Discord Class "Interview Questions"

[anabelanabel]

Thank you for the tips! :) I thought that in your classes/chats you were trying to role-play or drill interview questions. It seems you're trying to do so much more than that.

[gavenkoa]

I thought that in your classes/chats you were trying to role-play or drill interview questions.

It was an initial idea. Just a little digging into topic showed that there is a reason behind each question and there are common strategies to answer them "properly".

Class struggles by lack of participants so I tend to analyze available materials to compensate a bit narrow discussion.

I am not an English teacher. I hope preparation helps me multiply my net salary x2-x5 times ))

[anabelanabel]

Oh, I see. So do you have the preparation for your own job interview in mind when you write about multiplying your salary? Do you analyze the answering strategies and tips in English ?

[gavenkoa]

So do you have the preparation for your own job interview in mind when you write about multiplying your salary?

I've got a job 3 years ago being interviewed exclusively in English. Though I didn't need to have a high proficiency for that one. I had B1 back that days. A year before I failed one with ~ A2 so I spent 80 hours in language school during 5 months + duolingo + 12 classes in edX / Coursera. I'd read for 10 years specs/blogs and listened for 4 years learning podcasts so at least I hadn't struggled with perception of speech and had 4000 words of a passive vocabulary (with 2000 words in a personal dictionary).

It is hard to find time for English. Now I made learning my second job. It is much encouraging now when I am not overwhelmed with tons of unknown words / grammar topics and have decent understanding of phonetics, so can memorize words with near native perception of sounds ))

Do you analyze the answering strategies and tips in English ?

Yeah, why not? We concentrate on so called behavioral question (like where do you see yourself in 5 years).

For industry specific preparation I have separate sources (books like "Cracking the Coding Interview"). But it is outside of this class as it very specific to a person.

Next meeting on Tuesday, 14 January ( 9PM MSK, 8PM EET ). Questions are the same (as I forgot to join the room and only Zimbronia showed that time):

* What are your strengths?
* What are your weaknesses?

[gavenkoa]

We had lovely discussion on the topic and besides the topic.

I collected some advice for questions.

What are your strengths? - One of the approaches is to match job requirements with your skill and past and than add some extra.

What are your weaknesses? - It is not a visit to a psychologist. You should be careful. No need to go bullshit - like exaggerate your strength to extreme (I can't stop work xD), but your shouldn't tell any damaging stuff (I am lazy, I stole things, etc) and in general you should avoid personal traits (it is in your DNA, how can you improve?). Try to be positive - tell about problems that you are know how to workaround or working on eliminating them.

Ideal answer can sound like: you aren't fluent in English, but you are practicing, taking private lessons, participating in discussion groups.

[gavenkoa]

Next class is on Tuesday, Jan 21, 9PM MSK, 8PM EET. We'll discuss:

* What does success mean to you?
* Have you done any volunteer work?
* What are your hobbies?

[FPlay]

Tuesday, Jan 14

[gavenkoa]

* What does success mean to you?

Good answers:

* success isn't permanent and failure isn't final so never stop working after success and never stop trying after failure.
* prepare specific examples of your successes

Shitty answers:

* work hard and succeed.

* Have you done any volunteer work?

Similar:

* What are your interests outside of work?
* Do you do any professional development activities outside of your job?
* What have you done to contribute to others in your field on your own time?
* Do you get involved in any community organizations?

Why:

* to probe your work/life balance.

Good answers:

* Tell something close to professional activity, otherwise indirectly related. Or say that you have lots of responsibilities / duties and there is no way to be involved in anything besides work and family activities.

Shitty answers:

* "Nope, when I'm off work, that's my time to chill. I have very little spare time and I'm not gonna be wasting it on doing stuff for others…"

* What are your hobbies?

See above.

[VictorB]

gavenkoa,

success isn't permanent and failure isn't final so never stop working after success and never stop trying after failure.

I dare to suggest putting the second part this way:

... so never stop working after you achieve your success and never stop trying after you suffer a failure.
MHO:-)

[zymbronia]

VictorB, why don't you join us right here?

[VictorB]

zymbronia,

VictorB, why don't you join us right here?

If it's an invite, I'm immensely flattered but have to decline for the severe lack of time. I wish I could join you and maybe I will later, when I'm not spread this thin. Just tell me where it is, "right here", and how I can get there:-)

[gavenkoa]

The next class is on Tue, Jan 28, 9PM MSK, 8PM EET. We'll discuss:

* What are you most proud of?
* Do you have any questions for me? (an opportunity to get some information and show some interest at the end of interview)

[gavenkoa]

* Do you have any questions for me? (an opportunity to get some information and show some interest at the end of interview)

Stupid questions:

* do you have extra open position for my friend?
* what does company do?

Good questions:

* What are my coworkers like?
* Can you tell me more about a team I will work with?
* How will this job change over the course of next year?
* What's the best thing about working here?
* What skill are important for this role?
* What does a typical day look like?
* Do you have any concerns about my ability to do the role?

[gavenkoa]

* What are you most proud of?

Bad answers:

* Be proud of being father/mather.

Good answer:

* should be work related.

[gavenkoa]

Today's questions (Tuesday, Feb 4, 9PM MSK, 8PM EET):

* Tell me about a time where you had to deal with conflict on the job.
* What's the last book you read?

[gavenkoa]

Hi.

I decided to end sessions.

Initially I advertised group only on this forum.

As an idea I'll move the class to populated server like https://discord.gg/KteRBUp

Currently I have 3 sessions in [mention]zymbronia[/mention] classes (Mon/Thu/Sat) and carrying fourth one is a little exhaustive.

Worth to mention, I had a pretty successful interview. My preparations helped me a bit!

The more realistic way to constantly have participants is to go to a crowded server.

[Eager Beaver]

I had a pretty successful interview

Did you land a new job? In sales?

[gavenkoa]

Did you land a new job? In sales?

No, in IT.

I've got an offer in the middle interview (passing 3 of them from 4 total) and needed to decide if it is OK to continue.

They match my current salary and provide longer vacation but it is on site work, while I am working remotely.

I declined the offer as commute will take 2 hours of my life each working day.

I had a long commute in the past, that's how I initially learnt English )) It was 3 years of podcasts everyday...

[gavenkoa]

As an idea I'll move the class to populated server like https://discord.gg/KteRBUp

I attended English Lesson on that server yesterday (about expressing regrets) and had a small talk afterwards.

Generally people are interested in "Interview questions" class.

The only issue I see is that my English level isn't a match for usual participants of the server.

I think any class with a regular schedule will succeed.

We now at story 14 of overall 24 in [mention]zymbronia[/mention]'s Storytelling class, so need 4 months (14 weeks) to complete.

And on lesson 9 of 59 in the Collocation class (passing 2-3 lessons a week) so need 4 months (16 weeks) to complete.

So expected start of new class is June 2020 )) If I keep interest to that point.