Learning  English  with  CBC  

Calgary  

Monthly  feature  story:  

Interviewing  Strategies:  

Attitude  Counts  

April  2014  

Lesson  plans  created  by  Amie  Sondheim  and  Justine  Light  

 
 

   

www.alberta.ca   http://www.cbc.ca/calgary/learning-­‐english/  
  
Feature  Story     Interviewing  Strategies:  Attitude  Counts    
Objectives  
CLB  competency   L:  Identify  main  ideas,  supporting  details  and  implied  
outcomes   meanings.    
Listening:   L:  Identifies  topic-­‐specific  words,  phrases  and  expressions  
Reading:   (Uses  sentence  stress  to  determine  word  importance.)    
Speaking:     R:  Identifies  main  ideas,  key  details  and  some  implied  
Writing:   meanings.    
  R:  Recognizes  purposes,  context  and  authors’  intents  with  
point  form  lists.  
S:  Uses  reduced  speech  (vowel  reduction).  
S:  Uses  clear  references.  
W:  Expresses  the  main  idea  and  supports  them  with  details.    
W:  Reduces  information  to  important  points  with  accurate  
details  and  no  major  omissions.      
 
Language  skills  
Vocabulary:   Use  new  vocabulary  in  context.  
 
Grammar:   Distinguish  between  the  meanings  of  the  adverb  “really”.    
 
Speaking:   Listen  for  and  produce  the  vowel  reduction  in  the  word  “can”.    
  Fluency  building  using  the  word  “can”.    
Language  Activities  (In  order  of  appearance  in  materials)    
 
  -­‐ Answering  comprehension  and  probing  questions  about  a  short  
background  text  about  the  job  interviews.      
-­‐ Completing  pre-­‐listening  activities  to  build  vocabulary  and  prepare  
learners  for  the  audio.    
-­‐ Listen  to  the  audio  and  infer  meaning  and  identify  facts  and  details.    
-­‐ Listening  -­‐  Identify  sentence  stress.  
-­‐  Speaking  strategies  –  reduced  vowels  –  can.  Fluency  building.    
-­‐ Grammar  activity  –  Meaning  and  use  of  the  adverb  “Really”.  
-­‐ Pre-­‐reading  vocabulary  –  complete  vocabulary  activity  to  prepare  for  the  
reading.  
-­‐ Reading  for  meaning/comprehension.  
-­‐ Reading  strategy  –  using  point  form  lists  to  summarize  important  
information.    
-­‐ Writing  –  Descriptive  writing  –  using  expressions  of  “Examples”  to  convey  
specific  information.    
 
 

  2  
  
 
Introduction  –  Background  Reading    
 
When  preparing  for  a  job  interview,  there  are  a  few  things  you  should  remember  to  do.  
Your  interview  checklist:  
 
❏  Review  your  resumé  and  the  information  you  have  gathered  about  the  employer  and  the  
work.  If  you  have  not  already  researched  these  things,  do!  Use  the  research  techniques  
and  ideas  presented  in  Part  2.  
 
❏  Prepare  a  list  of  references.  
 
❏  Anticipate  potential  interview  questions  and  prepare  answers.  Practise  your  answers  
until  you  feel  confident.  You  could  also  get  a  friend  or  other  person  to  act  out  an  interview  
situation  with  you.  Use  your  practicing  to  improve  both  your  verbal  and  non-­‐verbal  
communications  skills.  Your  posture,  facial  expressions  and  gestures  should  communicate  
a  positive  attitude.  
 
❏  Prepare  your  questions.  What  do  you  know  about  the  job  and  the  organization?  You  may  
want  to  ask  questions  about  the  company’s  goals  and  objectives,  the  working  
conditions,  or  the  people  you  would  be  working  with.  Do  not  ask  questions  about  pay  and  
benefits  until  after  you  have  been  offered  a  job.  
 
❏  Ensure  a  good  first  impression  by  deciding  what  you  will  wear  and  planning  ahead  so  
you  get  to  the  interview  10  to  15  minutes  early.  Look  neat,  clean  and  well  groomed.  
Dress  the  way  you  expect  the  interviewer  to  dress.  Visit  the  organization  a  day  or  two  
earlier  to  see  what  other  employees  are  wearing  so  you  know  how  to  dress  appropriately.  
 
❏  Allow  plenty  of  time  for  the  interview.  Your  interview  may  take  longer  than  you  expect.  
Do  not  make  other  plans  too  close  to  the  time  of  your  interview  or  have  yourself  worrying  
about  your  time  being  up  on  the  parking  meter.  
 
 
Food  For  Thought:  
1. What  personality  qualities  do  you  have  that  would  make  employers  want  you  to  
work  for  them?    
2. Have  you  ever  been  in  an  interview  where  the  interviewer  asked  you  questions  
about  your  personality  or  attitude?    
 
 
 
The  Audio    
 

  3  
Workplace   columnist,   Margo   Ross   Graham,   explains   that   there   is   more   to   a   good   employee  
than   just   having   the   right   job   skills   and   technical   training.   Good   interview   questions   will   not  
only  get  at  the  interviewee’s  past  experiences,  but  his  or  her  overall  behaviours  and  attitudes.  
In   this   discussion,   you   will   listen   to   Graham’s   insight   into   how   to   conduct   a   successful  
interview  for  both  the  interviewer  and  the  interviewee.                  
 

           
 
Workplace  columnist  Margot  Ross  Graham  (Used  with  permission:  
http://www.williamsengineering.com/company/leadership/margotross-­‐graham)  
 
Before  you  listen:    
 
0:11   Mark   Now,  okay,  besides  job  skills,  which  are  fairly  obvious,  I  get,  
what  else  should  employers  be  looking  for?  
0:17   Margo   Well  one  of  the  really  hard  things  to  measure,  but  really  
important,  is  this  attitude  of  how  they’re  going  to  show  up  in  
a  job,  and  many  people  forget  that.  They  really  go  to  ‘as  long  
as  they  have  the  skills  to  do  the  job,  that  are  very  technical,  
which  you  can  measure,  then,  I’m  gonna  take  that  person  and  
neglect  this  whole  attitudinal  side  of  an  employee’.  
 
 
 
Pre-­‐Listening  Vocabulary    
 

  4  
The  words  below  are  from  the  audio.  The  definitions  are  next  to  the  words.  Read  the  
definitions  then  complete  the  sentences.    
 
Word   Definition  
Job  skills  (noun)   Specific  skills  needed  to  do  particular  jobs.  E.g.  typing  skills  are  a  job  
skill  needed  in  order  to  become  a  secretary.    
 
Attributes  (noun)   A  personal  quality  someone  has  that  is  considered  to  be  good  or  
useful.    
 
Measure  (verb)     To  determine,  or  judge  something  or  someone.    
 
Attitude  (noun)   Someone’s  opinions  or  feelings,  which  are  usually  shown  in  how  he  
or  she  behaves  or  acts  towards  something  or  someone.    
 
Results  (noun)   Something  that  happens  because  of  something  that  happened  
before.  It  is  the  effect  that  occurs  from  the  cause  of  something.    
 
