FOUNDATIONAL TRAINING FOR ENGLISH-LED JOB INTERVIEWS

XDA10009

Foundational Training for English-led Job Interviews - Student Manual

Prepared by: Shaune Peebles
May/June 2016

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Table of Contents
Course Summary

i. Course Objectives

ii. Learning Outcomes

iii. Resources

iv. Technical Notes

Course Timeline

Module 1: Conditional Sentences and Job interviews

Introduction

Activity 1 - What Makes a Good Answer? (Reading/Discussion)

The 4 Types of Conditionals

i. The Zero Conditional

ii. The First Conditional

iii. The Second Conditional

iv. The Third Conditional

v. Common Errors

vi. Tips & Tricks

vii. Conditionals Summary

10

viii. Video Tutorial (Summary)

10

Assignment 1 - Conditional Grammar Test

10

The Interviewer vs. Interviewee

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Activity 2 - Preparing as an Interviewer (Reading/Discussion)

11

Assignment 2 - Skype Presentation

Module Summary
Module 2: Putting it into Practice

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Introduction

13

Tips for the Interviewer

13

Activity 1 - Discussion

13

Mixed Conditionals Overview

14

i. If + Second/Third Conditional

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ii. If + Third/Second Conditional

15

iii. Additional Grammar Practice

15

Assignment 1 - Quiz Preparation

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Oddball Interview Questions

16

Activity 2 - Which superhero would you be and why?

16

Assignment 2 - Role-Play Dialogue & Checklist

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Conclusion

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COURSE SUMMARY
Welcome to Foundational Training for English-led Job Interviews! In this course, you will learn
the importance of grammar when conducting job interviews. As an upper-intermediate business
English learner, the use of proper grammar is essential when performing your job, including
during the interview process. Delivered through a blended learning method, you will analyze a
variety of grammar structures used in interview questions and answers, as well as consider some
interview best practices. Armed with this knowledge, youll be well on your way to recruiting
the perfect new hire for your team.

i. Course Objectives
This is a 3-hour blended program that culminates with a student presentation in which you will
describe your findings to your classmates. Throughout the course, you will be given both teacher
and peer feedback on coursework and assignments (reflection journal and podcast submissions,
presentations, and English grammar handouts). Regular participation and communication
through agreed-upon channels (website/forum, Google Hangouts, Skype, etc.) is expected.

ii. Learning Outcomes

Upon completion of this course, the learner will be able to:
Describe and/or discuss common techniques for recruiting, selecting, and training an
effective workforce.
Develop/create accurate and suitable job interview questions that are department and rolespecific and can be used in a variety of recruitment contexts.
Employ the appropriate grammar and language use indicative of a B2-level English speaker
(Canadian Language Benchmark level 7).

iii. Resources
The resources that will be used in this course include a selection of grammar activities taken in
whole or in part from a selection of ESL and HR-related websites. These will be used to create
level-appropriate grammar and technical questions for the purpose of generating discussion/
reflection on the part of the learner and also to assessing their understanding of the target
grammar, vocabulary, or job skill. In addition, selected Internet readings on the job interview
process, from the perspective of both the interviewer and the interviewee, will be provided and
will be supported by YouTube videos and other interactive media.

iv. Technical Notes

In instances where you are asked to complete assignments, the following is required:
PC with Internet and Webcam
Audio or video recording device (smartphone/tablet)
Dropbox (or YouTube upload)
Communication with the group (email, Google Hangouts, Whatsapp, course website)
Software: Microsoft Word (PC) or Pages (Mac)

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Course Timeline
The projected timeline/schedule for this course is as follows:

Notes
The above schedule and timeline calculates a total learner effort of approximately 3 hours. Rubrics for each of
the 4 activities will be provided throughout this student guide. Further information can be found on the course
website at: http://peeblesmru.weebly.com/

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Module 1: Conditional Sentences and Job interviews

Introduction
Job interviews can be terrifying for some people. Whether its the dreaded Tell me your 3 strengths and 3
weakness, or possibly the classic Where do you see yourself in 5 years?, or a variety of situational
questions, the goal of the interviewer is, so it seems, to make you feel as uncomfortable as possible.
When working to improve your knowledge of business English, its important to consider your use of
grammar. In typical workplace activities such as presentations, writing emails, or even job interviews,
having a strong grasp on a variety of common grammar structures makes communication easier for both
you and those youre speaking with.

