10 Interview questions you need to know in English

Question 1: So, tell me about yourself… 

This is the most common question to start with in an interview.

Be prepared to say a few things about your accomplishments, strengths, and a quick summary of your career. This is not about your hobbies, interests or childhood. Be sure to keep your answer brief with a 1-minute to 90-second answer.

Question 2: Reasons You Want this Job

Example Questions:

• “Why are you interested in this position/job?”
• “Why are you interested in working at XX Company?”

With these questions, you should highlight what about the job is of interest to you. Is it the interaction with clients and problem-solving? Is it saving money for the company through accounting? Or growing sales of a product you believe in?

Focus on what you will actually do in the job and what excites you about the position, not the benefits or salary or day-to-day tasks.

Question 3: Your Job History

Example Questions

• “Why did you leave your last company/position?”
• “Why are you leaving your current company/position?”

More details in English interview

1. How to introduce yourself effectively.

2.  Understand clearly each question.

Job interview conversation

Mike: Good Morning, John. I am Mike.

John: Good Morning.

Mike: How are you doing?

John: I am doing fine. Thank you.

Mike: How was the traffic coming over here?

John: I am so glad that the traffic was light this morning. No traffic jam and no accidents.

Mike: That is good. John, let’s start the interview. Are you ready?

John: Yes, I am.

Mike: First of all, let me properly introduce myself. I am the Finance Department Manager. As you know there is an open position in my department, and I need to fill this position as soon as possible.

John: Please, tell me a little bit about the position.

Mike: It is an entry-level position. The new employee will have to work closely with the Accounting department. He will also have to deal with the bank on a daily basis.

John: What type of qualifications do you require?

Mike: I require a four-year college degree in Finance. Some working experience would be helpful.

John: What kind of experience are you looking for?

Mike: Doing office work is good. However, since this is an entry-level position, I do not require a lot of experience. I am willing to train the new person.

John: That is great!

Mike: John, tell me a little bit about yourself.

John: I was a student at West Coast University, and I just graduated with a Bachelor degree in Finance. I have been working part-time as a payroll clerk for the last two years.

Mike: What are you looking for in a job?

John: The job should help me see what Finance is all about. I have learned a lot of Finance theories at school, and now it is time for me to put them into practice.

Mike: Anything else?

John: I also hope that it will help me grow in my field.

Mike: What are your strengths? Why should I hire you?

John: I am a hard-working person and a fast learner. I am very eager to learn, and I get along fine with people.

Mike: OK. Now, let me ask you a few quick questions. You do not mind working long hours, do you?

John: No, I do not.

Mike: Can you handle pressure?

John: Yes, I can. When I was going to school, I took quite a few courses each semester while working at least twenty hours every week. And, I handled that situation very well.

Mike: Do you still have any questions for me?

John: No, I think I have a pretty good understanding of the job. I believe that I can handle it with ease, and I hope to have the opportunity to work for you.

Mike: John, nice to meet you. Thank you for coming.

John: Nice to meet you too. Thank you for seeing me.

Expressions used in the conversation

I am so glad : tôi rất vui vì ...

Let’s start the interview  : Chúng ta hãy bắt đầu cuộc phỏng vấn....

First of all :  Trước tiên

As soon as possible :  Sớm nhất có thể

I am willing to : Tôi rất sẵn lòng....

That is great!  : Thật tuyệt....

Work part-time  : Làm việc bán thời gian

What are you looking for in a job?  :  Bạn mong muốn điều gì trong công việc này ?

Hard-working person : Người lam việc siêng năng

Fast learner : Người học việc nhanh

I get along fine with everybody : Tôi có thể hòa đồng với tất cả mọi người

Work long hours :  Làm việc trong thời gian lâu...

I can handle the situation : Tôi có thể đối mặt với ...

Have an opportunity : có cơ hội ...