Determination   A  personality  quality  of  trying/putting  effort  into  to  doing  
(noun)     something,  even  if  it  is  hard  to  do.  
 
Demonstrate     To  show  something.    
(verb)  
Behaviour  (noun)   How  a  person  acts;  what  they  do  that  can  be  observed,  or  seen.    
 
Specific  (adjective)   A  particular  person,  thing,  place,  etc.  It  is  detailed  and  exact;  not  
just  any  person,  place  or  thing.    
 
Unique    (adjective)   Different  and  special,  in  a  good  way.    
 
Capable  (adjective)   Being  able  to  do  something  because  the  person  has  the  qualities  
and  abilities.    
 
Interviewer  (noun)   The  person  hosting/conducting  the  job  interview;  the  person  who  is  
asking  the  questions  in  an  interview.    
 
Interviewee  (noun)   The  person  who  is  answering  the  questions  in  the  interview;  the  
person  who  is  trying  to  get  the  job.    
 
Role  (noun)   The  position  someone  is  assigned  to;  this  includes  the  job  
  responsibilities,  duties,  etc.    
 
Pre-­‐Listening  Vocabulary:  Use  the  vocabulary  words  above  to  complete  the  following  
sentences.  (Answers  can  be  found  in  the  appendix.)  
 

  5  
1. If  you  have  a  positive  ________________________________  in  the  workplace,  your  co-­‐
workers  will  appreciate  it,  because  you’ll  be  more  fun  to  work  with.    
 
2. It  can  be  difficult  to  correctly  ________________________________  a  person’s  good  and  bad  
personality  characteristics  in  just  one  interview.    
 
3. As  an  employer,  you  want  to  hire  people  who  have  a  lot  of  
________________________________  because  if  they  do  it  means  that  they  won’t  give  up  
easily  and  they  will  keep  trying  and  working  at  something  until  the  job  is  done.    
 
4. A  person’s  ________________________________is  what  will  really  show  how  he  or  she  will  
do  at  a  given  job.  It’s  not  what  they  say  they  will  do,  but  what  they  actually  will  do.    
 
5. The  ________________________________  has  a  difficult  job  because  he  or  she  has  to  decide  
which  questions  should  be  asked  in  order  to  learn  the  most  useful  information  about  the  
possible  future  employee.    
 
6. When  you  go  to  an  interview,  you  are  basically  trying  out  for  a  
________________________________    at  that  workplace.    
 
7. Employers  are  looking  for  many  things  in  the  their  employees  and  having  the  appropriate  
________________________________  for  the  job  is  one  of  those  things.    
 
8. Employers  want  employees  who  set  goals  and  get  ________________________________.    
   
9. Interviewees  should  try  to  ________________________________  their  positive  traits  to  the  
interviewer  by  giving  lots  of  examples  of  things  they  have  done  in  previous  jobs.    
 
10. It  is  good  to  be  very  ________________________________  with  the  examples  you  give  about  
what  you  have  accomplished  in  previous  workplaces  when  in  an  interview.    
 
11. The  ________________________________  should  come  to  an  interview  ready  to  show  how  
he  or  she  will  be  a  positive  and  hard  working  addition  to  the  employer’s  workplace.    
 
12. The  more  ________________________________a  person’s  skills  are,  the  more  desirable  he  
or  she  may  appear  to  be  to  the  interviewer.    
 
13. You  want  to  show  off  your  best  ________________________________  when  you  are  in  an  
interview.    
 
14. Most  employers  are  looking  for  independent,  creative  and  
_______________________________    people  to  work  for  them.    
 
Listening  for  Meaning    
Read  the  questions  below.  Then  listen  to  the  audio  and  answer  the  questions.    

  6  
(Answers  can  be  found  in  the  Appendix)  
 
1. What  is  the  main  point  Margo  Graham  is  trying  to  make  in  this  audio  clip?  
 
 
 
 
 
2. According  to  Graham  what  are  two  of  the  most  important  things,  besides  job  skills,  
that  employers  should  be  looking  for  in  an  interviewee?  
 
 
 
 
 
3. What  is  the  best  way  for  an  interviewee  to  show  that  he  or  she  has  had  successful  
results  at  work  in  the  past?  
 
 
 
 
 
4. What  would  be  a  more  effective  way  for  an  employer  to  find  out  if  someone  is  hard  
working  than  to  ask,  “Are  you  hard  working?”  
 
 
 
 
 
True/False  –  Read  the  following  statements  below  and  decide  if  they  are  true  or  false.    
 
Questions   True   False  
1.    Attitude  is  a  quality  that  is  difficult  for  employers  to  measure      
during  an  interview.      
2.  Job  skills  are  more  important  than  attitude  for  employers.      
 
3.  Graham  says  it’s  best  to  hire  employees  who  have  similar  views  of      
the  employer.    
4.  Behavioural  interviews  allow  employers  to  get  at  specific      
achievements  interviews  have  accomplished.      
 
 
Listening  strategies  –  Sentence  Stress      (Answers  found  in  Appendix)  
 

  7  
English  is  a  stress-­‐timed  language.  The  rhythm  of  English  is  determined  by  the  primary  word  
stresses  and  the  unstressed  syllables  in  between  these  primary  words.  Determining  where  the  
stress  is  in  spoken  English  can  help  the  listener  (you)  understand  the  main  idea  of  what  is  
being  said,  as  the  stressed  words  usually  carry  the  most  meaningful  information.  In  other  
words,  the  stressed  words  tend  to  come  in  the  form  of  verbs,  adjectives  and  nouns  (including  
pronouns).    
 
Look  at  this  example  below  and  notice  how  the  primary  words  that  are  stressed  are  the  most  
meaningful  words  in  the  sentence.  Go  listen  to  this  section  and  see  if  you  can  hear  the  word  
stress  on  these  words.  The  words  will  be  louder,  longer  or  more  pronounced  in  some  way.    
 
0:17     Well,  one  of  the  really  hard  things  to  measure  but  really  important  is  this  attitude  
of  how  they’re  going  to  show  up  in  a  job.  
 
Now,  listen  to  the  assigned  sections  below  and  try  to  pick  out  the  words  that  are  stressed.  A  
trick  to  decide  if  the  word  is  stressed  or  not  is  to  listen  to  see  if  the  word  is  louder  or  longer  
than  the  other  words.  If  you  replace  the  words  with  humming,  you  may  be  able  to  more  easily  
tell  what  is  stressed  and  what  is  not.  Try  it!    
 
Time   Clause   Stressed  Words  
0:52   But  those  things  are  teachable.  But    
these  attitudinal  things,  you  can  
learn  them  and  you  can  develop  
them.  
1:24   Now,  often  some  companies  will    
have  human  resources  managers  
who  handle  this  sort  of  thing.  
3:19   And,  I  guess,  this  is  good  advice  for    
people  who  are  interviewing  for  jobs  
as  well.  
4:35   To  make  it  even  easier  for  you,  come    
up  with  some  examples  that  would  
describe  that  picture.  
5:12   You  may  have  an  individual  on  your    
team  that  you  want  to  be  more  
gregarious  because  you  have  other  
people  on  your  team  who  are  more  
focused  on  the  back  end  side  of  the  
business.  
5:28   But,  some  of  those  people  need  to    
interact  with  customers  and  others  
don’t.      
 
