Vocabulary and Customs Thursday, November 9th

Interview Questions Please answer the interview questions in your folder Be prepared to share

Customs of the Professional World A ‘custom’ is a social norm practiced in a society Not participating in this can make you seem rude Let’s explore some around the world…

Cameroon In Cameroon, you would be considered impolite for crossing your legs if you are a man

Russia In the US, it is very impolite to make your host wait In Russia, it is customary to make your hosts wait, as it will test their commitment Too much smiling also comes across as insincere

Japan Business cards are extremely important They should not be written on, played with, or put in your back pocket

India Asking for seconds in the US is considered polite to the hosts In India, you should wait, it implies you weren’t satisfied

France While shaking hands is polite in the US, France prefers a different greeting It is customary to ‘air kiss’ three times – right cheek, left, and right

Denmark When eating lunch with Danes, do not leave any food on your plate

Taiwan You should leave a little bit of rice in your bowl

United Kingdom ‘Dinner’ means lunch ‘Tea’ means dinner Also, tapping your nose means you’re about to discuss something private Don’t give the ‘peace’ sign

South Korea Never pour your own glass If you are out with friends, it is their obligation to pour your drink for you

What are yours? Take time to think about customs from your native country – share with the class Also, what is an American custom that has taken time getting used to?

Vocabulary Please take time to fill out the vocabulary worksheets

Asking Questions Every interview will end with “do you have any questions for us?” Always make sure to ask questions Have at least three prepared

The morning of… Get plenty of sleep Make sure your phone is charged Set your alarm Eat a good breakfast Make sure you shower and brush your teeth

Know where you’re going And how are you getting there? Make sure you account for traffic, rush hour, parking, etc.

Arriving at the Interview You should arrive 15 minutes early Make sure you know where in the building you’re going Not just the address Be polite Strike up a conversation with the receptionist

Another option (this is what I do) Get to the area early Find a café and bring your laptop (if you have one) or use your phone Do last minute research. Write out your thoughts

Customs of the Interview The handshake Very important Handshake should be firm Make eye contact, smile

Customs of the Interview Speaking Be honest Speak positively Don’t bad talk previous employers

Customs of the Interview Body Language Project confidence by Smiling Sitting up straight Making eye contact

The beginning of the interview Usually begins with an introduction The first question is usually “what brings you here” or “why are you interested?”

Rest of the interview Most interview questions are not unique Questions will be specific to the job It’s good to research some interview questions Don’t come off as too scripted

Give it a shot! You will each get a turn as an applicant for an office position You each have a sheet of question to ask the applicant You have 2 minutes to ask questions. After 2 minutes, give 1 minute of feedback Then switch

Asking Questions Every interview will end with “do you have any questions for us?” Always make sure to ask questions Have at least three prepared

Good questions vs. bad questions The questions you ask will be important While it is imperative to ask questions, not all questions are equal What are some examples?