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Learning English with CBC
Edmonton
Monthly feature story:
Interviewing Strategies:
Attitude Counts
April 2014
Lesson plans created by Amie Sondheim and Justine Light
www.alberta.ca http://www.cbc.ca/edmonton/learning-‐english/
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Feature Story Objectives
Interviewing Strategies: Attitude Counts
CLB competency outcomes Listening: Reading: Speaking: Writing:
L: Identify main ideas, supporting details and implied meanings. L: Identifies topic-‐specific words, phrases and expressions (Uses sentence stress to determine word importance.) R: Identifies main ideas, key details and some implied meanings. R: Recognizes purposes, context and authors’ intents with point form lists. S: Uses reduced speech (vowel reduction). S: Uses clear references. W: Expresses the main idea and supports them with details. W: Reduces information to important points with accurate details and no major omissions.
Language skills Vocabulary:
Use new vocabulary in context.
Grammar:
Distinguish between the meanings of the adverb “really”.
Speaking:
Listen for and produce the vowel reduction in the word “can”. Fluency building using the word “can”.
Language Activities (In order of appearance in materials) -‐ Answering comprehension and probing questions about a short
background text about the job interviews. -‐ Completing pre-‐listening activities to build vocabulary and prepare
learners for the audio. -‐ Listen to the audio and infer meaning and identify facts and details. -‐ Listening -‐ Identify sentence stress. -‐ Speaking strategies – reduced vowels – can. Fluency building. -‐ Grammar activity – Meaning and use of the adverb “Really”. -‐ Pre-‐reading vocabulary – complete vocabulary activity to prepare for the
reading. -‐ Reading for meaning/comprehension. -‐ Reading strategy – using point form lists to summarize important
information. -‐ Writing – Descriptive writing – using expressions of “Examples” to convey
specific information.
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Introduction – Background Reading When preparing for a job interview, there are a few things you should remember to do. Your interview checklist: ❏ Review your resumé and the information you have gathered about the employer and the work. If you have not already researched these things, do! Use the research techniques and ideas presented in Part 2. ❏ Prepare a list of references. ❏ Anticipate potential interview questions and prepare answers. Practise your answers until you feel confident. You could also get a friend or other person to act out an interview situation with you. Use your practicing to improve both your verbal and non-‐verbal communications skills. Your posture, facial expressions and gestures should communicate a positive attitude. ❏ Prepare your questions. What do you know about the job and the organization? You may want to ask questions about the company’s goals and objectives, the working conditions, or the people you would be working with. Do not ask questions about pay and benefits until after you have been offered a job. ❏ Ensure a good first impression by deciding what you will wear and planning ahead so you get to the interview 10 to 15 minutes early. Look neat, clean and well groomed. Dress the way you expect the interviewer to dress. Visit the organization a day or two earlier to see what other employees are wearing so you know how to dress appropriately. ❏ Allow plenty of time for the interview. Your interview may take longer than you expect. Do not make other plans too close to the time of your interview or have yourself worrying about your time being up on the parking meter. Food For Thought:
1. What personality qualities do you have that would make employers want you to work for them?
2. Have you ever been in an interview where the interviewer asked you questions about your personality or attitude?
The Audio
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Workplace columnist, Margo Ross Graham, explains that there is more to a good employee than just having the right job skills and technical training. Good interview questions will not only get at the interviewee’s past experiences, but his or her overall behaviours and attitudes. In this discussion, you will listen to Graham’s insight into how to conduct a successful interview for both the interviewer and the interviewee.
Workplace columnist Margot Ross Graham (Used with permission: http://www.williamsengineering.com/company/leadership/margotross-‐graham) Before you listen: 0:11 Mark Now, okay, besides job skills, which are fairly obvious, I get,
what else should employers be looking for?
0:17 Margo Well one of the really hard things to measure, but really
important, is this attitude of how they’re going to show up in
a job, and many people forget that. They really go to ‘as long
as they have the skills to do the job, that are very technical,
which you can measure, then, I’m gonna take that person and
neglect this whole attitudinal side of an employee’.
Pre-‐Listening Vocabulary
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The words below are from the audio. The definitions are next to the words. Read the definitions then complete the sentences. Word Definition Job skills (noun) Specific skills needed to do particular jobs. E.g. typing skills are a job
skill needed in order to become a secretary.
Attributes (noun) A personal quality someone has that is considered to be good or useful.
Measure (verb) To determine, or judge something or someone.