Speaking  Strategies:  Vowel  reduction  in  the  word  “Can”  
(Answers  in  the  Appendix)  

  8  
  
Many  language  learners  have  a  difficult  time  hearing  the  difference  between  the  words  “can”  
and  “can’t”.  The  biggest  difference  between  how  these  two  words  sound  is  how  the  vowel  “a”  
is  pronounced.  In  the  word  “Can”  native  speakers  actually  shorten,  or  reduce,  the  “a”  making  
the  word  sound  like  “kin”,  not  “can”.  Whereas,  the  word  “Can’t”  keeps  the  “a”  sound,  hence  
the  vowel  is  not  reduced.    
 
Listen  to  the  numerous  examples  of  the  word  “can”  and  pay  attention  to  the  shortened  vowel  
sound.    
 
0:38   Margo   Well,  I  think  its  important  because,  I  think  that  you  can  teach  
skills  and  if  there’s  a  “how-­‐to”  manual,  you  can  show  
somebody  how  to  do  some  of  these  things  and  that  is  not  to  
negate,  depending  on  the  role  you  are  going  to,  you  must  
have  the  training  to  do  it,    
0:51   Mark   Right  
0:52   Margo   But  those  things  are  teachable.  But  these  attitudinal  things,  
you  can  learn  them  and  you  can  develop  them.  But  if  you  can  
get  someone  who  has  them  on  their  team..  
 
Next,  make  a  list  of  the  desirable  qualities  you  have  that  would  make  an  employer  want  to  
hire  you.  Write  them  into  “I  can  do/make/create/handle…”  statements.  Now,  practice  
speaking  about  these  qualities  using  “can”,  but  make  sure  you’re  reducing  the  “a”  to  make  the  
word  “can”  sound  like  “kin”.    
 
Fluency-­‐Building:  Practice  makes  perfect!  
 
In  order  to  build  up  your  fluency,  repeating,  or  practicing,  the  material  you  want  to  talk  about  
is  necessary.  If  you  are  preparing  for  any  kind  of  interview,  it’s  a  good  idea  to  guess  what  kind  
of  questions  the  person  interviewing  you  might  ask  and  then  create  answers  to  those  
questions.    
 
If  you  have  an  upcoming  interview,  use  the  “I  can”  statements  you  created  above  and  try  to  
work  them  into  your  answers  to  the  interview  questions  you  made.  Reduce  the  vowel  in  the  
word  “can”  and  practice  answering  the  interview  questions  a  few  times  in  a  row.  It  is  from  this  
practice  that  your  fluency  in  English  will  build.  As  you  become  more  familiar  with  the  
vocabulary  and  content  you  are  practicing,  you  will  find  it  easier  to  speak  about  any  given  
topic.    
 
 
Grammar  –  The  uses  of  the  Adverb  “Really”  

  9  
  
Adverbs  are  words  that  modify  or  change  the  meaning  of  other  words.  As  you  will  see  below,  
we  use  the  adverb  “Really”  for  a  few  different  reasons,  as  it  has  a  number  of  meanings.  This  
lesson  will  focus  on  two  of  those  meanings  and  uses.    
 
Two  possible  uses  of  “Really”:  
1. When  you  want  to  emphasize  your  opinion,  or  something  you  are  saying.    
For  example,  I  really  like  him.  Or,  I  really  want  to  help.  
 
2. When  we  want  to  emphasize  an  adjective  or  an  adverb.    
For  example,  It’s  a  really  expensive  watch.  Or,  She  talks  really  fast.    
(Note:  This  use  of  “Really”  could  be  replaced  by  the  word  “very”  and  still  have  the  same  
meaning.  E.g.  It’s  a  very  expensive  watch.  Or,  She  talks  very  fast.)  
 
HINT:  When  trying  to  tell  which  “Really”  is  being  used  (use  1  or  use  2),  you  must  think  of  the  
meaning  of  the  sentence  (is  it  emphasizing  a  statement?  Or  emphasizing  an  adjective  or  
adverb?).    
 
Look  at  the  examples  listed  above  and  see  if  you  notice  a  pattern  in  the  word  classes  (noun,  
verb,  adverb,  adjective,  preposition,  etc.)  that  directly  follow  the  word  “really”.    
 
Use  1                                                Use  2  
really  like    really  expensive  
really  want    really  fast  
really  have    really  interesting  
 
Pattern  for  Use  1:  
Pattern  for  Use  2:  
 
Next,  look  at  the  uses  of  “Really”  from  the  listening  passages  and  decide  whether  they  were  
used  to  emphasize  the  speakers  statement/opinion  or  an  adjective  or  adverb.    
 
Statement  from  listening   Word  and  word   Use  1  or  
class  that  follows   Use  2  
“really”  
0:17  Well,  one  of  the  really  hard  things  to  measure…      
0:19  but,  really  important  is  this  attitude  of  …        
0:25  They  really  go  to,  as  long  as  they…        
0:52  you  really  do  want  to  have  somebody…      
1:02  this  is  really  important  for  this  team….      
1:57  that  really  hold  themselves  accountable…        
2:50  a  good  question  to  really  drive  at  that  would  be…        
 
Reading  Activity  –  Pre  reading  Vocabulary    

  10  
 The  following  vocabulary  activity  will  help  you  to  understand  the  reading  below.  Match  each  
word  to  its  correct  definition.  The  first  one  is  done  for  you.  Answers  can  be  found  in  the  
appendix.    
 
Word/Phrase   Letter   Definition  
1.  applicant  (noun)     a. Genuine.  Really  meaning  what  you  say  or  do.    
 
2.  first  impression  (noun)     b. A  collection  of  previous  projects  and  works  done  
by  someone,  often  used  to  show  what  he  or  she  
has  accomplished  in  the  past.    
 
3.  sincere  (adjective)     c. Something  that  is  said  that  applies  to  most  
cases.    
 
4.  relevant  (adjective)     d. Power  or  ability  to  do  something  
 
5.  portfolio  (noun)     e. Something  that  sends  a  sign  or  message  to  
someone    
 
6.  typical  (adjective)       f. A  person  who  makes  a  formal  application  for  
something,  usually  a  job.  
 
7.  generally-­‐speaking       g. Done  in  order  to  find  out  more  or  do  more  
about  something.    
 
8.  capability    (noun)     h. A  quality  about  someone  that  isn’t  very  good;  
it’s  the  opposite  of  strength.  
 
9.  qualifications  (noun)     i. Important  and  closely  connected  and  
appropriate.    
 
10.  cues  (noun)     j. The  thinking  that  happens  when  trying  to  make  
a  decision.  
 
11.  weakness  (noun)     k. A  skill  or  personal  quality  that  someone  has  that  
makes  them  a  good  choice  for  a  certain  job  or  
position.    
 