Nice to meet you :  Rất vui vì được gặp bạn

Yume Talk

   Hi everyone, if you are free on Sunday and you have nothing to do, just come to Culture and Youth House ( Nhà Văn Hóa Thanh Niên Tp.HCM ). I suggest you this Yume English club where everyone from students to workers can join in. Each Sunday they will organize some English activities with different topics for who have interested in English can come and share ideas, vocabulary and play game.
Website link : http://www.ngoainguthanhnien.edu.vn/training/detail/99/no:-295---aug-27,-2017----level-a-&-b.html

Community works

    In Ho Chi Minh city, we also have some English clubs that provide young Vietnamese people and foreigners to do the volunteer works. We can go with foreigners to the Elderly Homes, Orphanages and some of the rural  areas to help people in there. We can teach English for those children who don't have enough money to learn language, we can bring foods and drugs for the old people who don't have family.... Every activities we can give a the key to a healthy and loving society. And through giving, the people do not only help others but also help themselves to awake their heart, discover more about what they are good at, can do, what they love to do, open their mind to see different perspectives of life. 
    I suggest you SOZO club where all young people can come together and start having positive changes in life. 

Website link : http://www.sozocentre.com/youth-activities.html

Izi community

   If you already learned lots of vocabulary, grammars ... but you still not remember them properly, I suggest for you this English community " Izi community". This is not only an English club but also a small community where everyone can gather together to practice English and  share everything about their life, jobs, families, hobbies .... They also organize some outdoor activities with foreigners, some short day trips .... Join in this community you can escape from yourself and step to English world where every action needs to speak in English.

Website link : http://izienglish.net/tin-tuc/izishare-cung-chia-se-tieng-anh-54.html

iziEnglish Community - IZI DISCOVERY IN SAI GON

iziEnglish Community - IZI Share

Teach Vietnamese for foreigners

 
  If you want to practice your  English, you can apply "Teach Vietnamese for foreigners" jobs. I think it is not too hard for you when you teaching your own language. Another, through this jobs you can have more foreigner friends and earn a considerable amount of income. Believe me, you are not only teach them our language but also learn some new words from them during the course.

Website link : http://daytiengviet123.com/day-tieng-viet/tuyen-giao-vien-day-tieng-viet-cho-nguoi-nuoc-ngoai

Rider jobs

    If you want to improve your speaking skill, you can take these jobs below. Taking the foreigners on your motorbike and introduce them about history, geography, food, culture... of Vietnam. These job will pay you a suitable salary and the foreigners also tip for you. By this way, you not only learn and practice English but also get more money. :) Don't be shy, just go out and have a change.

BACK TO BIKE TOUR 

Website link : http://backofthebiketours.com/

Intern with Aiesec

ACTIVATE YOUR POTENTIAL 

     Developing the leadership potential of youth through experiential learning, volunteer experiences, and professional internships.

Enabling both employers and organizations to connect with a global network of talent.
     If you want to have a change in your life, just step to the outside and explore the world.

Facebook link: https://www.facebook.com/AIESECVietnam/
Website link :  https://aiesec.org/ ,  http://aiesecvn2.weebly.com/ ( link of Vietnam )

Clip from Aiesec 

The Professional Benefits of an AIESEC Internship

AIESEC Global Talent Program on Vietnamese Television

How to pronounce /s/ and /z/

     The 's sound' /s/ is unvoiced (the vocal cords do not vibrate during its production), and is the counterpart to the voiced 'z sound' /z/.     To create the /s/, the front of the tongue is placed close to the tooth ridge. The tip of the tongue should be close to the upper backside of the top front teeth. The tongue is kept tense as air is pushed between a small groove along the center of the tip of the tongue and the front of the tooth ridge. The front sides of the tongue touch the side teeth toward the front of the mouth. The lips are held slightly tense during the sound.     The /s/ is a continuous consonant, meaning that it should be capable of being produced for a few seconds with even and smooth pronunciation for the entire duration.

How to pronounce /t/ and /d/

     The 'd sound' /d/ is voiced (the vocal cords vibrate while producing it), and is the counterpart to the unvoiced 't sound' /t/.     To create the /d/, air is briefly prevented from leaving the vocal tract when the tip of the tongue presses against the tooth ridge while the sides of the tongue press against the upper side teeth. The sound is aspirated when the air is released. The aspiration for a /d/ is less than the aspiration for a /t/.     Advanced ESL/ELL pronunciation students should be aware that when the /d/ is followed by an 'l sound' /l/ or an 'n sound' /n/, the aspiration of the /d/ is not released in the same manner as before other sounds. Instead, a lateral aspiration is used in the /d+l/ combination, and a nasal aspiration is used in the /d+n/ combination.

