American English · C1 · Unit 5
A tough interview
A tough interview
By the end you can
- Talk convincingly about what you've achieved
- Handle difficult and unexpected questions
- Understand what lies behind a question
Words and phrases
| American English | Meaning | Example |
|---|---|---|
| a track record | proof from past results | I have a track record of building strong teams. |
| I spearheaded | I led (a project or a change) | I spearheaded the move to the new system. |
| I was instrumental in | I played a key part in | I was instrumental in landing our biggest client. |
| that's a fair question | a way to accept a hard question | That's a fair question. Let me explain. |
| let me think about that for a second | a way to get time before you answer | Hmm, let me think about that for a second. |
| what you're really asking is | a way to name the real point of a question | So what you're really asking is whether I can handle pressure. |
| my greatest weakness | a classic interview question | My greatest weakness is that I take on too much. |
| a gap in my résumé | a period without work | There's a gap in my résumé because I cared for my father. |
| exceeded | did better than (a target) | We exceeded our sales targets by 20 percent. |
| transferable skills | skills that are useful in different jobs | Teaching gave me great transferable skills. |
| thrive under pressure | do well when things are stressful | I tend to thrive under pressure. |
| where do you see yourself in five years? | a common interview question about your goals | And where do you see yourself in five years? |
Then talk it through
A final interview for a senior job, with hard questions. In the app you have this conversation out loud or typed, with the unit's goals to tick off and corrections at the end.