12.  follow-­‐up  (adjective)     l. An  initial  general  opinion,  feeling,  or  thought  on  
someone  or  something  without  giving  it  deep  
consideration  or  having  proof  for  it.    
 
13.  consideration  (noun)     m.  Usual,  expected,  distinctive  qualities  of  
something  or  someone.  
Job  Interviews  in  Alberta  

  11  
Making  a  good  first  impression—Tips  
Most  interviewers  in  Alberta  form  an  impression  of  job  applicants  in  the  first  minute  or  two.  Pay  
attention  to  how  you  appear  and  what  you  do  when  you  first  arrive.  You  want  to  do  your  best  to  
make   a   good   first   impression.   Here   are   some   tips   for   making   a   good   first   impression   with   an  
employer  in  Alberta.  You  can  also  use  these  tips  for  other  kinds  of  interviews  and  meetings:  
•  Arrive  10  to  15  minutes  early  and  let  the  receptionist  know  you  have  arrived.  
•   Do   not   smoke,   chew   gum   or   drink   coffee.   (It   is   okay   to   accept   a   glass   of   water   if   you   are   offered  
one  once  you  are  in  the  interview  room.)  
•   Be   pleasant,   honest   and   sincere   with   everyone   in   the   office.   Interviewers   may   ask   other   staff  
members  for  their  opinions.  
•   When   you   first   meet   the   interviewer(s),   introduce   yourself,   shake   hands   firmly   and   make   eye  
contact.  
•  Remain  standing  until  you  are  offered  a  chair  and  then  sit  up  straight.  
•   Take   a   copy   of   your   resumé   and   cover   letter,   the   job   advertisement   (if   there   was   one),   your  
portfolio  and  any  other  relevant  documents  with  you.    
•  Follow  the  interviewer’s  lead.  The  interviewer  may  spend  a  few  moments  just  chatting  with  you.  
If  so,  listen  to  what  they  have  to  say  and  be  prepared  to  say  something  positive.  Be  prepared  to  
quickly  move  into  the  main  part  of  the  interview  when  the  employer  is  ready.  
Typical  interview  questions  
“Albertans  are  very  polite.  Just  because  an  
No   two   interviewers   will   ask   the   same   questions.  
employer  is  nice  to  you  during  an  interview,  
They   will   not   ask   them   the   same   way   either.   But   do  not  assume  the  job  is  yours.  Alberta  
generally   speaking,   you   can   expect   to   be   asked   the   employers  treat  everyone  they  interview  the  
following   sorts   of   questions   by   an   Alberta   same  way.  There  is  no  way  to  know  whether  
you  have  the  job  during  the  actual  interview.  
employer:  
You  will  have  to  wait  until  everyone  has  been  
There   are   many   other   questions   an   employer   can   interviewed  and  then  the  employer  will  
ask  you,  including  questions  about  your  reaction  to   contact  you.”  
certain   work   situations   or   your   plans   for   the   Counsellor  at  an  immigrant-­‐serving  agency  
future.  Whatever  you  are  asked,  it  will  be  much  easier  to  answer  if  you  have  identified  your  skills  
and  learned  about  the  job  and  employer.  
Know  your  answers    
Write  down  and  practise  your  answers  to   Tips  for  answering  questions:  
possible  questions  before  you  go  to  your  
interview.  To  make  a  good  impression  in  a  
•   Identify   the   connections   between   your  
job  interview  in  Alberta,  do  more  than  tell   capabilities  and  the  employer’s  needs  
employers  what  you  can  do.  Describe   even  if  they  seem  obvious  to  you.  
situations  in  which  you  have  demonstrated   •   Avoid   “yes”   and   “no”   answers.   Think   of   what  
what  you  can  do.  For  example,  instead  of  
saying  “I  have  excellent  communications   the   interviewer   is   trying   to   find   out   and   respond  
skills,”  say  “I  successfully  planned  and   to  that.  
executed  a  strategic  communications  plan  to   •   Avoid   talking   about   your   family,   friends   or   any  
tell  over  300  staff  about  a  new  company  
other  personal  matters.    
product.”  
 

  12  
Focus  on  giving  work-­‐related  information:  
•   Use   action   words   to   describe   what   you   can   do.   Use   words   such   as   achieved,  
delivered,   implemented,   improved,   established,   recommended,   promoted,   solved,  
strengthened,  initiated  and  delegated.  
•   Use   lots   of   strong   clear   words   to   describe   yourself.   Such   words   could   include  
adaptable,  courteous,  creative,  logical,  disciplined,  knowledgeable,  people-­‐oriented  or  
versatile.  These  are  just  some  examples.  Use  the  words  that  describe  you  best.  
•   If   the   interviewer   asks   more   “open”   questions   (e.g.   Why   are   you   interested   in   this  
position?),  use  this  as  an  opportunity  to  lead  the  conversation  toward  a  discussion  of  
your  strongest  qualifications  as  they  relate  to  the  job.  
•  If  you  do  not  understand  a  question,  politely  ask  the  interviewer  to  ask  the  question  
another  way.  If  you  do  not  know  the  answer,  say  so.  
•  Let  your  interest  and  enthusiasm  show.  Take  your  cues  from  the  interviewers  about  
how  formal  or  informal  to  be  and  let  your  personality  come  through.  
 
When  asked  about  weaknesses,  you  might  respond  as  follows:  
 
Example   #1:   “Weaknesses?   My   work   experience   is   all   in   the   textile   manufacturing  
industry.  But  I  can  use  my  leadership  and  analytical  skills  anywhere.”  
Example   #2:   “I   have   a   lot   to   learn   about   Canadian   ways,   but   I   am   disciplined   and  
versatile.   I   also   learn   quickly.   I   have   a   strong   Canadian   support   group   and   I’m   taking  
some   training   to   improve   my   English   skills.   People   do   not   have   a   problem  
understanding  me.”  
Example  #3:  “Because  my  training  and  previous  experience  were  not  in  Canada,  some  
might  see  this  as  a  problem  rather  than  an  asset  to  the  organization.  I  can  bring  new  
perspectives  and  different  ways  of  doing  things  to  the  job.”  
 
After  the  interview  
 
After   the   interview,   it   is   a   good   idea   to   follow   up   by   thanking   the   interviewer(s)   for   their   time   and  
consideration.  This  can  be  done  through  a  brief  letter,  e-­‐mail  or  phone  call.  Following  up  can  set  
you  apart  from  other  applicants.  
 
Excerpted  from:  Working  in  Alberta  -­‐  A  Guide  for  internationally  trained  and  educated  immigrants  
©  2004,  2006,  2009  Government  of  Alberta,  Alberta  Employment  and  Immigration  
 
   

  13  
 Reading  for  Meaning  
Answer  the  following  questions  about  the  reading.  Answers  can  be  found  in  the  
appendix.  
 
1. How  long  does  it  take  interviewers  to  get  a  general  sense  for  who  the  person  is  that  they  are  
interviewing?    
 
