Episode 194 Tips To Ace Your International Interview

Continuing our Interview series, today I want to talk about how, in an interview situation, certain aspects of vocabulary, etiquette, and tone of voice often differ from everyday interactions because of the formal setting. These can also be heavily influenced by culture, not only the culture of a profession (which might be different from finance to law, for example) but also the culture of a country. These things might also change depending on your individual circumstances, which could include:< Moving to a new country to work Working for an international company in your home country Occasionally using English for certain colleagues or clients. From the blog: Vocabulary Slang - very informal words and phrases that might be specific to an area Jargon - language specific to a company, profession or industry Acronyms - words or phrases made out of the first letter of key words. Famous Acronyms include: CIA, UNESCO, NASA. Etiquette - the behaviour expected in a particular place Convey professionalism - to suggest or come across as professional Tangents - random lines of thought that are not related to the topic or question Active Listening - a kind of listening where you demonstrate to the speaker that you are listening and understanding them through body language and gestures, could include: nodding, saying 'uh hu' or 'yes, I understand' and asking questions to clarify. Self-promotion - talking about yourself and your skills and abilities Toot your own horn - idiom - used to mean self-promotion. 'She's always tooting her own horn!' -She's always boasting. Boasting - To talk positively about yourself or be over-confident in self-promoting your skills and abilities or achievements. Non-verbal cues - body language and gestures to help people understand you. Can include: eye contact, crossing your arms and fidgeting. Gestures - things you do with your hands. Try to make these meaningful, especially in public speaking. For example, using your hands to show size or shape. Hierarchy - the complex structure of a company or society Assurance - confidence, being sure in yourself Competence - being good at something, being able to do something correctly, well and efficiently. Proficiency - Similar to competence, having a certain level of skill or ability to do something. Stereotypes - descriptions of people that are limited on certain characteristics. Often lumping all of one culture or skin colour together when describing something. Bias - An inclination or prejudice towards a certain group or person. Showcase your skills - Boast! Find ways to talk about and demonstrate your skills and abilities as effectively and eloquently as possible.