Attitude (noun) Someone’s opinions or feelings, which are usually shown in how he or she behaves or acts towards something or someone.
Results (noun) Something that happens because of something that happened before. It is the effect that occurs from the cause of something.
Determination (noun)
A personality quality of trying/putting effort into to doing something, even if it is hard to do.
Demonstrate (verb)
To show something.
Behaviour (noun) How a person acts; what they do that can be observed, or seen.
Specific (adjective) A particular person, thing, place, etc. It is detailed and exact; not just any person, place or thing.
Unique (adjective) Different and special, in a good way.
Capable (adjective) Being able to do something because the person has the qualities and abilities.
Interviewer (noun) The person hosting/conducting the job interview; the person who is asking the questions in an interview.
Interviewee (noun) The person who is answering the questions in the interview; the person who is trying to get the job.
Role (noun)
The position someone is assigned to; this includes the job responsibilities, duties, etc.
Pre-‐Listening Vocabulary: Use the vocabulary words above to complete the following sentences. (Answers can be found in the appendix.)
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1. If you have a positive ________________________________ in the workplace, your co-‐workers will appreciate it, because you’ll be more fun to work with.
2. It can be difficult to correctly ________________________________ a person’s good and bad
personality characteristics in just one interview. 3. As an employer, you want to hire people who have a lot of
________________________________ because if they do it means that they won’t give up easily and they will keep trying and working at something until the job is done.
4. A person’s ________________________________is what will really show how he or she will
do at a given job. It’s not what they say they will do, but what they actually will do. 5. The ________________________________ has a difficult job because he or she has to decide
which questions should be asked in order to learn the most useful information about the possible future employee.
6. When you go to an interview, you are basically trying out for a
________________________________ at that workplace. 7. Employers are looking for many things in the their employees and having the appropriate
________________________________ for the job is one of those things. 8. Employers want employees who set goals and get ________________________________. 9. Interviewees should try to ________________________________ their positive traits to the
interviewer by giving lots of examples of things they have done in previous jobs. 10. It is good to be very ________________________________ with the examples you give about
what you have accomplished in previous workplaces when in an interview. 11. The ________________________________ should come to an interview ready to show how
he or she will be a positive and hard working addition to the employer’s workplace. 12. The more ________________________________a person’s skills are, the more desirable he
or she may appear to be to the interviewer. 13. You want to show off your best ________________________________ when you are in an
interview. 14. Most employers are looking for independent, creative and
_______________________________ people to work for them. Listening for Meaning Read the questions below. Then listen to the audio and answer the questions.
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(Answers can be found in the Appendix)
1. What is the main point Margo Graham is trying to make in this audio clip?
2. According to Graham what are two of the most important things, besides job skills,
that employers should be looking for in an interviewee?
3. What is the best way for an interviewee to show that he or she has had successful
results at work in the past?
4. What would be a more effective way for an employer to find out if someone is hard
working than to ask, “Are you hard working?”
True/False – Read the following statements below and decide if they are true or false. Questions True False 1. Attitude is a quality that is difficult for employers to measure during an interview.
2. Job skills are more important than attitude for employers.
3. Graham says it’s best to hire employees who have similar views of the employer.
4. Behavioural interviews allow employers to get at specific achievements interviews have accomplished.
Listening strategies – Sentence Stress (Answers found in Appendix)
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English is a stress-‐timed language. The rhythm of English is determined by the primary word stresses and the unstressed syllables in between these primary words. Determining where the stress is in spoken English can help the listener (you) understand the main idea of what is being said, as the stressed words usually carry the most meaningful information. In other words, the stressed words tend to come in the form of verbs, adjectives and nouns (including pronouns). Look at this example below and notice how the primary words that are stressed are the most meaningful words in the sentence. Go listen to this section and see if you can hear the word stress on these words. The words will be louder, longer or more pronounced in some way. 0:17 Well, one of the really hard things to measure but really important is this attitude
of how they’re going to show up in a job. Now, listen to the assigned sections below and try to pick out the words that are stressed. A trick to decide if the word is stressed or not is to listen to see if the word is louder or longer than the other words. If you replace the words with humming, you may be able to more easily tell what is stressed and what is not. Try it! Time Clause Stressed Words 0:52 But those things are teachable. But
these attitudinal things, you can learn them and you can develop them.
1:24 Now, often some companies will have human resources managers who handle this sort of thing.
3:19 And, I guess, this is good advice for people who are interviewing for jobs as well.