 
2. Why  should  you  arrive  10-­‐15  minutes  early  for  an  interview  and  not  smoke,  chew  gum  or  
drink  coffee  as  you  go  in  for  an  interview?    
 
 
 
3. What  kind  of  body  language  should  you  give  your  interviewer  when  you  first  introduce  
yourself  to  him  or  her?    
 
 
4. How  can  you  practice  your  answers  to  possible  interview  questions  if  you  don’t  know  what  
the  interviewer  will  be  asking  you?    
 
 
 
5. Instead  of  just  telling  the  interviewer  that  you  can  do  something,  what  else  should  you  do?    
 
 
 
6. What  type  of  response  should  you  give  when  someone  asks  you  about  your  weaknesses?    
 
 
 
7. How  will  you  know  how  formal  or  informal  to  be  in  the  interview?  
 
   
 
8. What  should  you  say  when  you  follow-­‐up  after  the  interview?    
 
 
 
9. How  can  you  follow  up  after  the  interview?    
 
 
 
10. Why  should  you  follow-­‐up  after  an  interview?    
 
   

  14  
Reading  Strategies:  Point-­‐Form  Lists  
Sometimes  when  there  are  many  important  things  to  say  about  the  same  topic,  people  make  
point  form  lists.  The  list  is  used  to  make  the  information  stand  out  from  the  rest  of  the  other  
stuff.    
 
The  structure  of  a  point  form  list:  Generally  you  will  name  the  topic  you  are  about  to  make  a  
list  for  and  you  would  use  a  Colon  (:)  instead  of  a  period  to  begin  the  list.  Also,  notice  that  
most  of  the  points  start  with  a  verb.  Although  it  is  not  a  rule  to  start  the  list  in  this  way,  it  is  
common.    
 
Look  at  this  example  below  to  see  what  a  point-­‐form  list  looks  like:  
 
When  looking  for  where  to  apply  for  a  job  you  may  try  the  following:  
-­‐ Check  the  Internet  job  sites,  e.g.  Monster.ca  .    
-­‐ Look  in  the  newspapers  at  the  Classified  ad  section.  
-­‐ Look  on  Bulletin  boards  at  community  centres.    
-­‐ Go  in  person  to  different  workplaces  and  ask  if  they  are  hiring.    
 
Now,  analyze  the  point-­‐form  list  and  note  the  answers  for  these  two  categories:    
 
The  heading  title   The  topic  of  the  list  
“When  looking  for  where  to  apply  for  a  job  you   Different  ways  to  find  jobs  to  apply  for  
may  try  the  following:”  
 
 
The  reading  has  3  separate  lists.  All  of  the  lists  are  giving  the  reader  advice  related  to  job  
interviews.  Go  back  into  the  reading  and  find  the  lists.  After  you  find  them,  identify  the  two  
categories  for  each  of  the  stories.    
 
  The  heading  title   The  topic  of  the  list  
List  1        
 
 
List  2      
 
 
List  3      
 
 
 
 
Now  try  to  make  your  own  point  form  list.  Decide  on  a  title,  don’t  forget  the  colon  and  try  to  
make  sure  every  point  in  the  list  is  on  the  topic  that  you  have  chosen.    
 
 

  15  
Writing  –  Using  “For  example,”  
 
Good  writers  explain  their  ideas  well  and  one  way  they  do  this  is  by  using  examples.  Using  
examples  when  trying  to  explain  something  is  extremely  important  because  it  gives  the  
audience  a  real,  concrete  idea  of  what  it  is  you  are  trying  to  say.    
 
Q:  Where  would  you  find  examples  being  used  in  writing?      
A:  Essays,  long  answer  questions  in  exams,  newspapers,  business  reports,  resumes  and  cover  
letters,  among  other  places.  Can  you  think  of  any  other  places?  
 
Common  Phrases  used  when  giving  examples:  
For  example,     For  instance,   e.g.,  
 
*Note:  All  of  these  phrases  must  have  a  comma  afterwards.    
 
Practice:  Using  examples  in  a  cover  letter  
We  should  write  a  cover  letter  and  hand  them  in  with  our  resumes  for  each  job  we  apply  for.  
The  purpose  of  a  cover  letter  is  to  introduce  ourselves,  say  why  we  want  the  job  and  to  say  
how  we  are  qualified  for  it.    
 
When  writing  a  cover  letter  for  a  particular  position,  it  is  important  to  address  the  
qualifications  that  the  employer  is  looking  for.  So,  as  prepare  your  cover  letter  in  response  to  
a  job  posting,  you  should  be  thinking  of  very  specific  examples  of  how  you  can  show  the  
employer  that  you  meet  the  qualifications  listed.  For  example,  
 
We  are  looking  for  a  person  to  work  with  us  who:  
♣  likes  to  take  an  active  role  in  coaching  and  leading  the  store  team  in  creating  a  positive  
experience  for  the  customer  
♣  likes  to  work  with  people,  are  outgoing  and  team-­‐oriented  
 
Response  using  “example”  statements:    
I  know  that  I  am  able  to  take  an  active  role  in  leading  a  team  of  employees,  while  
keeping  the  experience  for  the  customers  positive,  because  I  have  done  so  numerous  times  in  
the  past.  For  instance,  when  I  worked  at  Shoppers  Drug  Mart  as  the  front  store  supervisor  for  
five  years,  my  staff  completed  their  duties  in  a  timely  manner,  all  the  while  being  pleasant  to  
the  customers;  for  example,  there  were  very  few  customer  complaints  and  my  staff  were  
happy  to  provide  excellent  customer  service  with  a  genuine  smile  on  their  faces.      
 
You  Try!  
Go  to  the  “Links”  page  below  and  click  on  one  of  the  job  site  links.  Find  a  job  that  you  could  
qualify  for  and  practice  writing  a  cover  letter  using  specific  examples  about  your  previous  
work  experience  and  qualifications  that  match  what  they  are  looking  for.  *Also,  see  the  links  
on  cover  letters  if  you  need  a  sample  of  a  cover  letter.    
 
 
 

  16  
Links  
 
Job  websites  to  find  job  postings  on:  
1.  Wow  Jobs:  
http://www.wowjobs.ca/BrowseResults.aspx?q=&l=EDMONTON  
 
2.  Monster.ca:  
http://www.monster.ca/  
 
3.  Workopolis:  
http://www.workopolis.com/jobsearch/jobs-­‐in-­‐edmonton-­‐alberta  
 
4.  The  city  of  Edmonton:  
http://www.edmonton.ca/city_government/jobs.aspx  
 
 
Cover  letter  writing:    
1.  http://jobsearch.about.com/od/coverletters/a/aa030401a.htm  
 
2.  http://www.wikihow.com/Write-­‐a-­‐Cover-­‐Letter  
 
 
Interview  tips:  
1.  http://jobsearch.about.com/cs/interviews/a/jobinterviewtip.htm  
 
2.  http://alis.alberta.ca/ep/eps/tips/tips.html?EK=150  
 
 
Adverbs:  
1.http://www.noslangues-­‐ourlanguages.gc.ca/bien-­‐well/fra-­‐eng/grammaire-­‐
grammar/posadvs-­‐eng.html  
 
 
Point  Form  Lists:  
http://www.grammar-­‐monster.com/lessons/using_bullet_points.htm  
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

  17  
Answer  Key  
 
Listening  Vocabulary  
 
1. If  you  have  a  positive  attitude  in  the  workplace,  your  co-­‐workers  will  appreciate  it,  
because  you’ll  be  more  fun  to  work  with.    
 
