面接って緊張しますよね。

先日、当校でホスピタリティー英語受講中の生徒さんとローカルカフェの面接に同行してきました。

前日から何回も練習を重ね、当日も緊張感の中、英語で自己紹介の練習をしていました。

で、いざ、カフェに到着。オーナーが出てきて、G'day! How are you ?　と、フレンドリーに笑顔で話しかけきたのですが、

生徒さんは、緊張の頂点！頭の中が真っ白になってしまって声がでません。

オーナーが気を使って、Don't be nervous! Relax Relax ! ha ji me ma shi te って、日本語で話すと、生徒さんにも笑顔なって、

初めまして！って日本語で答えてしまい、お互い大爆笑！緊張感が解れて、その後も世間話を交えながら面接終了。

生徒さんの感想は、「あれで面接終わり？」そうなんです。日本の格式ばった面接とは違って、リックスの中面接は進みます。

会話に中でオーナーは、その人のパーソナリティーをチェックしているのです。カフェの仕事ですので、一番大切なのは、笑顔！

笑顔からコミュニケーション力を要求されます。英語力が多少低くても、笑顔と明るさ、フレンドリーさが良ければ面接は合格！

後は、Trialでコミュニケーション力とパフォーマンスをチェックされます。

当校のHead TeacherのJohn先生が、面接のコツを書いてくれましたので、ご紹介します。

Interview Tips and tricks

Job interviews are always a source of worry and stress for everyone, not just people who are not native speakers of English.  The uncertainty of not knowing what will happen or what you will be asked makes interviews very difficult to prepare for.  Many people see them as a kind of test that needs to be passed, or even worse, as an examination.

Before the interview it is best to change this way of thinking to try to put yourself into a positive frame of mind about interviews in general. 

Interviews are not a test, they are an opportunity, and like everything else in life the only way to get better at them is to practice.  Every interview where you are not successful is a chance for you to get better and more comfortable in the situation.

A few pointers for every interview are;

Be prepared.  Try to find out as much as you can about the company you are applying for and what the job involves, that way you will be able to talk about the abilities and skills that you have and they need.

Be punctual.  The interview process starts a soon as you get through the door, so be on time, calm and relaxed and treat everyone you meet as if they are the person who is going to interview you.  The interviewer might ask the receptionist about you later.

Be professional.  If you are asked to wait, do not sit eating/looking bored/playing with your mobile phone.  This will give a bad impression.  Instead sit calmly and wait patiently, looking interested at the things going on around you.  It will give you a good idea of the atmosphere of the company and whether you want to work there.  Remember interviews are also for you to decide if the position is right for you.

Be organised.  If you have been asked to bring something with you, or you have your resume, make sure it is handy and easy to get to, do not have it in a bag where it takes you five minutes to find it.

One of the most attractive things about interviewees is a positive attitude and a nice personality.  Try to answer every question with a positive response or showing a positive attitude.  Instead of saying “I can’t do that.” try saying “I haven’t had the opportunity to do that but it is something that I am very interested in learning.”  Even negative responses can be made into positive ideas.  When you are talking about your experience you should concentrate on the parts that are relevant to the job for which you are applying or those that show similar skills.

One of the most common interview questions that are asked is to tell the interviewer about yourself, this is a very broad question and is often seen as an invitation to tell them your life story.  With a question like this try to focus on a particular part of your personality that relates to the job you are applying for and try to give examples of your abilities or interests in other areas that show your strengths.  For example, if you are looking at a job in retail or customer service then one of the most important skills needed is to be able to work well with people and to be a good communicator.  You could show these skills by telling them about some hobby or interest of yours which uses these skills.  A good answer would be; “I’m a very friendly person that gets on well with other people and is good at communicating with other people.  In my spare time I like to play sports and I help to coach people in the club that I go to.  This is a good opportunity to meet people and to improve my communication skills in a social context.”

Another thing that you may be asked about is why you want the job you are applying for.  A bad answer to this question would be to say that you need a job, or that you need the money.  Always do your homework before a job interview and try to find out as much as you can about the company through the internet, that way you can think about what you like about the company and why it is suitable for you.  A good answer would be; “I think that this is a company which offers a lot to its employees and there is a good chance for me to develop within the company.” or “I am interested in what the company does and also in the way that the company is presented.”  A good answer to this question shows that you are prepared for such a question and that you have a genuine interest in the company that you are applying for.

Interviewers may also ask you about problems that you have had, either with a previous employer, or also with a particular job that you were doing.  This is not an opportunity to say bad thing about your previous employer, instead they want to know about how you dealt with the problems and what actions you took to resolve the problems.  A good answer would be; “My previous employer was sometimes difficult to work with because he was under a lot of pressure.  I tried to get around the problems that sometimes arose by making sure that I did everything that I could to achieve my targets, which put him under less pressure.  Also I believe that if there is a personality difference then it is best to address these issues and to discuss them so that both people understand each other more.  Having a good working relationship with colleagues and understanding the pressures they face is a good way to avoid some of the problems that may arise.”

Notice that in the answer above the emphasis is not on the problem, but on avoiding the problem, it means that you can see things objectively and that the solution is more important than the problem.

It is always important to understand what the interviewer wants and then to try to show them that you have those skills.

Most importantly be confident, if you do not believe that you can do the job, the interviewer will not think so as well.  Show off your positive points and remember that you are selling yourself.  Being confident shows that you believe you can do it and can help to persuade the interviewer that you can.

John

どうですか？勉強になりましたか？

毎日、仕事探し中の生徒さんが、Johnの前に列を作っています。

ローカルでのお仕事をお考えの皆さん、まずは英語力を上げるために、カランメソッドでスピーキング、リスニング力を上げてください。

毎日開催中の無料体験レッスン。

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