I’ve sat through many, many job interviews as a candidate — which means I’ve definitely made a few mistakes.   When I spoke to the HR experts who contributed advice to my 8 Steps for Interview Prep book [non-affiliate link here], there were a few problems that two or three of them mentioned. I used these comments to come up with the three main mistakes interviewees make… Whether or not those interviewees are native-English speakers.  What do the mistakes have in common?  They’re all about confident communication.  Mistake 1: Job candidates rush their answers and make the in ..read more

Is my English level good enough to get the job?  Most language learners are — understandably — nervous about applying for a job in a non-native language. That’s perfectly normal! If I were applying for a job in my non-native language, I would be worried about my speaking and listening skills, too.  And I’d probably be a bit worried no matter how long I’d been studying. But you shouldn’t spend all your time worrying. There are just three main things to think about when applying for jobs… and when preparing for your interview:  Are you qualified for the job?  Can you hold a ..read more

When English learners are preparing for their next job interview, grammar is usually one of their biggest concerns. But sometimes, worrying too much about perfecting your grammar can take up too much of your interview prep time. You should have a good grasp — or understanding — of the most important verb tenses… Then focus on telling your best stories. So, how do you keep grammar simple? Use the simplest verb tense possible to communicate the ideas you want to talk about. Don’t try to make your answers overly formal. Remember what business English is. It’s all about communicating your ideas qu ..read more

While writing my interview book, I knew I needed advice from the interviewer‘s side. So, I called two Human Resource experts while writing 8 Steps for Interview Prep. They both talked about applying for jobs you aren’t 100% qualified for. So, if you’re worried about being good enough for a job, this post is for you. (Amazon Affiliate Link) During those phone calls, I asked quite a few specific questions. And the experts had plenty of excellent answers. I was mildly surprised, therefore, when this topic came up in two separate conversations… Because I had asked if they had other, general advi ..read more

One of the first questions I’m asked by English learners is: “Why are non-technical interview questions important?” They ask because the first thing I do during a coaching session is asking a few behavioral questions… They expect help with their resume (or CV) before jumping directly to working on their professional introduction. I’m happy to help with your CV! I also love working on introductions. However, before we can create a really impressive introductory speech, you need to understand behavioral interview questions and why they’re important — especially for non-native speakers. It’s easy ..read more

It takes time to transform your English writing skills, but the exercises are easy and simple. After all, it’s too hard to stick with difficult processes. These exercises will help you transform your skills for almost any style of writing.  I’ve always been a word nerd. In school, I was either constantly reading or constantly writing on loose pieces of paper and in half-filled notebooks. English literature and composition (writing) were always my easiest classes. Even if I didn’t enjoy the homework or required reading material, I could get great grades without really trying.  So ..read more

Listen to the “Re-Starting After Taking a Break from Your Language Studies” blog audio. I’ve been studying the Italian language for a very. long. time. Unfortunately, I’ve also been taking breaks from language study for a long time. This experience, I believe, makes me a better English coach! However — I’m not fluent. I know my level of fluency is much lower than I’d like it to be. The reason for that? Taking a lot of breaks from my language study. My Inconsistent Study Habits If I had studied consistently after my very first Italian tutoring session… I’d be fluent enough to easily pass a ..read more

Jump Directly to the Sign-Offs Listen to the Email Sign-Offs blog post audio. Almost every business communication is handled via email right now… and email sign-offs are a common source of stress. Even for native English speakers. If you have anything important to say to a coworker, you’ll need to send an email about it. If there’s something important you need to remember… you’ve probably received an email about it. Therefore, starting and ending your emails professionally is an important skill. Since I’ve already posted about starting your emails, this post will give you tips for ending y ..read more

I’m a business English coach, so sometimes I feel like I talk about business English all day. But… what is it? And how is Business English different from General English? For this blog post, I’m talking about the general grammar and vocabulary used within an office setting. Think marketing, accounting, human resources, finance, or general administration. Because it isn’t an entirely different language, but we can’t deny that we sometimes need to speak differently in different situations. Business English is Powerful for Specific Purposes During a 1-on-1 session today, I was helping a stude ..read more

Even if you’re confident in your job skills, it can be difficult to describe them on command or in an interview… And you might feel like you don’t have a powerful enough vocabulary. You’re not only the person who is facing this situation, but for many of us, it becomes difficult just because of the pressure when you’re talking to a hiring manager. The best and easiest way to deal with this situation is to make a list of power words related to your field of work so that by focusing on them, you can give an impression of your abilities and make the interviewer happy.  What are power words ..read more