4:35 To make it even easier for you, come up with some examples that would describe that picture.
5:12 You may have an individual on your team that you want to be more gregarious because you have other people on your team who are more focused on the back end side of the business.
5:28 But, some of those people need to interact with customers and others don’t.
Speaking Strategies: Vowel reduction in the word “Can”
(Answers in the Appendix)
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Many language learners have a difficult time hearing the difference between the words “can” and “can’t”. The biggest difference between how these two words sound is how the vowel “a” is pronounced. In the word “Can” native speakers actually shorten, or reduce, the “a” making the word sound like “kin”, not “can”. Whereas, the word “Can’t” keeps the “a” sound, hence the vowel is not reduced. Listen to the numerous examples of the word “can” and pay attention to the shortened vowel sound. 0:38 Margo Well, I think its important because, I think that you can teach
skills and if there’s a “how-‐to” manual, you can show
somebody how to do some of these things and that is not to
negate, depending on the role you are going to, you must
have the training to do it,
0:51 Mark Right
0:52 Margo But those things are teachable. But these attitudinal things,
you can learn them and you can develop them. But if you can
get someone who has them on their team..
Next, make a list of the desirable qualities you have that would make an employer want to hire you. Write them into “I can do/make/create/handle…” statements. Now, practice speaking about these qualities using “can”, but make sure you’re reducing the “a” to make the word “can” sound like “kin”. Fluency-‐Building: Practice makes perfect! In order to build up your fluency, repeating, or practicing, the material you want to talk about is necessary. If you are preparing for any kind of interview, it’s a good idea to guess what kind of questions the person interviewing you might ask and then create answers to those questions. If you have an upcoming interview, use the “I can” statements you created above and try to work them into your answers to the interview questions you made. Reduce the vowel in the word “can” and practice answering the interview questions a few times in a row. It is from this practice that your fluency in English will build. As you become more familiar with the vocabulary and content you are practicing, you will find it easier to speak about any given topic. Grammar – The uses of the Adverb “Really”
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Adverbs are words that modify or change the meaning of other words. As you will see below, we use the adverb “Really” for a few different reasons, as it has a number of meanings. This lesson will focus on two of those meanings and uses. Two possible uses of “Really”:
1. When you want to emphasize your opinion, or something you are saying. For example, I really like him. Or, I really want to help.
2. When we want to emphasize an adjective or an adverb. For example, It’s a really expensive watch. Or, She talks really fast. (Note: This use of “Really” could be replaced by the word “very” and still have the same meaning. E.g. It’s a very expensive watch. Or, She talks very fast.)
HINT: When trying to tell which “Really” is being used (use 1 or use 2), you must think of the meaning of the sentence (is it emphasizing a statement? Or emphasizing an adjective or adverb?). Look at the examples listed above and see if you notice a pattern in the word classes (noun, verb, adverb, adjective, preposition, etc.) that directly follow the word “really”. Use 1 Use 2 really like really expensive really want really fast really have really interesting Pattern for Use 1: Pattern for Use 2: Next, look at the uses of “Really” from the listening passages and decide whether they were used to emphasize the speakers statement/opinion or an adjective or adverb. Statement from listening Word and word
class that follows “really”
Use 1 or Use 2
0:17 Well, one of the really hard things to measure… 0:19 but, really important is this attitude of … 0:25 They really go to, as long as they… 0:52 you really do want to have somebody… 1:02 this is really important for this team…. 1:57 that really hold themselves accountable… 2:50 a good question to really drive at that would be… Reading Activity – Pre reading Vocabulary
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The following vocabulary activity will help you to understand the reading below. Match each word to its correct definition. The first one is done for you. Answers can be found in the appendix.
Word/Phrase Letter Definition 1. applicant (noun) a. Genuine. Really meaning what you say or do.
2. first impression (noun) b. A collection of previous projects and works done
by someone, often used to show what he or she has accomplished in the past.
3. sincere (adjective) c. Something that is said that applies to most
cases.
4. relevant (adjective) d. Power or ability to do something
5. portfolio (noun) e. Something that sends a sign or message to someone
6. typical (adjective) f. A person who makes a formal application for
something, usually a job.
7. generally-‐speaking g. Done in order to find out more or do more about something.
8. capability (noun) h. A quality about someone that isn’t very good;
it’s the opposite of strength.
9. qualifications (noun) i. Important and closely connected and appropriate.