In this section, youll focus on the use of the conditional sentences, and how theyre used in a variety of
stations, specifically job interviews.

The Pursuit of Happyness

Please play the following YouTube clip: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5mNxBB6uKXc

In this clip, we see Will Smith (aka: Fresh Prince of Bel Air),
in the middle of a job interview. As you listen, try to identify
the number of times he uses the conditional form (hint, its
towards the end of the interview). What is the context in
which this grammar structure is used? (Note: Screen-grab
taken from above link)

Youll notice that the conditional sentence for is used 2 times:

I'm the type of person (who) if you ask me a question, and I don't know the answer, I'm gonna
tell you that I don't know. (3:42)
Chris What would you say if a guy walked in for an interview without a shirt on, and I
hired him? What would you say? (4:01)
The context for both of these instances of the conditional sentence is a strong example of when we use
this structure in English. The first sentence is rather informal/slang and can be cleaned up to read:
If I dont know the answer to your questions, Im going to be honest (and tell you that I dont
know).
Here, we have a good example of the first conditional. The first part of the sentence, or the If clause, is
in the present tense, while the second half, or the result clause uses a future form.
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In the second example, which we can rewrite as:
If someone arrived at an interview without a shirt, what would you say/do?
In this example, we see a 2nd conditional sentence, with the if clause in the past tense and the result
has a modal verb (would) and the infinitive without to (also known as the bare infinitive).

Activity 1 - What Makes a Good Answer? (Reading/Discussion)

There are a lot of things to consider when you do a job interview, either as the interviewer or the
interviewee. Preparing for the interview is key, and this means having an idea of the questions and
answers that may be asked. Read the following article, 15 of the best job interview questions to ask
candidates (available for download on the course website) and consider the following questions:
1. What are strong vs. weak questions and answers in a job interview?
2. What is the role of grammar, particularly the conditional form, when asking or answering an
interview question?
Answer these questions in the discussion forum and, if possible, respond to the answers of your
classmates.

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The 4 Types of Conditionals

As you have probably studied in textbooks, in your middle school English class, or during your business
English training, there are 4 types of conditional sentences used in English. These are referred to as the
zero, first, second, and third conditional.
When using the conditional sentence, its important to remember the following scheme:

i. The Zero Conditional

This form is used for general truths, rules, or scientific facts. For example:
If you heat water to 100C, it boils.

In the zero conditional, the time is now or always and the situation is both real and possible. For example:

If you freeze water, it becomes a solid.

If Bill phones, tell him to meet me at the cinema.

Plants die if they don't get enough water.

Ask Pete if you're not sure what to do.

If my husband has a cold, I usually catch it.

If you want to come, call me before 5:00.

If you mix red and blue, you get purple.

Meet me here if we get separated.

ii. The First Conditional

In this structure, the present tense is again used in the if clause, while the result takes the future. This
type of sentence is far more common in English, both everyday situations and also at the workplace. For
example:
If we have enough time, I will (Ill) show you a really cool video on YouTube.

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This gives the idea that whatever is happening now, the result can (and will) be known or seen in the
future. Some more examples of the first conditional:

If I have time, I'll finish that letter.

If you don't leave, I'll call the police.

What will you do if you miss the plane?

If you drop that glass, it might break.

Nobody will notice if you make a mistake.

If he calls you, you should go.

If you don't stop playing video games, I'll

scream!