2. It  can  be  difficult  to  correctly  measure  a  person’s  good  and  bad  personality  
characteristics  in  just  one  interview.    
 
3. As  an  employer,  you  want  to  hire  people  who  have  a  lot  of  determination  because  if  
they  do  it  means  that  they  won’t  give  up  easily  and  they  will  keep  trying  and  working  
at  something  until  the  job  is  done.    
 
4. A  person’s  behaviour  is  what  will  really  show  how  he  or  she  will  do  at  a  given  job.  It’s  
not  what  they  say  they  will  do,  but  what  they  actually  will  do.    
 
5. The  interviewer  has  a  difficult  job  because  he  or  she  has  to  decide  which  questions  
should  be  asked  in  order  to  learn  the  most  useful  information  about  the  possible  
future  employee.    
 
6. When  you  go  to  an  interview,  you  are  basically  trying  out  for  a  role  at  that  workplace.    
 
7. Employers  are  looking  for  many  things  in  the  their  employees  and  having  the  
appropriate  job  skills  for  the  job  is  one  of  those  things.    
 
8. Employers  want  employees  who  set  goals  and  get  results.  
   
9. Interviewees  should  try  to  demonstrate  their  positive  traits  to  the  interviewer  by  
giving  lots  of  examples  of  things  they  have  done  in  previous  jobs.    
 
10. It  is  good  to  be  very  specific  with  the  examples  you  give  about  what  you  have  
accomplished  in  previous  workplaces  when  in  an  interview.    
 
11. The  interviewee  should  come  to  an  interview  ready  to  show  how  he  or  she  will  be  a  
positive  and  hard  working  addition  to  the  employer’s  workplace.    
 
12. The  more  unique  a  person’s  skills  are,  the  more  desirable  he  or  she  may  appear  to  be  
to  the  interviewer.    
 
13. You  want  to  show  off  your  best  attributes  when  you  are  in  an  interview.    
 
14. Most  employers  are  looking  for  independent,  creative  and  capable  people  to  work  for  
them.    
 
 

  18  
Listening  for  Meaning  
 
1. What  is  the  main  point  Margo  Graham  is  trying  to  make  in  this  audio  clip?  
-­‐That  interviewing  for  a  job  is  not  just  about  looking  for  someone  who  has  the  skills,  
but  looking  for  a  person  who  has  a  good  attitude  too.    
 
2. According  to  Graham  what  are  two  of  the  most  important  things,  besides  job  skills,  
that  employers  should  be  looking  for  in  an  interviewee?  
-­‐ Attitude  and  proof  of  their  ability  to  perform  and  be  successful  at  work.    
 
3. What  is  the  best  way  for  an  interviewee  to  show  that  he  or  she  has  had  successful  
results  at  work  in  the  past?  
-­‐give  the  interviewer  really  specific  examples  of  what  he/she  has  done  in  the  past  that  
has  worked  well  and  gotten  good  results.    
 
4. What  would  be  a  more  effective  way  for  an  employer  to  find  out  if  someone  is  hard  
working  than  to  ask,  “Are  you  hard  working?”  
-­‐  They  should  ask  for  specifics,  like  give  me  an  example  of  a  time  when  you  showed  
that  you  are  hardworking.    
 
True/False  –  Read  the  following  statements  below  and  decide  if  they  are  true  or  false.    
 
Questions   True   False  
1.    Attitude  is  a  quality  that  is  difficult  for  employers  to  measure      
X  
during  an  interview.    
2.  Job  skills  are  more  important  than  attitude  for  employers.      
X  
3.  Graham  says  it’s  best  to  hire  employees  who  have  similar  views  of      
X  
the  employer.  
4.  Behavioural  interviews  allow  employers  to  get  at  specific      
X  
achievements  interviews  have  accomplished.    
 
 
Listening  Strategies    
Time   Clause   Stressed  Words  
0:52   But  these  attitudinal  things,  you  can   But  these  attitudinal  things,  you  can  
learn  them  and  you  can  develop   learn  them  and  you  can  develop  them.  
them.  
1:24   Now,  often  some  companies  will   Now,  often  some  companies  will  have  
have  human  resources  managers   human  resources  managers  who  
who  handle  this  sort  of  thing.   handle  this  sort  of  thing.  
3:19   And,  I  guess,  this  is  good  advice  for   And,  I  guess,  this  is  good  advice  for  

  19  
 people  who  are  interviewing  for  jobs   people  who  are  interviewing  for  jobs  as  
as  well.   well.  
4:35   To  make  it  even  easier  for  you,  come   To  make  it  even  easier  for  you,  come  
up  with  some  examples  that  would   up  with  some  examples  that  would  
describe  that  picture.   describe  that  picture.  
5:12   You  may  have  an  individual  on  your   You  may  have  an  individual  on  your  
team  that  you  want  to  be  more   team  that  you  want  to  be  more  
gregarious  because  you  have  other   gregarious  because  you  have  other  
people  on  your  team  who  are  more   people  on  your  team  who  are  more  
focused  on  the  back  end  side  of  the   focused  on  the  back  end  side  of  the  
business.   business.  
5:28   But,  some  of  those  people  need  to   But,  some  of  those  people  need  to  
interact  with  customers  and  others   interact  with  customers  and  others  
don’t.       don’t.      
 
Grammar:  Really  
Use  1                                          Use  2  
really  like    really  expensive  
really  want    really  fast  
really  have   really  interesting  
 
Pattern  for  Use  1:  Really  is  followed  by  a  verb  for  meaning  and  use  1.    
Pattern  for  Use  2:  Really  is  followed  by  an  adjective  
 
Next,  look  at  the  uses  of  “Really”  from  the  listening  passages  and  decide  whether  they  were  
used  to  emphasize  the  speakers  statement/opinion  or  an  adjective  or  adverb.    
 
Statement  from  listening   Word  and  word   Use  1  or  
class  that  follows   Use  2  
“really”  
0:17  Well,  one  of  the  really  hard  things  to  measure…   Adjective     2  
0:19  but,  really  important  is  this  attitude  of  …     Adjective     2  
0:25  They  really  go  to,  as  long  as  they…     Verb   1  
0:52  you  really  do  want  to  have  somebody…   Verb   1  
1:02  this  is  really  important  for  this  team….   Adjective     2  
1:57  that  really  hold  themselves  accountable…     Verb     1  
2:50  a  good  question  to  really  drive  at  that  would  be…     Verb   1  
 
Pre-­‐Reading  Vocabulary    
Word/Phrase   Letter   Definition  
1.  applicant  (noun)   f   a.  Genuine.  Really  meaning  what  you  say  or  do.    
2.  first  impression  (noun)   l   b.  a  collection  of  previous  projects  and  works  done  by  
someone,  often  used  to  show  what  he  or  she  has  
accomplished  in  the  past.    
3.  sincere  (adjective)   a   c.  something  that  is  said  that  applies  to  most  cases.    