10. cues (noun) j. The thinking that happens when trying to make
a decision.
11. weakness (noun) k. A skill or personal quality that someone has that makes them a good choice for a certain job or position.
12. follow-‐up (adjective) l. An initial general opinion, feeling, or thought on
someone or something without giving it deep consideration or having proof for it.
13. consideration (noun) m. Usual, expected, distinctive qualities of
something or someone.
Job Interviews in Alberta
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Making a good first impression—Tips Most interviewers in Alberta form an impression of job applicants in the first minute or two. Pay attention to how you appear and what you do when you first arrive. You want to do your best to make a good first impression. Here are some tips for making a good first impression with an employer in Alberta. You can also use these tips for other kinds of interviews and meetings: • Arrive 10 to 15 minutes early and let the receptionist know you have arrived. • Do not smoke, chew gum or drink coffee. (It is okay to accept a glass of water if you are offered one once you are in the interview room.) • Be pleasant, honest and sincere with everyone in the office. Interviewers may ask other staff members for their opinions. • When you first meet the interviewer(s), introduce yourself, shake hands firmly and make eye contact. • Remain standing until you are offered a chair and then sit up straight. • Take a copy of your resumé and cover letter, the job advertisement (if there was one), your portfolio and any other relevant documents with you. • Follow the interviewer’s lead. The interviewer may spend a few moments just chatting with you. If so, listen to what they have to say and be prepared to say something positive. Be prepared to quickly move into the main part of the interview when the employer is ready. Typical interview questions No two interviewers will ask the same questions. They will not ask them the same way either. But generally speaking, you can expect to be asked the following sorts of questions by an Alberta employer: There are many other questions an employer can ask you, including questions about your reaction to certain work situations or your plans for the future. Whatever you are asked, it will be much easier to answer if you have identified your skills
and learned about the job and employer. Tips for answering questions: • Identify the connections between your capabilities and the employer’s needs even if they seem obvious to you. • Avoid “yes” and “no” answers. Think of what the interviewer is trying to find out and respond to that. • Avoid talking about your family, friends or any other personal matters.
“Albertans are very polite. Just because an employer is nice to you during an interview, do not assume the job is yours. Alberta employers treat everyone they interview the same way. There is no way to know whether you have the job during the actual interview. You will have to wait until everyone has been interviewed and then the employer will contact you.” Counsellor at an immigrant-‐serving agency
Know your answers Write down and practise your answers to possible questions before you go to your interview. To make a good impression in a job interview in Alberta, do more than tell employers what you can do. Describe situations in which you have demonstrated what you can do. For example, instead of saying “I have excellent communications skills,” say “I successfully planned and executed a strategic communications plan to tell over 300 staff about a new company product.”
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Focus on giving work-‐related information: • Use action words to describe what you can do. Use words such as achieved, delivered, implemented, improved, established, recommended, promoted, solved, strengthened, initiated and delegated. • Use lots of strong clear words to describe yourself. Such words could include adaptable, courteous, creative, logical, disciplined, knowledgeable, people-‐oriented or versatile. These are just some examples. Use the words that describe you best. • If the interviewer asks more “open” questions (e.g. Why are you interested in this position?), use this as an opportunity to lead the conversation toward a discussion of your strongest qualifications as they relate to the job. • If you do not understand a question, politely ask the interviewer to ask the question another way. If you do not know the answer, say so. • Let your interest and enthusiasm show. Take your cues from the interviewers about how formal or informal to be and let your personality come through.
When asked about weaknesses, you might respond as follows:
Example #1: “Weaknesses? My work experience is all in the textile manufacturing industry. But I can use my leadership and analytical skills anywhere.” Example #2: “I have a lot to learn about Canadian ways, but I am disciplined and versatile. I also learn quickly. I have a strong Canadian support group and I’m taking some training to improve my English skills. People do not have a problem understanding me.” Example #3: “Because my training and previous experience were not in Canada, some might see this as a problem rather than an asset to the organization. I can bring new perspectives and different ways of doing things to the job.”
After the interview After the interview, it is a good idea to follow up by thanking the interviewer(s) for their time and consideration. This can be done through a brief letter, e-‐mail or phone call. Following up can set you apart from other applicants.
Excerpted from: Working in Alberta -‐ A Guide for internationally trained and educated immigrants © 2004, 2006, 2009 Government of Alberta, Alberta Employment and Immigration
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Reading for Meaning Answer the following questions about the reading. Answers can be found in the appendix.
