JOB INTERVIEW

Vocabulary for a job interview

To help you prepare we’ve put together some handy phrases covering what you’ll typically discuss at a job interview: your personality, strengths, experience and why you want the job, of course.

 Describing your personality

As they sit down with candidates, the interviewer (your potential boss) is looking to find out if the interviewee (you) will or won’t fit in well with their existing team. So now’s the time to show them who you are and why you’re a great person to work with. Here are some adjectives to use:

 Easy-going: a relaxed person who is easy to get along with

Hard-working: someone who works well and isn’t lazy

Committed: a person who is loyal to a project or person

Trustworthy: someone who you can rely on

Honest: someone who tells the truth

Focused: someone who is not easily distracted

Methodical: a person who pays attention to details and works in a logical way

Proactive: someone who takes steps to complete tasks without supervision

You can say:

I’m easy-going

I’m an easy-going person/employee/worker.

If you’d like to add punch, use an intensifier like very, extremely, really.

“I’m very trustworthy,”

“I’m an extremely focused employee.”

 

Describing your strengths

Your interviewer will also want to know what you’re good at. Why? Because the job you’re applying for requires certain skills – so now’s the time to explain what you can do well!

Some positive traits and skills managers look for include:

Organization
The ability to multitask
Perform to a deadline
Solve problems
Communicate well
Work in an international environment and with people from all over the world
Speak foreign languages
Enthusiasm
 

You can use phrases like:

I’m good at working under pressure

I’m skilled at multitasking

I’m skilled at working to a deadline,

My strength is my ability to problem solve

My strengths are my ability to be enthusiastics and speak fluent English etc.

 

Describing your experience

If you’ve had a job before you have valuable experience to bring to this new position. Depending on the sort of job you’re applying for, your education might also be important to highlight. Here are some phrases to use:

 

I have five years’ experience as a waitress/in retail/as a teacher

I worked in retail for seven years and was promoted to manager in my second year

I studied at the University of Queensland

I worked for Amry and Andrian. as a lawyer

Be prepared to run through and explain the main points in your CV. Use the opportunity to elaborate on what’s on your CV and give more details.

Describing your goals for the future and why you want this job

Here’s your moment to tell the interviewer why you want the advertised position. Maybe you want to gain experience in your field, learn a particular skill, believe you are a great fit for the company or particularly respect them in their industry. These phrases can help:

I’m looking to further my skills as a barista/in hospitality, as a childcare worker/in early childhood education

I’m want to further my career in physiotherapy/as a physiotherapist, in administration/as an administrator, in retail/as a branch manager

I believe your company is an important player in its industry

I feel my skill set is a perfect fit for your team and I can contribute by…

It’s very important to emphasize the last point – your interviewer will want to be convinced that you really want the role. Don’t overdo it, of course, but do make sure you make this point clear.

 

Example answers to “Tell me about yourself”

Sometimes seeing an example can be helpful, though each person’s “Tell me about yourself” answer will be different. Below are a few short scripts showing how this question can highlight someone’s strengths supported by successful results in just under two minutes:

 

Example 1:

“I began my career in retail management, but a few years ago, I was drawn to the healthcare space. I’ve always been skilled at bringing people together and working towards common goals. My experience successfully leading teams and managing stores led me to consider administration, and I’ve been building a career as a driven health administrator for the last four years.”

 

“In my current role at XYZ Medical Center, the efficiency of the office has been a personal focus—especially as it relates to patient outcomes. I set and oversee goals related to department budget and patient volume. Last year, I worked with our IT department to implement a communication system for scheduling procedures and protocols to ensure that all departments were adequately staffed at all times. With our new online scheduling portal, we increased communication efficiency by 20%. To stay informed about their ongoing concerns, I hold regular meetings with physicians, nurses and other healthcare staff. In my role, I also manage marketing and advertising efforts on behalf of the Center. I’ve been really enjoying that part of my work and I’m especially interested in bringing the experience I’ve gained as well as my commitment to efficiency to the team at ABC Health. Outside of the office, I’m an avid reader and I love to hike. On weekends, you might find me at the local bookstore or exploring hiking trails in the area.”

 

Example 2:

“I’ve been passionate about design since I was a kid. My parents remodeled their house when I was in high school and allowed me to play an active role in the interior design plans. I knew then that I wanted to pursue interior design as my career. I studied Interior Design at Savannah College of Art and Design and graduated 4 years ago.”

 

“Since college, I’ve been working at an interior design firm in Savannah, Georgia. During my time there I’ve been able to build my portfolio through designing both residential and commercial spaces. My experience at the firm has built up my proficiencies in billing and cutting edge technologies, and it has also allowed me to build strong relationships with local suppliers. The most rewarding part of my job has been working in Savannah’s historic buildings. This experience has familiarized me with best-in-class building preservation.”

 

“Moving forward I would love to work at a design firm such as yours that specializes in the design and preservation of historical buildings. I believe my experience and passion for preservation will allow me to be a great asset to your design team.”

 

Example 3:

“Currently, I work at XYZ Restaurant as a hostess. I’ve been there for just over two years. My responsibilities include greeting and seating customers, assessing wait times, fulfilling to-go orders and answering the phones. I love the lively and busy environment of XYZ Restaurant—we often have Friday and Saturday wait times of one hour or more.”

 

"Before working at XYZ Restaurant, I worked in retail as a floor associate for a year. This role really developed my customer service skills as I was consistently assisting customers in the store. It also equipped me with the ability to work in a team environment."