If you buy school cookies from me, Ill stop

calling.

iii. The Second Conditional

In the 2nd conditional, theres a bit more to remember. This is used for unreal situations that are not
based on fact. While the situation (if clause) may not be real, the result is still something that you would
probably do.
If I had a million dollars, I would buy you a monkey. - (Barenaked Ladies)
Clearly, I dont have a million dollars, but the idea is that if I did, one of the things I would possibly, even
probably, do is buy you a money. (Havent you always wanted a monkey!?!?) Take a look at some more
examples:
If the weather wasn't so bad, we would go to
the park.

If I knew where she was, I would go and see her.

If I were taller, I would buy this dress.

If I were the Queen, I would give everyone a

chicken.

If I were 20, I would travel the world.

If you loved me, you would buy me another cat.

If I were a plant, I would love the rain.

As you see, in the if clause, its fine to use either the first or the second person to be. Although theres
a small difference in the level of formality between If I was (colloquial) and If I were (formal), both
are considered acceptable/correct.

iv. The Third Conditional

The structure is used in when talking about an impossible condition in the past and its probable result in
the past. These sentences are truly hypothetical and unreal, because it is now too late for the condition or
its result to exist.
If I had known he was coming to the party, I would have bought more nachos.

As we can see, theres almost a sense of regret; imagine being a party and realizing that there arent

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enough nachos; it could be catastrophic! Some more examples:
If it had rained, you would have gotten wet.
If you had worked harder, you would have
passed your exam.
I would have believed you if you hadn't lied to
me before.

If I had known you were coming I would have

baked a cake.
I would have been happy if you had called me
on my birthday.

v. Common Errors
Although its only 4 types of conditionals, its easy to get them confused. One mistake that we often hear
is using will or a future tense in the if clause, in particular with first conditionals; for example, if I will,
then I will As weve seen, the only place that the future is used is in the result clause, and only in the
first conditional.
With the second conditional, keep an eye on the use of irregular verbs for the if clause, and remember
you can change the context and meaning of the sentence if youre using a different modal; for example,
should, could, or may instead of would.
With the third conditional sentence, be sure to know, or at least review, the use of the past perfect
grammar structure. Its particular to English, looking at something that occurred in the past, but before
another action.

vi. Tips & Tricks

As well, well look at a few tips and suggestions on using the conditional form. In many cases, you can
swap if for when. So, with a first conditional:
When I see Tim, Ill let him know youre looking for him.
When I win the lottery, Ill move to Canada.

We also talked about inverting the if and the result clause, which gives the sentence the same
meaning. As is always the case in English, use whatever feels most natural to you, but at the same time,
dont be afraid to experiment with the language that you use.
For the 3rd conditional, we sometimes see the auxiliary had at the beginning of the sentence, followed
by the subject and then the past participle. For example:
Had I known the meeting was canceled, I would have finished my other tasks.
Had they told me that the train was late, I wouldnt have left so early.

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vii. Conditionals Summary
When using the conditional form, its important to remember the scheme in the if and the result
clauses. In addition, its necessary to consider the context in which youre giving this condition.

viii. Video Tutorial (Summary)

Take a look at the following presentation, which gives a full overview of the grammar needed to form
correct conditional sentences as well as a number of examples of how they can be used in the context of
job interviews.
As you watch, pay particular attention to the scheme that is used when constructing conditional
sentences, and also how they can be used in the job interview setting.
For additional support, feel free to watch another tutorial from BusinessEnglishPod.

Assignment 1 - Conditional Grammar Test

Complete the conditional sentences grammar activity provided. This assignment is worth 25% of your
overall grade for this course, and will be graded based on the standard calculation of: number of correct
responses/total.

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The Interviewer vs. Interviewee
Remembering the conditional scheme alone isnt enough to ensure that the questions and answers are
strong or that the interview will go well. Moreover, its easy to focus on what the candidate needs to do, or
say, to answer a question properly, but its equally important that your role as the interviewer is clear.
In this section, youll look at the differences between the role of the interviewer and the interviewee.

