You found just the right job opening, submitted your resume, and they have called you back for an interview! However, this job interview may be different for you this time around as you have a chance to work with a US tech company. Therefore, you can expect the interview process to be conducted in English.
That may make your stomach turn, and you may begin to get nervous and doubt your abilities as English isn't your native language. But don't fret!
You got the interview, and now you need to focus on getting ready for it. With some preparation, you can nail the interview process and land your dream job!
Ways to prepare for your interview
As the saying goes, fail to prepare, prepare to fail. Preparation for an interview can make the difference in landing the job or continuing your search. You can gain the confidence you need simply by learning all you can and practicing your responses.
Research the company!
It may not be your first rodeo, so you may already understand the importance of looking into the company you will interview with. A great place to start is going to their website. Read every page and take notes of things that stick out to you.
If you find a company project interesting, write it down and mention to the interviewers what you liked about it and why. Next, check out their social media: LinkedIn, Facebook, Instagram, etc. Finally, read what others say about the company and its work. Pay attention to their brand voice and how they interact with their customers, clients, and employees.
Since you are preparing for an interview in English, conduct your research in English. This will help you understand their vocabulary, and you can fuse some of it into your interview responses.
It's also a great practice to take your notes in English as well. In that way, as you are reviewing, you will always be working on your communication skills.
Plan out your presentation
Now that you have gotten to know all there is to know about the US startup or company you’re interviewing at, it's time to turn the focus onto yourself. There's a lot to consider and review when preparing how you present yourself during an interview.
This is the time for you to shine. Touch on your skills, past projects, and prior success in other jobs. Tell them how you can add value to their team. You want to show them that this job belongs to you and that you're the best choice; it is, after all, your dream job, so give it your all!
And while you may feel you have that part in the bag, you might still feel hesitant about your communication skills. A great way to combat that is to have a few prepared speeches handy. You can have them written down in a notebook and take them into the interview with you for reference. Your prepared speeches can include things about yourself, your goals, and your experience, among other things.
Take some time to write down how you would like to respond to more frequent interview questions such as, "Tell us why you want this position. What are your strengths? What achievements are you most proud of?". Again write everything down in English as a means to practice.
In-depth English job interview practice
The most common challenge for those whose English speaking level may be more toward intermediate is expressing yourself and your overall communication skills.
It may feel defeating and frustrating, but you can only get better by practicing. You can improve by taking the time to learn in as many ways as possible. Write your interview questions and answers such as what you like to do in your free time, when you feel most inspired, and what your passions and career aspirations are.
Read blog articles, and listen to podcasts, all with tech-related content and in English. However, what will be most helpful to your overall confidence during the job interview is to practice speaking.
Remember those prepared speeches we talked about before? Well, read them out loud to yourself, and try practicing in a mirror so you can see what you look like. Then, try standing and sitting in a chair. You can even record yourself speaking either by video or voice!
This will help you feel more comfortable speaking and hearing yourself speak in English. The more comfortable you become, the more confident you will be.
Ask for support
You don't have to go at this alone. You can ask friends, family members, and fellow peers to help you prepare. You can go over interview questions and answers, like a mock job interview. You can even reach out to professionals who specialize in aiding candidates prepare for interviews.
These choices are available to prepare you for an interview and raise your English speaking level. Communication is one of the most common challenges and most important during an interview, even more so in a language different from your own. However, the more you use it, the more you will improve –even beyond the job interview.
Time to rock that interview!
You have reviewed English interview examples, prepared speeches, and reviewed frequent interview questions; you are just about ready to secure your dream job!
But one more thing!
Remember, this interview isn't only one-sided. You can ask the interviewers questions about things of value to you. Now is the time to gather the information that you may not have been able to find during your research.
Or to ask questions about elements of their work structure, career growth opportunities, and where the company sees itself in the future. Just as they are interviewing you to know that you are the right for the job, you, in turn, are seeing if this is a company you want to work for and if they align with your values and goals. Now go out there and land your dream job. You got this!
