Sabine: Ah, hello Mason. Umm, my name is Sabine Kirsch, and I eh… umm, Mason, can you hear me?

Oh, ah, Mason, I think you’re on mute.

Mason: Agghhhh, oh wow, sorry, I got these new, ehm, headphones and I thought the microphone was turned on, but it wasn’t. I was just starting to explain why I want this trainee position, but you didn’t hear that because I was on mute, eh, ooof… Ok, I’m here now. Hi Sabine, it’s so nice to meet you. I’ve never had a real job interview before, so should I introduce myself or do you want to ask me some questions…

Sabine: So, I’m interviewing this guy for a trainee position, online, in English and it does not start well. The poor guy is so nervous, he’s talking a lot… he’s not letting me speak, but I don’t want to interrupt him. He does seem really nice, and he is doing his best to be polite.

Ok, I have lots of experience interviewing candidates. It’s up to me to make him feel less nervous. I need to put him at ease… but how?

Conor: Welcome to today’s episode of Talking on the job. My name is Conor and I’m your host and business English mentor. I’m here to help you navigate the world of English in a variety of business contexts.

I think I will call today’s episode, Trying to connect. So, we’ve got Sabine, she is an experienced interviewer, but she has never interviewed a job candidate in English. It’s also Sabine’s first time leading an online interview. Some people also call it a virtual interview or a remote interview. Let’s take a look at some things Sabine can do and say to help Mason relax…

Now, the first thing Sabine can do is to give Mason a chance to start over. She can say something like:

Sabine: These things happen all the time. Let’s start over, now that we can hear each other, right?

Conor: This will help the interviewee to relax and slow down. Then, after they have introduced themselves, Sabine should explain how the interview will go.

Sabine: Before we get started, I’d like to give you an idea of what we plan to talk about in the interview today. First, I will ask you about your hobbies and interests and then…

Conor: Telling the interviewee what to expect will remove the element of surprise, helping them to… feel more comfortable. Next, Sabine should ask friendly questions about the candidate’s hobbies and interests.

Sabine: I, umm,  see in your résumé that you like playing video games… so, which one is your favorite?

Conor: This is a great way to put the interviewee at ease. And, as a bonus, it can also tell you a lot about how a person thinks.

Finally, it is important to remember that communication is not one-sided. Communication is a two way street, as we say. In this situation, Sabine needs to actively listen to Mason. She needs to react to what he says and boost his confidence by using expressions of agreement, like:

Sabine: Yeh, yeh totally… Absolutely… Oh, I couldn’t agree more… Exactly!

Conor: This is much more polite and communicative than simply saying…

Sabine: Uh hmm… yeh… uh hmm…

Conor: But don’t overdo it! Only use these expressions if you really do agree with the interviewee. Ok, let’s see if Sabine can put her interviewee, Mason, at ease…

Mason: I was just starting to explain why I want this trainee position, but you didn’t hear that because I was on mute, eh, ooof… Ok, I’m here now. Hi Sabine, it’s so nice to meet you. I’ve never had a real job interview before, so should I introduce myself, or, do you want to ask me some questions, or is it better if I start talking about…

Sabine: Mason, Mason, please don’t worry. These things happen all the time. Let’s start over, now that we can hear each other, right?

Mason: Oh, yes, absolutely. That sounds great, thank you. I’m… ready now.

Sabine: Great! Before we get started, I’d like to give you an idea of what we plan to talk about in the interview today. First, I will ask you about your hobbies and interests and then we’ll talk about the details of the traineeship. After that you will have a chance to ask some questions before we move on to talk about how you see yourself in this role…

Conor: Nice outline of the interview structure, Sabine!

Sabine: I, umm, see in your résumé that you like playing video games… so, which one is your favorite?

Mason: Ooh, my favorite?… I love playing Other Life. It’s a strategy and adventure game with these different characters and episodes. Ehm… you need to build relationships with other characters in the story, so… you have to make lots of decisions and your actions can really change the story in each episode!

Sabine: That sounds like a really interesting game. Do you play it often?

Mason: I mean, I guess… I play it… most days. I always set a time-limit though, as it’s very easy to get lost in the story and play for hours! I mean… I think it’s super important to mix indoor and outdoor hobbies, right?

Sabine: Absolutely! Do you play any sports?

Mason: Yes, I play speedminton. I guess it’s like a mix between badminton and tennis. There are so many different sports played all over the world. I think it’s super interesting to learn about them all.

Sabine: I couldn’t agree more! Ok, are you ready to take a closer look at the details of the traineeship?

Conor: Well… I don’t know about you, but I’m feeling very relaxed and at ease! Sabine was able to turn the interview around by helping Mason to forget his nerves. Let’s recap what Sabine did:

One, she gave Mason a chance to start over. Two, she outlined the steps of the interview. Three, she asked friendly questions about his hobbies and interests. And four, she used an expression of agreement.

Bravo Sabine, and now, let’s cross our fingers for Mason! Also, make sure you listen to our next episode, to see how Mason gets on in the rest of the interview. Till then!