1. How long does it take interviewers to get a general sense for who the person is that they are interviewing?
2. Why should you arrive 10-‐15 minutes early for an interview and not smoke, chew gum or drink coffee as you go in for an interview?
3. What kind of body language should you give your interviewer when you first introduce yourself to him or her?
4. How can you practice your answers to possible interview questions if you don’t know what the interviewer will be asking you?
5. Instead of just telling the interviewer that you can do something, what else should you do?
6. What type of response should you give when someone asks you about your weaknesses?
7. How will you know how formal or informal to be in the interview?
8. What should you say when you follow-‐up after the interview?
9. How can you follow up after the interview?
10. Why should you follow-‐up after an interview?
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Reading Strategies: Point-‐Form Lists Sometimes when there are many important things to say about the same topic, people make point form lists. The list is used to make the information stand out from the rest of the other stuff. The structure of a point form list: Generally you will name the topic you are about to make a list for and you would use a Colon (:) instead of a period to begin the list. Also, notice that most of the points start with a verb. Although it is not a rule to start the list in this way, it is common. Look at this example below to see what a point-‐form list looks like: When looking for where to apply for a job you may try the following: -‐ Check the Internet job sites, e.g. Monster.ca . -‐ Look in the newspapers at the Classified ad section. -‐ Look on Bulletin boards at community centres. -‐ Go in person to different workplaces and ask if they are hiring. Now, analyze the point-‐form list and note the answers for these two categories: The heading title The topic of the list “When looking for where to apply for a job you may try the following:”
Different ways to find jobs to apply for
The reading has 3 separate lists. All of the lists are giving the reader advice related to job interviews. Go back into the reading and find the lists. After you find them, identify the two categories for each of the stories. The heading title The topic of the list List 1
List 2
List 3
Now try to make your own point form list. Decide on a title, don’t forget the colon and try to make sure every point in the list is on the topic that you have chosen.
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Writing – Using “For example,” Good writers explain their ideas well and one way they do this is by using examples. Using examples when trying to explain something is extremely important because it gives the audience a real, concrete idea of what it is you are trying to say. Q: Where would you find examples being used in writing? A: Essays, long answer questions in exams, newspapers, business reports, resumes and cover letters, among other places. Can you think of any other places? Common Phrases used when giving examples: For example, For instance, e.g., *Note: All of these phrases must have a comma afterwards. Practice: Using examples in a cover letter We should write a cover letter and hand them in with our resumes for each job we apply for. The purpose of a cover letter is to introduce ourselves, say why we want the job and to say how we are qualified for it. When writing a cover letter for a particular position, it is important to address the qualifications that the employer is looking for. So, as prepare your cover letter in response to a job posting, you should be thinking of very specific examples of how you can show the employer that you meet the qualifications listed. For example, We are looking for a person to work with us who: ♣ likes to take an active role in coaching and leading the store team in creating a positive experience for the customer ♣ likes to work with people, are outgoing and team-‐oriented Response using “example” statements:
I know that I am able to take an active role in leading a team of employees, while keeping the experience for the customers positive, because I have done so numerous times in the past. For instance, when I worked at Shoppers Drug Mart as the front store supervisor for five years, my staff completed their duties in a timely manner, all the while being pleasant to the customers; for example, there were very few customer complaints and my staff were happy to provide excellent customer service with a genuine smile on their faces. You Try! Go to the “Links” page below and click on one of the job site links. Find a job that you could qualify for and practice writing a cover letter using specific examples about your previous work experience and qualifications that match what they are looking for. *Also, see the links on cover letters if you need a sample of a cover letter.
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Links Job websites to find job postings on: 1. Wow Jobs: http://www.wowjobs.ca/BrowseResults.aspx?q=&l=EDMONTON 2. Monster.ca: http://www.monster.ca/ 3. Workopolis: http://www.workopolis.com/jobsearch/jobs-‐in-‐edmonton-‐alberta 4. The city of Edmonton: http://www.edmonton.ca/city_government/jobs.aspx
Cover letter writing: 1. http://jobsearch.about.com/od/coverletters/a/aa030401a.htm 2. http://www.wikihow.com/Write-‐a-‐Cover-‐Letter Interview tips: 1. http://jobsearch.about.com/cs/interviews/a/jobinterviewtip.htm 2. http://alis.alberta.ca/ep/eps/tips/tips.html?EK=150
Adverbs: 1.http://www.noslangues-‐ourlanguages.gc.ca/bien-‐well/fra-‐eng/grammaire-‐grammar/posadvs-‐eng.html
Point Form Lists: http://www.grammar-‐monster.com/lessons/using_bullet_points.htm
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Answer Key Listening Vocabulary
1. If you have a positive attitude in the workplace, your co-‐workers will appreciate it, because you’ll be more fun to work with.