 

”I am looking to further develop my customer service and problem-solving skills as a hostess in a restaurant environment. I am interested in your restaurant specifically as it has a great reputation for delivering first in class customer service to your patrons while being in a lively and dynamic environment.”

 

Fundamentally, “Tell me about yourself” really boils down to “What do you want the interviewer to remember about you?” Answering this opening question effectively gives you the power to make a good first impression and structure the rest of the interview to your benefit.

How to introduce yourself in an interview

In this segment, we will talk about how to introduce yourself in an interview, before reaching the interview room and also during the interview process.

 Before the interview begins

When you get to the venue you will need to introduce yourself to a few people before you reach your interviewer.

 Remember, it is a job interview and you must maintain your interview etiquette at all times while you are at the venue.

 Here are a few things to remember when preparing for a job interview.

 Greet everyone politely

When you visit an office as a visitor, it is only natural that you will be asked for your introduction quite a few times by the security, at the reception, etc.

 Here’s what you can do, step forward and give them your full name, the purpose of your visit and also the name of the person you are meeting.

 They might ask to see a document of the purpose of the visit. Keep the email out beforehand. This way you will save time and will showcase preparedness.

 So, here’s a self-introduction sample that you can use to introduce yourself to people other than your interviewer.

 “Hello, My name is (your name). I have an interview appointment with Mr. X (name of the person) at 12 pm for the position of (mention the role).”

 Be patient

When appearing for a job interview at a new office, you might need to go through a series of security procedures and a bit of waiting to do before you actually reach the main interview room.

 It is understandable that you are nervous and security layers or providing your introduction at every stage might be a little overwhelming.

 Be patient, don’t lose your cool if you have to wait. Unnecessary snapping will not leave a very good impression on your interviewer.

 Tip: You can drop a text to your interviewer that you have arrived to inform him on your behalf.

 During the interview

Now that you have finally entered the interview room, your interview etiquette need to be on point.

 Take the time to get settled and take out a pen, notepad, and your resume as you wait for the interviewer to arrive.

 Here are a few things to consider when you have to introduce yourself in an interview.

 1. Prepare a short statement to greet

Basic interview etiquette is to stand up and shake hands with the interviewers as they enter the room.

 You could use this self-introduction sample to greet your interviewer. Although your interviewer will know who you are and why you are there, doing so can help in exuding confidence and clarifying your name and purpose of visit.

 “Hello, I’m (your name). A pleasure to meet you.”

 2. Prepare a spot on elevator pitch

Once settled, hand over your resume and allow the interviewer to go through it. Once ready, he is sure to ask you to introduce yourself.

 This is where an elevator pitch can help you to best introduce yourself in an interview.

 An elevator pitch is a precise description that can help in your self-introduction in an interview.

Here are some self-introduction samples that you can take inspiration from.

1. Self-introduction for freshers/fresh graduates:

“To begin with I grew up in X city and graduated from ABC University with English Major.

 I have been at the top of my class both in academics and during my internship in EFG Publishing.

 You will find the certificates attached. Writing has always been my passion and the works your writers have turned out have always been informative and impressive.

 I believe it would be a great learning experience for me if I am given the opportunity to work here.”

 

2. Self-introduction for experienced candidates:

“I have been working for 5 years in the editorial team of leading publications.

 I have expertise in InDesign, Quark, SEO, and Digital Marketing.

 I am now looking forward to enhancing my management skills and inspiring a great team of my own.”

Example of Interview Conversation:

Mr. Adam: Good morning.

John: Good morning, Sir.

Mr. Adam: So, you’ve applied for the marketing position, right?

John: Yes, I have Sir.

Mr. Adam: Please tell me about yourself.

John: Alright Sir. My name is John El Rumi. I am from Kudus and currently I live on Teuku Umar Street. I am 26 years old.

Mr. Adam: What experience do you have?

John: I had worked for 2 years as a sales and marketing in a furniture company, Sir.

Mr. Adam: Oh, that’s good. Why did you resign from your last job?

John: The reason why I left my last job because my salary was not worth my responsibility. Besides, I also want to work in a bigger company in order to improve my skills.

Mr. Adam: Why do you want to work for this company?

John: Because your company is one of big companies in Bali Sir. Therefore, I am really interested to work here.

Mr. Adam: Do you have any computer skills?

John: Yes, Sir. I can operate Ms. Office and also Adobe Photoshop.

Mr. Adam: Okay, can you tell me your strengths and weaknesses?

John: Hmmm, I think my strength is I can work well both individually and within a team. For the weakness, I think sometimes I cannot control my emotion Sir when I fell under pressure.

Mr. Adam: Alright, I’ve noted it.  What is your salary expectation?

John: For the salary, I hope I can get more than my previous job, Sir. I think above 4 million Rupiah.

Mr. Adam: Well, we will consider it. When can you start to work?

John: I am available anytime Sir.

Mr. Adam: Good then, just kindly waiting my confirmation via email or phone call. Thank you for coming to the interview.

John: Sure Sir, I will wait for the confirmation. I also would like to say thank you for giving me a chance to come for an interview.

Assignment: Read this example then write and translate into Bahasa Indonesia! Rewrite the example with your own data

My name is Kevin Smith, I am 21 years old and I am a fresh graduate from Gajahmada University. I learned a lot about international affairs and corporate communications. I maintained a GPA of 3.6.

I've been a hard-working student and have taken my subjects quite seriously. now, as I am graduated, I want to implement my knowledge in my work. that is the reason, I am applying for this job. although I don't have real-life work experience, I have had a lot of business-related exposure during my graduation. so I would assure yu to be a valuable asset to your esteemed company by implementing all of my knowledge mixed up with hard work.