How to pronounce /p/ and /b/

The 'p sound' /p/ is unvoiced (the vocal cords do not vibrate while producing it), and is the counterpart to the voiced 'b sound' /b/.

   To create the /p/, air is briefly prevented from leaving the vocal tract by closing the lips. The sound is aspirated when the air is released. The aspiration for a /p/ is greater than the aspiration for a /b/.

Practice speaking by listening to the news

     There is no way to be good at language without hearing this language's sound everyday. I agree with this opinion, when I started to learn English and I listened to the news on TV, I totally did not understand anything. But after days by days, months by months I listened to the news, I gradually understand some of the common phrases, understand half of the news and get used to the speaking rhythm of native speakers. If you are not good at English, you are just the beginners... ??  don't worry :) even you don't know any percent but you listen to English everyday, I believe you can improve and English will go to your head by itself. Here are some news came from BBC, VOA, CNN ... hope you will enjoy :)


The new number 1 : 

The new number 2 : 

Improve speaking skill by Sing English songs

     Do you love music in English, and would like to use your passion for music to improve your English ?

     Music is one of the most fun and effective strategies you can use to learn and improve your English, but it also helps you connect with English speaking culture, make new friends, and it makes your experience of the songs much better. Whether you understand the lyrics or not, English songs are everywhere, and it’s a good idea to start paying attention and sing those English song at anytime you like or in your freetime. By this way, you can get used to English and know more vocabulary by remember the lyrics. Here are some English songs that I think it's easy for you to sing. 

1) Bruno Mars - The Lazy Song ( Official Cantoyo video)

 

2)  Soledad- Westlife 

Dressing up

1. helmet  /helmit/ n: nón bảo hộ

In Vietnam, it is required to wear helmet when riding on motorcycle

Ở Việt Nam, bắt buộc phải đội nón bảo hiểm.

 

2. track suit /træk su:t/ (US also jogging suit) n: bộ quần áo mặc khi tập thể thao

She is wearing her track suit, ready for jogging.

Cố ấy đang mặc đồ thể dục của mình, sẵn sàng chạy bộ.

 

About the weather

sunny /ˈsʌn·i/ nắng

raining /ˈreɪnɪŋ/ mưa dầm

snowing /ˈsnoʊɪŋ/ tuyết rơi

windy /ˈwɪn·di/ lộng gió

mist /mɪst/ sương mờ

foggy /ˈfɑg·i/ sương mù

cloudy /ˈklaʊdi/ nhiều mây

Why we need to speak English ?

         English nowadays has an important role in our daily life. It is the massive means of communication. Learning to speak English well may be the best way to improve our life. It seems all the people in the world have agreed to use English to talk to each other. About 1,500, 000, 000 people in the world speak English. While another 1,000,000,000 are still learning English. 

      If we can communicate in English, we can:

• Contact people from all over the world. We can talk about our ideas and opinions on Internet discussion groups. We can chat with other interesting people to learn about their life and culture.
• Travel more easily. English is spoken in more than 100 countries. If we lost, we can ask directions or ask for help. Who knows, the English will save our life somewhere someday.That is why we should make every effort possible for the to find somebody to speak with. Where can we find people who can speak English with us? We can find them at school, shopping malls, tourist destination, etcAbove all, do not be afraid to speak English. We must try to speak, even if we make mistakes. We can not learn without mistakes. So, speak English as much as possible! 
• Get more information easily. We can search on the Internet the information for works or studies. Knowing English can help us read many kinds of magazine, newspaper and others scientific research news.

Suggestion and Permission

     In some cases, if we want somebody do something for us, we should use the Suggestion form. Another, if we want to ask somebody's to let us do something, we can use Permission form. But how can we use it correctly and effectively, I give you some examples for this situation. Hope you can remember and apply this in life. 

=> Example sentences :

Is it all right if I open the window?
Tôi mở cửa sổ được không?