2. It can be difficult to correctly measure a person’s good and bad personality characteristics in just one interview.
3. As an employer, you want to hire people who have a lot of determination because if
they do it means that they won’t give up easily and they will keep trying and working at something until the job is done.
4. A person’s behaviour is what will really show how he or she will do at a given job. It’s
not what they say they will do, but what they actually will do.
5. The interviewer has a difficult job because he or she has to decide which questions should be asked in order to learn the most useful information about the possible future employee.
6. When you go to an interview, you are basically trying out for a role at that workplace.
7. Employers are looking for many things in the their employees and having the
appropriate job skills for the job is one of those things.
8. Employers want employees who set goals and get results.
9. Interviewees should try to demonstrate their positive traits to the interviewer by giving lots of examples of things they have done in previous jobs.
10. It is good to be very specific with the examples you give about what you have
accomplished in previous workplaces when in an interview.
11. The interviewee should come to an interview ready to show how he or she will be a positive and hard working addition to the employer’s workplace.
12. The more unique a person’s skills are, the more desirable he or she may appear to be
to the interviewer.
13. You want to show off your best attributes when you are in an interview.
14. Most employers are looking for independent, creative and capable people to work for them.
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Listening for Meaning
1. What is the main point Margo Graham is trying to make in this audio clip? -‐That interviewing for a job is not just about looking for someone who has the skills, but looking for a person who has a good attitude too.
2. According to Graham what are two of the most important things, besides job skills, that employers should be looking for in an interviewee?
-‐ Attitude and proof of their ability to perform and be successful at work. 3. What is the best way for an interviewee to show that he or she has had successful
results at work in the past? -‐give the interviewer really specific examples of what he/she has done in the past that has worked well and gotten good results.
4. What would be a more effective way for an employer to find out if someone is hard
working than to ask, “Are you hard working?” -‐ They should ask for specifics, like give me an example of a time when you showed that you are hardworking. True/False – Read the following statements below and decide if they are true or false.
Questions True False 1. Attitude is a quality that is difficult for employers to measure
during an interview.
X
2. Job skills are more important than attitude for employers. X
3. Graham says it’s best to hire employees who have similar views of
the employer.
X
4. Behavioural interviews allow employers to get at specific
achievements interviews have accomplished.
X
Listening Strategies Time Clause Stressed Words 0:52 But these attitudinal things, you can
learn them and you can develop them.
But these attitudinal things, you can learn them and you can develop them.
1:24 Now, often some companies will have human resources managers who handle this sort of thing.
Now, often some companies will have human resources managers who handle this sort of thing.
3:19 And, I guess, this is good advice for And, I guess, this is good advice for
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people who are interviewing for jobs as well.
people who are interviewing for jobs as well.
4:35 To make it even easier for you, come up with some examples that would describe that picture.
To make it even easier for you, come up with some examples that would describe that picture.
5:12 You may have an individual on your team that you want to be more gregarious because you have other people on your team who are more focused on the back end side of the business.
You may have an individual on your team that you want to be more gregarious because you have other people on your team who are more focused on the back end side of the business.
5:28 But, some of those people need to interact with customers and others don’t.
But, some of those people need to interact with customers and others don’t.
Grammar: Really Use 1 Use 2 really like really expensive really want really fast really have really interesting Pattern for Use 1: Really is followed by a verb for meaning and use 1. Pattern for Use 2: Really is followed by an adjective Next, look at the uses of “Really” from the listening passages and decide whether they were used to emphasize the speakers statement/opinion or an adjective or adverb. Statement from listening Word and word
class that follows “really”
Use 1 or Use 2
0:17 Well, one of the really hard things to measure… Adjective 2 0:19 but, really important is this attitude of … Adjective 2 0:25 They really go to, as long as they… Verb 1 0:52 you really do want to have somebody… Verb 1 1:02 this is really important for this team…. Adjective 2 1:57 that really hold themselves accountable… Verb 1 2:50 a good question to really drive at that would be… Verb 1
Pre-‐Reading Vocabulary Word/Phrase Letter Definition 1. applicant (noun) f a. Genuine. Really meaning what you say or do. 2. first impression (noun) l b. a collection of previous projects and works done by
someone, often used to show what he or she has accomplished in the past.