  20  
4.  relevant  (adjective)   i   d.  power  or  ability  to  do  something  
5.  portfolio  (noun)   b   e.  something  that  sends  a  sign  or  message  to  
someone    
6.  typical  (adjective)   m     f.  a  person  who  makes  a  formal  application  for  
something,  usually  a  job.  
7.  generally-­‐  speaking     c   g.  done  in  order  to  find  out  more  or  do  more  about  
something.    
8.  capability    (noun)   d   h.  a  quality  about  someone  that  isn’t  very  good;  it’s  
the  opposite  of  strength.  
9.  qualifications  (noun)   k   i.  important  and  closely  connected  and  appropriate.    
10.  cues  (noun)   e   j.  the  thinking  that  happens  when  trying  to  make  a  
decision.  
11.  weakness  (noun)   h   k.  a  skill  or  personal  quality  that  someone  has  that  
makes  them  a  good  choice  for  a  certain  job  or  
position.    
12.  follow-­‐up  (adjective)   g   l.  an  initial  general  opinion,  feeling,  or  thought  on  
someone  or  something  without  giving  it  deep  
consideration  or  having  proof  for  it.    
13.  consideration  (noun)   j   m.  usual,  expected,  distinctive  qualities  of  something  
or  someone  
 
Reading  for  Meaning  
 
1. How  long  does  it  take  interviewers  to  get  a  general  sense  for  who  the  person  is  that  
they  are  interviewing?    
-­‐ The  first  minute  or  two  the  interviewer  forms  a  first  impression.    
 
2. Why  should  you  arrive  10-­‐15  minutes  early  for  an  interview  and  not  smoke,  chew  gum  
or  drink  coffee  as  you  go  in  for  an  interview?  
-­‐ So  that  you  can  make  a  good  first  impression.    
 
3. What  kind  of  body  language  should  you  give  your  interviewer  when  you  first  introduce  
yourself  to  him  or  her?    
-­‐  You  should  shake  their  hand  firmly  and  make  eye  contact.    
 
4. How  can  you  practice  your  answers  to  possible  interview  questions  if  you  don’t  know  
what  the  interviewer  will  be  asking  you?  
-­‐  Generally  speaking,  you  can  expect  to  be  asked  the  same  kinds  of  questions  from  Alberta  
employers.  So,  even  if  you  don’t  know  what  question  will  be  asked  exactly,  you  can  practice  
for  the  types  of  questions.    
 
5. Instead  of  just  telling  the  interviewer  that  you  can  do  something,  what  else  should  you  
do?  
-­‐  Describe  situations  in  which  you  have  demonstrated  what  you  can  do.  Like,  give  
examples  of  how  you  have  excellent  communication  skills,  rather  than  just  saying  you  do.    

  21  
  
6. What  type  of  response  should  you  give  when  someone  asks  you  about  your  
weaknesses?    
-­‐  You  should  respond  in  a  way  that  makes  your  weaknesses  look  like  a  strength.    
 
7. How  will  you  know  how  formal  or  informal  to  be  in  the  interview?    
-­‐  Take  cues  from  the  interviewer…  let  him  or  her  set  the  tone  of  the  interview.    
 
8. What  should  you  say  when  you  follow-­‐up  after  the  interview?  
-­‐  Thank  the  interviewer  for  their  time  and  consideration.    
 
9. How  can  you  follow  up  after  the  interview?  
-­‐  By  writing  a  brief  letter,  e  mail  or  phone  call.    
 
10. Why  should  you  follow-­‐up  after  an  interview?  
-­‐  Because  it  sets  you  apart  from  the  other  applicants  and  will  help  the  employer  
remember  you.    
 
 
Reading  Strategies  
 
  The  heading  title   Topic  
List  1    “You  can  also  use  these  tips  for   Interview  and  meeting  tips  
other  kinds  of  interviews  and  
meetings:”  
List  2   “Tips  of  answering  questions:”   What  you  should  and  should  not  do  
when  answering  questions  in  an  
interview  
List  3   “Focus  on  giving  work-­‐related   Types  of  work-­‐related  information  to  
information:”   give  to  an  interviewer  and  what  kind  of  
language  to  use  when  doing  so.    
 
 
   

  22  
Audio  Transcript  
 
0:00   Mark   When  it  comes  to  hiring  a  new  worker,  job  skills  can  be  straightforward  to  
test.  But  there  are  other  attributes  you  may  also  want  to  look.  Our  workplace  
columnist  Margo  Ross  Graham  is  here  with  some  advice.  Good  morning!    
0:10   Margo   Good  morning,  Mark!  
0:11   Mark   Now,  okay,  besides  job  skills,  which  are  fairly  obvious,  I  get,  what  else  should  
employers  be  looking  for?  
0:17   Margo   Well  one  of  the  really  hard  things  to  measure,  but  really  important  is  this  
attitude  of  how  they’re  going  to  show  up  in  a  job.  And,  many  people  forget  
that.  They  really  go  to,  as  long  as  they  have  the  skills  to  do  the  job,  that  are  
very  technical,  which  you  can  measure,  then,  I’m  gonna  take  that  person  and  
neglect  this  whole  attitudinal  side  of  an  employee.  
0:36   Mark   Now,  why,  why  is  that  important?  
0:38   Margo   Well,  I  think  its  important  because,  I  think  that  you  can  teach  skills  and  if  
there’s  a  “how-­‐to”  manual,  you  can  show  somebody  how  to  do  some  of  these  
things  and  that  is  and  that  is  not  to  negate,  depending  on  the  role  you  are  
going  to,  you  must  have  the  training  to  do  it,    
0:51   Mark   Right  
0:52   Margo   But  those  things  are  teachable.  But  these  attitudinal  things,  you  can  learn  
them  and  you  can  develop  them.  But  if  you  can  get  somebody  who  has  them  
on  their  team,  they  are  on  the  ball  right  away  and  they  are  running.  And  it  
creates  a  culture  on  your  team,  depending  on  the  type  of  attitude  you’re  
looking  for.    
1:07   Mark   Um  hm  
1:08   Margo   So,  for  example,  if  you’re  looking  for  a  culture  of  getting  results,  then  you  
really  do  want  to  have  somebody  who  has  that  attitude  that  this  is  really  
important  for  this  team.  And,  so  I  think,  that’s  why  it’s  really  important  to  
really  create  a  high  performing  team  and  it’s  unique  because  not  everybody  
looks  for  those  things.    
1:24   Mark     Now,  often  some  companies  will  have  human  resources  managers  who  
handle  this  sort  of  thing.  But  small  business  people  out  there  who  are  
listening  to  this  are  doing  their  own  hiring  and  that  sort  of  thing.  So,  what  
qualities  do  you  think  is  important,  but  often  get  short-­‐shrifted  in  interview  
that  they  should  sort  of  watch  for.    
1:39   Margo   I  think  that  ah,  and  the  words  might  not  be  exactly  right,  so,  you’ll  kind  of  
fix…pick  the  words  that  fit  for  you  best.  But  one  of  them  is  this  determination  
to  get  results,  so  this  drive  for  results.  And  I  don’t  mean  that  at  the  expense  
of  everything  else,  but,  this  attitude  of  ‘okay’,  is  not  good  enough.    
 