Do you mind if I smoke?
Tôi hút thuốc được không?

Would you mind if I took a dog with me?
Tôi mang theo chó có làm phiền cô không?

Do you mind cooking here?
Nấu ăn ở đây nhé?

Can I park my car here?
Tôi có thể đỗ xe ở đây được không?

Am I permitted to park my car here?
Tôi được phép đỗ xem ở đây không?

Is playing here okay?
Tôi có thể chơi ở đây được không?

Am I allowed to take pictures here?
Tôi chụp ảnh ở đây được chứ?

Is taking pictures allowed here?
Tôi được phép chụp ảnh ở đây không?

May I come in?
Tôi được phép vào trong không?

Would you mind opening the door for me?
Bạn có vui lòng mở cửa cho tôi?

Why we need to speak English ?

         English nowadays has an important role in our daily life. It is the massive means of communication. Learning to speak English well may be the best way to improve our life. It seems all the people in the world have agreed to use English to talk to each other. About 1,500, 000, 000 people in the world speak English. While another 1,000,000,000 are still learning English. 
      If we can communicate in English, we can:

• Contact people from all over the world. We can talk about our ideas and opinions on Internet discussion groups. We can chat with other interesting people to learn about their life and culture.
• Travel more easily. English is spoken in more than 100 countries. If we lost, we can ask directions or ask for help. Who knows, the English will save our life somewhere someday.That is why we should make every effort possible for the to find somebody to speak with. Where can we find people who can speak English with us? We can find them at school, shopping malls, tourist destination, etcAbove all, do not be afraid to speak English. We must try to speak, even if we make mistakes. We can not learn without mistakes. So, speak English as much as possible! 
• Get more information easily. We can search on the Internet the information for works or studies. Knowing English can help us read many kinds of magazine, newspaper and others scientific research news.

Asking direction

     Asking for directions is the first thing we do when we arrive to a different country, or even when we are just trying to find a place. Knowing how to ask for them can make our life so much easier!

     The way we ask for directions may affect the answer we get. Luckily, we  have some polite and helpful sentences to help you in this case. Here are some example sentences you can use when you need to get from place A to place B.

=> Example sentences :

Excuse me. Can you tell me the way to the museum?
Xin lỗi. Anh có thể chỉ giúp tôi đường đến viện bảo tàng không?

Could you please tell me the way to Melody Hotel?
Anh làm ơn chỉ giúp tôi đường đến khách sạn Melody được không?

Could you show me the way to railway station, please?
Anh làm ơn chỉ cho tôi đường đến nhà ga được không?

How can I get to the park? I don’t know the way
Làm thế nào tôi có thể đến được công viên nhỉ? Tôi không biết đường

Do you mind showing me the way to My Dinh stadium, please?
Anh làm ơn chỉ tôi đường đến sân vận động Mỹ Đình được không?

Can you tell me where the bank is?
Anh có thể chỉ cho biế ngân hàng ở đâu được không?

Is there a post office near here?
Có bưu điện nào ở gần đây không?

Excuse me , is this the right way to the Gia Lam station?
Xin lỗi, đây có phải đường đến bến xe Gia Lâm không?

Which is the nearest way to Ha Long Bay?
Đường nào gần nhất để đi đến vịnh Hạ Long?

Tips to improve

How can we speak daily life English more naturally ?

1) Improving Spoken English Naturally is 90% practice

     Improving Spoken English is an endeavor that requires a lot of muscle memory and it is impossible to be really fluent in English without practicing with native speakers. You can spend hours and hours doing roles plays or be an expert of phonetics but if you don’t practice speaking with native speakers you will never speak English naturally.

2) Put Grammar Rules in the BackSeat

     Lot of English learners begin by studying grammar rules. This is a HUGE mistake.

     If you goal is to learn Spoken English naturally, don’t start with grammar. The reason is over learning grammar will make your brain process grammar rules when you have conversations. This will slow down your speech and you will not be a confident speaker because you are scared of making mistakes in grammar. Overall, you will speak English in an unnatural and funny way.

     The new way of learning any language is to forget about grammar rules and start speaking first. Still not convinced? Try a trial lesson with a Native English Teacher.