English for Job Interviews as Practised in the Classroom and Beyond
English for Job Interviews as Practised in the Classroom and Beyond

Summary/Abstract: Ever since the English language teaching has become more functional than structural, and the implied communication more purpose-driven than message-based, practical speaking activities in the classroom exploit unrelentingly the idea of meaningful and authentic interaction and exchange. When it comes to professional communication, make-believe scenarios in face-to-face ESP settings help learners become better communicators, and improve their acquired skills for various industries, including employability skills. Job interviews conducted as role-play and pair work activities, which are set up in a controlled environment such as the English class, are meant to form an essential part in students’ career journey and progression towards different and better opportunities or positions. The present study evaluates the importance of job interviews presented by engineering students inside the classroom, as a complex learning game, and transferred afterwards to the outside world of employment, working situations and stages. Through this role-playing game the English learners develop their questioning and answering competency, practise how to turn negatives into positives, and how to negotiate working terms and conditions, thus they get well acquainted with the whole enterprise of a real interview. After studying English for job interviews the students improve their possible responses to difficult interview questions, and minimise the negative impact of any recurrent mistakes on their future application processes during their engineering careers.

• Details
• Contents