1:57   Mark   Right,    
1:58   Margo   And  so,  somebody  who  can  demonstrate  their  proven  ability  to  achieve  
things  on  time,  on  budget,  and  not  this,  ah,  if  no  one  asks  me  the  question,  
it’ll  be  okay,  I’ll  just  get  it  done.  So,  that  really,  hold  themselves  accountable,  
as  well  as  hold  each  other  on  the  team  accountable.    
So,  I  call  that  determination  to  get  results.    
2:16   Mark   And  how  do  you  interview  someone  to  get  that  answer  to  find  out  whether  

  23  
 they  have  that?  How  do  you  approach  that?  What’s  your  strategy?    
2:23   Margo     So,  there  is  an  approach  to  interviewing,  and  its  called  behavioural  
interviewing  and  that  could  be  a  whole  ‘nother  column  and,  which,  we’ll  do  
that,  probably.  And  that  is,  trying  to  ask  questions  that  show  the  individual  in  
action.  Because  what  we  know  about  people,  is  the  most  recent  behaviour  
they  had,  is  most  likely  to  be  done  again.  And  so  often  interviewers  will  ask  
questions  like,    
you  know,  are  you  a  good  results  person?  Do  you  get  results?  And  of  course,  
anybody  in  an  interview  is  gonna  say,  absolutely.    
 
2:49   Mark   Of  course,  yes.    
2:50   Margo   And  so,  a  good  question  to  really  drive  at  that,  would  be,  tell  me  about  a  
situation  that  you  were  on  a  team  where  you  were  trying  to  achieve  a  certain  
goal.  What  steps  did  you  go  to  get  to  it  and  what  was  the  outcome?  So,  it  
forces  an  interviewee  to  give  you  a  specific,  as  opposed  to,  of  course  I’ll  do  
that.    
3:10   Mark   Um  hm  
3:11   Margo   And  so  you  want  the  ‘I  have  done  this’  versus  ‘I  would  do  this’.    And  that’s  the  
way  you  ask  questions.  Its’  a  unique  style  of  questioning.    
3:19   Mark   And,  I  guess,  this  is  good  advice  for  people  who  are  interviewing  for  jobs  as  
well.  Because  they  should  think  about  that:  How  do  they  present  themselves  
and  bring  to  the  table,  the  results  they’ve  had  in  the  past  to  show  that  they’re  
capable  of  this.  Right?  
3:29   Margo   Exactly,  be  prepared,  with  really  specific  examples.    
And  an  interviewer  always  know  they’ve  asked  a  good  question,  when  the  
interviewee  has  to  stop  and  think  about  an  example  versus,  an  interviewee  
who  is  so  prepared  for  the  rote  answers,  they’re  saying  all  the  right  things.  
And,  that’s  when  you  know  you’ve  asked  a  good  question.    
3:47   Mark   And,  what  are  some  of  the  things,  if  I’m  a  small  business-­‐person,  and  I’m  
interviewing  people  and  I’m  trying  to  get,  I  really  should…    should  I  sort  of  
have  a  definition  of  who  the  perfect  employee  is  for  my  business  and  how  do  
I  get  to  that  employee?  In  other  words,  how  do  I  define  them?  Should  I  have  
that  in  my  head  before  going  into  an  interview?    
4:04   Margo   Absolutely,  and  define  them  in  the  skills  and  technical  parts,  which  you  can  
really,  are  good  questions  to  get  started  with,  to  warm  your  both  up  in  the  
interview  process.  But,  then  these  more  attitudinal  things.  You  want  to  know,  
what  are  the  key  things  that  I  want  on  a  team?  
And  something  an  employer  might  think  about  is:  what  do  I  already  have  on  
my  team  and  how  do  I  round  it  out?    
And,  so  these  attitudinal  things  are  the  rounding  out  skills,  because  you  want  
everyone  on  your  team  to  have  that,  but  absolutely,  beforehand,  have  a  
picture  in  your  head  of  what  you  want.    
And,  to  make  it  even  easier  for  you,  come  up  with  some  examples  that  would  
describe  that  picture.  So,  people  can  tell  you  what  you  want  to  hear,  but  you  
want  a  very  specific  example  that  would  demonstrate  that  to  somebody.  And  
so,  that’s  the  picture  you  want  to  create.    
4:50   Mark   And,  so  when  you’re  looking  at  your  employee  base,  say  you  have  your  small  

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 business  and  you’ve  got  6  or  7  people.  You  look  at  who  you  have.  Would  it  be  
a  good  idea  to  say,  okay,  these  people  are  playing  these  roles,  I  need  
someone  who  plays  that  role.  And  then  interview  for  that  role?    
5:04   Margo   Absolutely,  especially  when  everyone  on  your  team  requires  the  same  basic  
skills.    
5:08   Mark   Right,  say  it’s  a  retail  atmosphere,  for  instance,  but  you  want  certain  
different,  skills,  right?    
5:12   Margo   Exactly.  You  may  have  an  individual  on  your  team  that  you  want  to  be  more  
gregarious  because  you  have  other  people  on  your  team  who  are  more  
focused  on  the  back  end  side  of  the  business.  So,  you  want  to  look  for  those  
kinds  of  skills.  Or,  you  may  have  somebody  on  your  team,  you  may  have  
people  that  do  all  the  exact  same  thing…  
5:27   Mark   Um  hm.    
5:28   Margo   But,  some  of  those  people  need  to  interact  with  customers  and  others  don’t.    
So,  find  the  ones  that  don’t  need  to  interact  with  customers  and  now  go  
search  for  the  ones  that  do.  And  it’s  a  different  skill-­‐set,  it’s  a  different  
attitude,  and  a  different  behaviour.  And  that’s  a  positive  thing  for  a  leader  to  
do.  The  best  thing  a  leader  can  do  is  hire  people  different  than  themselves  to  
create  this  really  cohesive,  interesting  team.  And,  but  it’s  a  hard  thing  to  do  
and  most  of  us  struggle  with  that  because  it’s  easier  to  hire  people  and  to  
work  with  people  that  think  exactly  the  same  way.  
5:58   Mark   Right.  Great  advice.  Thanks  Margo!    
6:01   Margo   Have  a  great  week!  
6:02     Margo  Ross  Graham  is  the  vice  president  with  William’s  Engineering  where  
human  resources  is  one  of  her  portfolios.  She  joins  us  Tuesdays  at  7:45  here  
on  Edmonton  AM.  
 

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