tennis balls fit into a Metro car?

o How many convenience stores are there on the Island of Montreal?
o How many people travel back and forth from Montreal to Toronto each day?
o How many paper cups does Tim Horton’s use each year?

Business Cases:

o You’ve just invented a process that allows people to become invisible, is there a market for this
product?
o Your client, a maple syrup producer, wants to begin exporting their product into Europe. How would
you advise them?
o Donald Trump is considering buying the Montreal casino. What should he consider when evaluating
this deal? How much should he be willing to spend?
o Should the Coca-Cola Company acquire Couche Tard?

Some common questions you may want to consider asking include:

 What are you looking for in the person who will fill this job?
 What areas need the immediate attention of the person you hire?
 What skills are most valuable in this job?
 What activities could I engage in now that might help me on the job if I'm hired?
 What are your plans for new products or services?
 How would you define your organization's management philosophy?
 What kind of training would I receive?
 How do the duties change once the training program has been completed?
 What is the retention rate for people who have been in this training program after one year? After two years?
 How is one evaluated both formally and informally?
 Will a graduate degree be required in order to enhance my promotional opportunities after several years?

What to do before an interview? (Tips para tener encuenta antes de la entrevista)

try to get all pertinent data during phone call

 Have clear in mind the names and titles of those interviewing you and their relationship to the position you are
applying for
 Get critical information like: Location, time, type and duration of interview
 Phone number and name of person to contact if a problem arises and you must reschedule or be late for the
interview
your research on the position, company and industry

 Review all company and the position data; learn and know more about the industry and the company’s major
competitors.
 Keep copies of the job postings and descriptions you have applied to for reference or preparation

know the culture of the company

 Try to start formal and then acclimatize yourself to the culture

 try to read company literature, brochures, or newsletters.

pack properly (no lleves demasiadas cosas)

 No backpacks or big bulky purses. Remember that your image should be that of a professional and not a
student.
 Your briefcase or portfolio should include (cosas que tienes que llevar):
o Paper (spiral pad) and pen/pencil
o Copy of job description, resumé, cover letter, list of references
o Address, directions, telephone number and name of contact
o Name of person/people you will be meeting
o Business cards
o Change for parking meter, breath mints, tissues
o Shoes in a bag (weather dependent)
follow business etiquette

 Your handshake should be firm.

 In the initial meeting, let the interviewer offer their hand first; after the interview, offer your hand first to show
you are thankful that they took the time to meet with you
 Let the interviewer take you to your seat because you are their guest
 No slouching in chair (do not sit in an uneducated way) sit with the base of your back touching the back of the
chair
 Turn off any pagers and cell phones.
 Behave professionally with everyone you encounter.
 Ask for business cards so that you have the proper spelling and title of each person who has interviewed you

remember that communication is very important

 Speak to express and not to impress – using vocabulary that you feel comfortable with and do not try to use
“special” words
 Avoid using slangs (nada de jergas)
 Non-verbal communication may be evaluated. Remember that your body also sends messages so be careful
of your body position.
 Keep good eye contact, but don’t stare

arrive 15 minutes early and never get to the interview late

 Announce yourself to receptionist

 Be sure you know where the company is and that you are aware if there is any traffic. There should be NO
EXCUSES for you being late.

Sleep well before the interview

12 preguntas típicas de una entrevista de trabajo en inglés

 Tell me about yourself and why you want to work here/in this team/in this company/for
us/etc. este es el momento donde hay que aprovechar a sacar toda la artillería, demostrar por que sos
el mejor candidato, toda la experiencia que tenés, los logros que tuviste en otras posiciones en el
pasado y todo, por supuesto, relacionado con la empresa y el puesto al que se aplica.
 Tell me about your past experience in the field. Incluye parte de lo que señalaba arriba: logros,
posiciones, cosas que se han hecho, etc.
 What did you like/dislike most of our product/service/etc. Esta pregunta es para testear cuanto
conocés realmente de la empresa y de aquello a lo que estás postulando. Implica haber hecho los
deberes de investigación previos.
 What was the most difficult/challenging thing/situation you did/faced/etc. Aquí te la dejan picando
para que te luzcas… Pasó tal cosa, pero soy tan groso y tan bueno en lo que hago que lo resolví así y
“asá”.
 Suppose (any given extraordinary situation related to your field), How do you face it?/What would
you do?/etc. Nuevamente, una para lucirse y decir como hacés frente a situaciones complicadas con tu
gracia y habilidad.
 Have you used (whatever special tool you may be requiere to use/operate in your field)? Mi
recomendación es ser sincero. Si no tenés idea de lo que te hablan, mejor dejalo ahí.
 How do you feel about working overtime? Te están avisando que seguramente algún día vayas a
tener que quedarte después de hora, cosa a la que por supuesto no le tienes miedo, no?
 How do you think your co-workers would describe you? Como el “mas mejor”! Aquí va una lista de
aptitudes como “team-worker”, easy going” y demás.
 What is your best strength/worst weakness? Lo único que puedo decir de esto es que cuando digas
una debilidad tiene que ser una que “suene bien” Tipo… Soy un perfeccionista y eso hace que me tenga
que quedar algunos días trabajando de más! Lo llevo en mi naturaleza! Ah! Terrible O algo así.
 How do you feel about working with the team and on your own? Esta pregunt, me parece, tiende a
detectar si sos un tipo que le gusta andar solo o laburar en grupo. Guarda! Les encanta el “team worker”
pero decir que determinadas cosas las preferís hacer solo (y lo justificas) no creo que sea malo!
 How do you see yourself in 5 years? No contestar “siendo tu jefe” por que suena mal.
 Do you have any questions for me? Este es un buen momento para aprovechar y sacar algo de info…
Por ejemplo…
 Why are you hiring a new person? El que se fue.. por que se fue? Se hinchó las pelotas? Se
consiguió algo mejor? Lo ascendieron? O no se fue nadie y la empresa está creciendo?
 What are you looking for in your candidate? Que quiere tu entrevistador? Y de paso, aprovechar y
hacer calzar eso que te dice con un “Que bueno! Por que yo soy de esta forma y de esta otra (justo
como el dice) y creo que puedo ser un buen candidato” Se entiende?
 What are the enxt steps? or When I am going to hear again from you? Todo lo que necesitás saber
es como sigue la cosa: te llaman? te mandan un mail? Cuando? De esa manera lo comprometés a
darte una respuesta y vos te sacás algo de incertidumbre de encima.