Job Interview Question and Answer Tips

Congratulations! You have applied for
a job and now you are getting ready for
that important job interview. You are look-
ing forward to making a good impression
on your future (hopefully) boss. Now, you
need to make sure that you also use the
right type of language for that job inter-
view.

When you walk in the room the very first
impression you make on the interviewer
can have a great influence on the rest
of the interview. It is important that you
introduce yourself, shake hands, and are friendly. The first question is often a “breaking the ice” (establish a rapport)
type of question. Don’t be surprised if the interviewer asks you something
like:

• How are you today?
• Did you have any trouble finding us?
• What do you think of the weather lately?

Don’t be surprised by the friendly tone. The interviewer wants to put you at
ease (help you relax). Answer the question without going into too much de-
tail. The language you use should be simple but polite, for example;
How are you today?
GOOD

How are you today?
GOOD
I’m fine thank you, and you?
I’m well thank you.
BAD
So, so
OK
Not so well

What is most important?

Talking about your experience and credentials (qualifications) is the most impor-
tant 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 experi-
ence 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 agricultural planning.
Etc.
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 de-
gree in Economics in the spring.
I am studying English at the Borough Community College.
Etc.
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 (at least
in the United States and Britain). Therefore, it is important to explain what experi-
ence you have in detail. Generally, employers want to know exactly what you did
and how well you accomplished your tasks. This is not the time to be modest. Be

confident, and talk freely about your accomplishments in past employment.
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.
Etc.
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.
Etc.

Talking about Responsibilities

Most importantly, you will need to demonstrate your qualifications and skills, which
are required for the job you are applying for. 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.
I remember a wonderful example of adapting skills to fit the job desired. I had a
student from Moscow who had worked as the manager of an important theater in
Moscow. Unfortunately, he had to start from the beginning in New York and there-
fore wanted to get a job as a rodent exterminator (someone who kills rats!). When
asked what kind of experience he had, he replied that, as the manager of the
theater, he had had to make sure that the theater was always rodent free and was
therefore capable of doing the job well! This is a fantastic example of the type of
adaptability most employers in the United States are looking for.