Activity 2 - Preparing as an Interviewer (Reading/Discussion)

Read the article, How to Prepare for an Interview as an Interviewer, which can be found on the course
website, the full/extended version of which can be found here.

In the discussion board, answer the following questions:

1. What do you think is the biggest consideration when preparing as an interviewer?
2. What do you think are the risks of a non-native English speaker interviewing a native speaker?

Answer these questions in the discussion forum and, if possible, respond to the answers of your
classmates.

Assignment 2 - Skype Presentation

In order to solidify and demonstrate the knowledge youve acquired from the previous section, you are
asked to attend a group Skype meeting on May 28th at 10:30am (MDT/Alberta)/(6:30pm Italy).
As a final assignment for this module, weighted at 25% of your overall grade, you are asked to complete a
short (3-5min) presentation based on the following:
1. Using the Internet or a textbook of your choice, prepare a list of what you feel are the 10 most
common conditional interview questions and identify the type of conditional sentence used
in each. A minimum of 5 resources/websites is suggested.
2. What tips or advice would you give a business English learner as they prepare for their first
English interview?
3. What is the function of the conditional form when asking or answering an interview question?

The agenda for this meeting is as follows:

10:20am: Check connections (10min)
10:30am: Student Introductions
10:35am: Student presentation (15min)
10:50am: Q&A session - course content and conditional form (10min)
Note: Should you be unable to attend this Skype meeting, you may prepare a recorded (audio or video)
presentation and submit to your instructor.

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Module Summary
This concludes the first module of this course. So far, youve looked at the grammar used in conditional
sentences, analyzed their relationship to job interview questions, considered the role of the interviewer,
and determined what you think makes a strong question or answer.

References & Other Resources

Examples of conditionals:
http://www.edufind.com/english-grammar/conditional/

Additional practice:
http://www.englishpage.com/conditional/conditionalintro.html
http://www.englisch-hilfen.de/en/exercises_list/if.htm

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Module 2: Putting it into Practice

Introduction
As the interviewer, your job is to choose the best person for the role. While we know that the candidate
needs to practice, research, and prepare, your approach should be no different.

Tips for the Interviewer

1. The interviewer should be an active listener. He should not interrupt unnecessarily.
2. The interviewer should be considerate enough. Even if the interviewer does not agree with the
interviewee, he must respect the latters feelings.
3. The interviewer should be friendly and understanding. He should begin the interview in a
friendly manner, some friendly conversation and then show concern in family background,
hobbies, etc. This will make the interviewee more relaxed and comfortable.
4. The interviewer should restrain to the time allotted. He shouldnt indulge in arguments
unnecessarily. He should try to be precise.
5. The interviewer must be thoroughly prepared for the questions that are likely to be asked. He
should be a good planner.
6. The interviewer must focus attention on the interviewee. He should use positive gestures when
conducting the interview.
7. Encourage/invite questions from the interviewee. Ensure that the interviewee clarifies the
question he has. When selected a candidate should not feel he was not told about a certain
aspect of the job.
8. Avoid distraction in the interview area. Ensure that there is no or minimal distraction where the
interview is being conducted. A phone ringing all the time in the background can distract the
interviewer and interviewee.

List from: http://www.managementstudyguide.com/job-interview-tips.htm

Watch the short video, Top 5 Tips For Conducting Interviews. As you watch, think about the
commonalities between the list and the video and how they could be different between the interviewer and
interviewee.

Activity 1 - Discussion
Based on the information above, what advice would you give someone who is new to the role of
interviewer? Have you ever been in a difficult position during a job interview? If you could go back in
time, what advice would you give yourself?
Share your answer in the discussion forum and, if possible, respond to the answers of your classmates.