3. sincere (adjective) a c. something that is said that applies to most cases.
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4. relevant (adjective) i d. power or ability to do something 5. portfolio (noun) b e. something that sends a sign or message to
someone 6. typical (adjective) m f. a person who makes a formal application for
something, usually a job. 7. generally-‐ speaking c g. done in order to find out more or do more about
something. 8. capability (noun) d h. a quality about someone that isn’t very good; it’s
the opposite of strength. 9. qualifications (noun) k i. important and closely connected and appropriate. 10. cues (noun) e j. the thinking that happens when trying to make a
decision. 11. weakness (noun) h k. a skill or personal quality that someone has that
makes them a good choice for a certain job or position.
12. follow-‐up (adjective) g l. an initial general opinion, feeling, or thought on someone or something without giving it deep consideration or having proof for it.
13. consideration (noun) j m. usual, expected, distinctive qualities of something or someone
Reading for Meaning
1. How long does it take interviewers to get a general sense for who the person is that
they are interviewing? -‐ The first minute or two the interviewer forms a first impression.
2. Why should you arrive 10-‐15 minutes early for an interview and not smoke, chew gum or drink coffee as you go in for an interview?
-‐ So that you can make a good first impression.
3. What kind of body language should you give your interviewer when you first introduce yourself to him or her? -‐ You should shake their hand firmly and make eye contact.
4. How can you practice your answers to possible interview questions if you don’t know
what the interviewer will be asking you? -‐ Generally speaking, you can expect to be asked the same kinds of questions from Alberta employers. So, even if you don’t know what question will be asked exactly, you can practice for the types of questions.
5. Instead of just telling the interviewer that you can do something, what else should you
do? -‐ Describe situations in which you have demonstrated what you can do. Like, give examples of how you have excellent communication skills, rather than just saying you do.
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6. What type of response should you give when someone asks you about your
weaknesses? -‐ You should respond in a way that makes your weaknesses look like a strength.
7. How will you know how formal or informal to be in the interview? -‐ Take cues from the interviewer… let him or her set the tone of the interview.
8. What should you say when you follow-‐up after the interview? -‐ Thank the interviewer for their time and consideration. 9. How can you follow up after the interview? -‐ By writing a brief letter, e mail or phone call. 10. Why should you follow-‐up after an interview? -‐ Because it sets you apart from the other applicants and will help the employer remember you.
Reading Strategies The heading title Topic List 1 “You can also use these tips for
other kinds of interviews and meetings:”
Interview and meeting tips
List 2 “Tips of answering questions:” What you should and should not do when answering questions in an interview
List 3 “Focus on giving work-‐related information:”
Types of work-‐related information to give to an interviewer and what kind of language to use when doing so.
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Audio Transcript 0:00 Mark When it comes to hiring a new worker, job skills can be straightforward to
test. But there are other attributes you may also want to look. Our workplace columnist Margo Ross Graham is here with some advice. Good morning!
0:10 Margo Good morning, Mark! 0:11 Mark Now, okay, besides job skills, which are fairly obvious, I get, what else should
employers be looking for? 0:17 Margo Well one of the really hard things to measure, but really important is this
attitude of how they’re going to show up in a job. And, many people forget that. They really go to, as long as they have the skills to do the job, that are very technical, which you can measure, then, I’m gonna take that person and neglect this whole attitudinal side of an employee.
0:36 Mark Now, why, why is that important? 0:38 Margo Well, I think its important because, I think that you can teach skills and if
there’s a “how-‐to” manual, you can show somebody how to do some of these things and that is and that is not to negate, depending on the role you are going to, you must have the training to do it,
0:51 Mark Right 0:52 Margo But those things are teachable. But these attitudinal things, you can learn
them and you can develop them. But if you can get somebody who has them on their team, they are on the ball right away and they are running. And it creates a culture on your team, depending on the type of attitude you’re looking for.
1:07 Mark Um hm 1:08 Margo So, for example, if you’re looking for a culture of getting results, then you
really do want to have somebody who has that attitude that this is really important for this team. And, so I think, that’s why it’s really important to really create a high performing team and it’s unique because not everybody looks for those things.
1:24 Mark Now, often some companies will have human resources managers who handle this sort of thing. But small business people out there who are listening to this are doing their own hiring and that sort of thing. So, what qualities do you think is important, but often get short-‐shrifted in interview that they should sort of watch for.
