Job Interview Practice for ESL Students

Matthew W. Blake (Shanghai, China)
mw_blake[at]yahoo.com

Teacher Notes

As globalisation continues, students from around the world have more and more opportunities to work in companies that use English as the means of communication in the work-place. I've found this lesson plan created a lot of interest and enthusiasm amongst my Chinese university students in Shanghai. As China opens up and more foreign companies are entering the market, university students are particularly interested in learning 'English for employment' skills.

To give university level students an opportunity to practice job interviews in English using discussion and role play.

Skills

Speaking, listening

Level

Intermediate to advanced

University students

Resources

blackboard and handout

Time

45 minutes

Introduction - 5 Minutes

Teacher begins by talking about foreign companies in the country they are teaching in. Teacher writes some of the companies on the board.
Tell the students we will be talking about job interviews in class today.

Building the Lesson - 15 minutes

Write the words 'employer' and 'applicant' on the board. Ask the students what are some things an 'employer' would ask about during and interview and what are some things an 'applicant' would ask. Write down a couple of examples.
Give each student the hand-out titled 'Employers and Applicants.' Go over the vocabulary as a class. Put the vocabulary on a handout.

Vocabulary
work experience, vacation, medical insurance, bachelor/masters/MBA, degree, training, salary, overtime, housing, promotion, work environment, transcripts, experience, personality, language abilities, references, letters of recommendation, honesty, equality, grades, office, work schedule, breaks

After you have defined each word, get the students in small groups to list if the word would be more likely used by an 'employer', an 'applicant' or both during a job interview.
The teacher will now go over the following questions with the students. After each question is explained, illicit a response from the students whether this would be a question usually asked by an 'employer' or 'applicant.' Write the questions on a handout.

Questions

What salary do you expect?
What salary do you offer?
What is your work experience?
Where is it located?
What did you study in school?
What languages can you speak?
Is there a chance for promotion?
What are the benefits?

Main Activity: Job Interview Role Play - 20 Minutes

Divide the class into two groups: employers seeking to hire employees and applicants seeking to find jobs. The employers line up in row and the job applicants go from company to company and ask about the jobs.

Make sure the students are aware that they should ask and answer each question and use the vocabulary given in their answers.
Note
If there is some confusion amongst the students, the teacher will act as the employer and do a model role play with one student 'applicant' in front of the class.

Conclusion – 5 minutes

Go over the questions with the entire class. Ask a student each question and get them to give their answer to the whole class.

Extension

If time permits, ask the employers who they would like to hire and why.

The Internet TESL Journal, Vol. XI, No. 12, December 2005
http://iteslj.org/

http://iteslj.org/Lessons/Blake-JobInterview.html