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Mixed Conditionals Overview
In the first part of this course, you analyzed the four main types of conditional sentence. Another
consideration is the mixed conditional, where the time in the if clause is not the same as the time in the
main clause. There can be various combinations.
Take a look at the following examples from the British Council:
If hed gone to university he might have a better job.
He didnt go to university (past)
He doesnt have a very good job. (present)
This sentence shows the present consequences of a past action.

If Id won the competition Id be going to Florida next week.

She didnt win the competition (past)
She isnt going to Florida (future)
This sentence shows the future consequences of a past action.
If he didnt have to work tomorrow he wouldnt be so miserable today.
He has to work tomorrow (future)
Hes miserable. (present)
This sentence shows the present consequence of a future event.

i. If + Second/Third Conditional
These sentences express a general condition with an imaginary result in the past:
If I spoke better English, I could have got the job.
(I don't speak English well enough, so I didn't get the job)

If you were smarter, you wouldn't have borrowed money in the first place.
(you are not smart; that's why you borrowed money)

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ii. If + Third/Second Conditional
These sentences express a hypothetical condition in the past with an imaginary result in the present:
If we had followed the sign, we wouldn't be lost now.
(we didn't follow the sign, and now we are lost)
If you had drunk less last night, you wouldn't have a hangover.
(you drank too much last night; that's why you have a hangover now)

iii. Additional Grammar Practice

For some additional online grammar practice, take a look at the following websites. Be sure to note any
difficulties you may still be having, and if you have any questions, feel free to ask in the discussion area of
the website:
English Page
English Hilfen
My English Pages

English Grammar Online

Speak Speak
First English

Perfect English Grammar

e-grammar
English Club

Assignment 1 - Quiz Preparation

Prepare a grammar (mix of multiple choice, gap-fill, and T/F) quiz of 10 unique job interview conditional
questions (and answers) using each type of conditional sentence at least once. This assignment is worth
25% of your overall grade for this course.
Note: The student youre preparing this quiz for would be, like you, a learner of English. Consider this
element when preparing your questions. (Translation: dont make the quiz SUPER difficult!)

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Oddball Interview Questions
These days, more and more companies including Google, Facebook, and Twitter, are asking extremely
challenging interview questions to their candidates. Take a look at the following list from Fast Company:
"When a hot dog expands, in which direction does it split and why?"
"Would you rather fight one horse-sized duck or 100 duck-sized horses?"
"If youre the CEO, what are the first three things you check about the business when you wake
up?"
"What would the name of your debut album be?"
"How would you sell hot cocoa in Florida?"
"If I gave you $40,000 to start a business, what would you start?"
"What would you do if you found a penguin in the freezer?
"If you were a brand, what would be your motto?"
"How many basketballs would fit in this room?"
"If you had $2,000, how would you double it in 24 hours?"
Watch the following video, Answers to Oddball Interview Questions. As you listen, consider the rationale
behind asking these types of questions to a candidate.

Activity 2 - Which superhero would you be and why?

A classic oddball question; If you could be any superhero, which one would you be, any why? Using the
conditional form, answer in the discussion forum, and give reasons for your choice. And, remember, we
cant all be Superman.

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Assignment 2 - Role-Play Dialogue & Checklist

Using what youve learned in this course, prepare a single document (word/pages) with the following:
1. Prepare role-play dialogue with 8 questions and answers using each of the conditional forms
covered in this course at least once.
2. For 3 of the questions, provide a weak response, and a short explanation of what could be done
to make it better.
3. Design 3-point checklist for each person (interviewer/interviewee).

Submission deadline for the assignment is June 19.

Conclusion

In this course, youve learned how to use and identify conditional sentences, the use of the conditional
form in job interview questions and answers, and also how to give suitable tips and suggestions to
someone who is preparing for an English-language job interview. The biggest thing to remember is that in
any language, even your own, its important to practice, prepare, and stay calm; whether youre the
interviewee or the interviewer. Congratulations on completing this section of the Foundational Training for
English-led Job Interviews course!

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