“ Screening ”or “ Traditional ” Interview
Employer: (E) Applicant: (A)
E: Mr, Suzuki. thank you for coming in today, please have a seat. I’ve looked over your, resume and wanted to meet you to ask you a few questions.
A: Thank you for asking me to come in.
E: First, can you tell me a little about yourself
A: Certainly. I was born in Tokyo and grew up here. My parents and sister and I still live here.
I majored in English literature in college, and spent a full year in London studying.
After graduation, I worked for Fuji Bank for three years, and then went to work for a trading company.
I always wanted to work in the business field, so to improve my skills, I’ve taken several night classes in
English and business.
I’m an enthusiastic and self-motivated person. I try very hard to be successful in my work. I can work well under pressure and enjoy doing work that challenges me.
In my personal life, I really believe in keeping healthy and fit. I exercise there times a week at fitness center, and I also enjoy swimming and skating
E: Do you enjoy your work at the trading company
A: Yes, very much.
E: Then why do you want to leave your company
A: I do enjoy my job but I believe I am ready for more challenging work now.
E: Ok. What are your strong points
A: Hmm…as I mentioned, I can work well under pressure and I enjoy work that challenges me. I think that my English ability is also a strong point.
E: And your weaknesses
A: I think I sometimes try to be over-organized. So I am learning how to let some things go and concentrate on the most important parts of my job.
E: I see from your resume that you have no experience working at foreign companies. May I ask why you now wish to do so
A: As I said earlier, I really believe I am ready for more responsibility. And I think a foreign company would be more likely to give me this kind of work.
I also think my Japanese and English speaking ability can be very useful to a foreign company.
E: What is most important to you in a job
A: I want to feel that I am making a real contribution to the company, so I would like my boss to trust me with important work.
E: Why are you interested in our company in particular
A: Well, I know that your company is planning to expend in Japan and the rest of Asia. So, I think it’s and exciting time for you and I think I could play a small part in helping you grow.
As I said, I’m very self-motivated and want to feel I’m making a contribution to my company.
E: How do you feel about overtime work
A: That’s no problem, I know that every company has busy periods, when this happens, I’m ready to put in as much time as necessary to get the job done.
E: In your current job, what has given you the most satisfaction
A: Hmm…Well, Let’s see. I think I feel most satisfied when I know my boss trusts me to complete an important task.
Since I don’t want to let the company down it makes every part of the task exciting.
When everything is completed, I have a strong feeling of accomplishment and satisfaction.
I know I would feel the same way working for your company.
E: Do you prefer working by yourself or with others
A: Both! Sometimes I have an assignment that needs total concentration, like working with financial, like working with financial figures. At times like these I need to be alone and be quiet.
But other projects are best done with group support, and I enjoy working with a term in these situations.
E: What have you learned from some of the jobs you’ve had
A: As I motioned, I think at first I tended to be over-organized. I have learned to concentrate and focus on the most important parts of a job and not get too caught up with small matters. I think I’ve also learned how to work smoothly with people who have different personalities.
E: Can you explain
A: Well, I’ve learned that business situations can become quite tense. People get impatient…deadlines are always there. This sometimes causes people to get angry or shout or say things they usually wouldn’t say. When this happens, I don’t let it bother me, I just keep working and I realize things will eventually calm down.
E: Mr. Suzuki, thank you again for coming in, and we’ll be in touch with you in the next few days.
A: Thank you, and I look forward to hearing from you.