Candidates who are new to the North American job market face a major challenge. They must compete in a new country where they may not be as familiar with the local culture and work environment. When English is not their first language, these candidates who are new to North America face an even greater challenge. We have McKinsey Interview Course many foreign workers who are technically brilliant but not good at interviewing. While our interview courses offered more in-depth training, below are some common mistakes we’ve seen that can be prevented.
understanding of the question
Understanding the interview question is critical to answering it correctly. Make sure you fully understand the question before attempting to answer it. I’ve seen many candidates fail to answer an interview question correctly because they misunderstood the question. If English isn’t your first language, here are some tips to help you with an interview.
If you don’t understand the interview question asked, don’t be afraid to ask the interviewer to repeat or clarify the question . Here it is your responsibility to ask for clarification until you understand the question. It’s far better to ask the interviewer to clarify the question than to try to answer a question you misunderstood.
Writing notes during an interview can help you understand the interview question and prepare your answer. If you could write faster or feel more comfortable writing in your native language, do so. Write down the key points in the question you need to address and note the key answer points. This will ensure you don’t forget important points in your answer. This technique is particularly useful for complex, difficult questions. When you take notes, don’t write out the entire question and answer, but write down a few key words that will come up for you. I can remember a participant in one of our interview workshops who was a very qualified telecommunications engineer but whose English wasn’t very good. I had no doubt that he was a strong candidate, but sometimes he misunderstood the question and gave an incomplete answer as he rushed the answer. Through our interview workshop, we provided this candidate with some personalized response strategies that included note-taking. He dramatically improved his interviewing skills.
If the interlocutor offers you a drink , take it. It’s not rude to accept an offer of a drink in an interview. Believe me, after at least 20 minutes of talking, you’ll be glad you had a glass of water, especially when you’re nervous and your mouth is getting dry. You will do better if you are well hydrated. It’s a good idea to take a sip before answering a difficult interview question, as you’ll gain a few precious seconds to gather your thoughts before answering.
eye contact
In some Eastern cultures, direct eye contact with superiors or elders is avoided as it is a sign of disrespect. In an interview in North America, the exact opposite is the case. Direct eye contact signals to the interviewer that you are honest, trustworthy, and dependable. While we’re on the subject of body language, don’t forget that a smile conveys your warmth and friendliness to the person you’re talking to. So remember eye contact and a smile goes a long way in developing a report with your interviewer.
cultural awareness
Understanding the work culture you are interested in becoming a part of will help you interview better. We have interviewed many candidates whose answers could be significantly improved with this understanding. For example, in our job interview coaching sessions with a foreign candidate, I ask a standard interview question to assess conflict resolution:
“Describe a time when you had a conflict at work and how did you deal with it?”
Not knowing how to respond, and unaware that conflict in the workplace is accepted and recognized as part of the job, these candidates often simply responded by saying, “I have not had or have had conflicts with others, or I will come along.” all right.” . In our debriefing , these candidates explained that in their cultures, having a conflict in the workplace is viewed as extremely negative. Unfortunately, this type of response does not provide an interviewer with the information they need to assess your conflict resolution skills. The result is that you receive no score or credit for that question, putting you at a disadvantage compared to other candidates.
Understanding the differences to identify potential conflicts is just as important as knowing the positives you bring to the table. Celebrate the differences you bring that complement a workplace. Because progressive employers and employers who want progress understand different perspectives and backgrounds as building blocks of innovation.
So if you are new to North America and Western work culture, take some time to educate yourself about the work culture you are entering. Learn about the local work culture of the company, city and country you want to be a part of. Look for similarities, differences, complements and conflicts. By understanding the local culture, you will greatly improve your Businessacademy1 responses.
Information provided by HRinmotion.com, your complete employment hub.
For companies, we offer online training that can be branded so you can prepare your candidates for interviews and write better resumes. Since our job center can be branded with your logo, not only are relationships strengthened, but your placements are increased as well. If you are looking for employees, post your vacancies online and receive top applicants from Canada, USA and UK.
For job seekers, our online training and services will help you get more interviews and more job offers. Use our job preparation services to get yourself an outstanding resume and sharp interview skills. We’ve made job hunting easier than ever by bringing you one of the largest job boards in Canada, the US and the UK. We have over 1.5 million jobs online, apply today and find the right job!
New York office: +1 585 593-494
London office: +44 555 12345
Berlin office: +49 555 12345