1:39 Margo I think that ah, and the words might not be exactly right, so, you’ll kind of fix…pick the words that fit for you best. But one of them is this determination to get results, so this drive for results. And I don’t mean that at the expense of everything else, but, this attitude of ‘okay’, is not good enough.
1:57 Mark Right, 1:58 Margo And so, somebody who can demonstrate their proven ability to achieve
things on time, on budget, and not this, ah, if no one asks me the question, it’ll be okay, I’ll just get it done. So, that really, hold themselves accountable, as well as hold each other on the team accountable. So, I call that determination to get results.
2:16 Mark And how do you interview someone to get that answer to find out whether
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they have that? How do you approach that? What’s your strategy? 2:23 Margo So, there is an approach to interviewing, and its called behavioural
interviewing and that could be a whole ‘nother column and, which, we’ll do that, probably. And that is, trying to ask questions that show the individual in action. Because what we know about people, is the most recent behaviour they had, is most likely to be done again. And so often interviewers will ask questions like, you know, are you a good results person? Do you get results? And of course, anybody in an interview is gonna say, absolutely.
2:49 Mark Of course, yes. 2:50 Margo And so, a good question to really drive at that, would be, tell me about a
situation that you were on a team where you were trying to achieve a certain goal. What steps did you go to get to it and what was the outcome? So, it forces an interviewee to give you a specific, as opposed to, of course I’ll do that.
3:10 Mark Um hm 3:11 Margo And so you want the ‘I have done this’ versus ‘I would do this’. And that’s the
way you ask questions. Its’ a unique style of questioning. 3:19 Mark And, I guess, this is good advice for people who are interviewing for jobs as
well. Because they should think about that: How do they present themselves and bring to the table, the results they’ve had in the past to show that they’re capable of this. Right?
3:29 Margo Exactly, be prepared, with really specific examples. And an interviewer always know they’ve asked a good question, when the interviewee has to stop and think about an example versus, an interviewee who is so prepared for the rote answers, they’re saying all the right things. And, that’s when you know you’ve asked a good question.
3:47 Mark And, what are some of the things, if I’m a small business-‐person, and I’m interviewing people and I’m trying to get, I really should… should I sort of have a definition of who the perfect employee is for my business and how do I get to that employee? In other words, how do I define them? Should I have that in my head before going into an interview?
4:04 Margo Absolutely, and define them in the skills and technical parts, which you can really, are good questions to get started with, to warm your both up in the interview process. But, then these more attitudinal things. You want to know, what are the key things that I want on a team? And something an employer might think about is: what do I already have on my team and how do I round it out? And, so these attitudinal things are the rounding out skills, because you want everyone on your team to have that, but absolutely, beforehand, have a picture in your head of what you want. And, to make it even easier for you, come up with some examples that would describe that picture. So, people can tell you what you want to hear, but you want a very specific example that would demonstrate that to somebody. And so, that’s the picture you want to create.
4:50 Mark And, so when you’re looking at your employee base, say you have your small
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business and you’ve got 6 or 7 people. You look at who you have. Would it be a good idea to say, okay, these people are playing these roles, I need someone who plays that role. And then interview for that role?
5:04 Margo Absolutely, especially when everyone on your team requires the same basic skills.
5:08 Mark Right, say it’s a retail atmosphere, for instance, but you want certain different, skills, right?
5:12 Margo Exactly. You may have an individual on your team that you want to be more gregarious because you have other people on your team who are more focused on the back end side of the business. So, you want to look for those kinds of skills. Or, you may have somebody on your team, you may have people that do all the exact same thing…
5:27 Mark Um hm. 5:28 Margo But, some of those people need to interact with customers and others don’t.
So, find the ones that don’t need to interact with customers and now go search for the ones that do. And it’s a different skill-‐set, it’s a different attitude, and a different behaviour. And that’s a positive thing for a leader to do. The best thing a leader can do is hire people different than themselves to create this really cohesive, interesting team. And, but it’s a hard thing to do and most of us struggle with that because it’s easier to hire people and to work with people that think exactly the same way.
5:58 Mark Right. Great advice. Thanks Margo! 6:01 Margo Have a great week! 6:02 Margo Ross Graham is the vice president with William’s Engineering where
human resources is one of her portfolios. She joins us Tuesdays at 7:45 here on Edmonton AM.
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