etting Past The First Stage of Interview

I couldn’t not talk about this…

If you are new, Beyond English Fluency dives into topics and shares strategies around communication that go beyond language.

Every other Wednesday (twice per month), I share a theme related to communication that goes in depth about one theme, strategy or idea. Whether you are a non-native English speaking professional or consider yourself a native looking to excel in your communication- you’ll find a strategy that you can apply to your own situation.

The first stage of the interview.

As we know, great first impressions are everything…

This is especially important when you are interviewing for a new position – and even more so when you are applying for a job in a second or foreign language.

Many non native English speaking Design and Tech Professionals are losing opportunities because they don’t have the level of confidence to successfully work with global companies and international clients.

Working with 100’s of Designers and Tech professionals I’ve seen this again and again.

It is difficult to get past the first interview for non-native English speakers.

Lacking in fluent English is typically the reason for rejection.

It doesn’t have to be this way, though.

These are some of the messages I have received recently:

I just had an interview and I got rejected because of my English :(

The interview was good… but not perfect

My problem is that I can’t speak English – can you help me?!

I need to improve my speaking and listening for interviews around the world. How could you help me?

I have been working on my design portfolio, and I’ll have technical interviews that I need to be prepared for but I have a lower confidence level in speaking English.

I need to improve my English to have more work opportunities.

If only I can pass the first interview…

Recently, I had lost many jobs because my English is poor. Can you help me?

The first interview is the problem. They keep rejecting me because of my English.

These were all conversations with Designers and Tech professionals from all over the world.

But is it REALLY your level of English that is holding you back?

You might be thinking:

Yeah my English level isn’t good enough…

OR

I struggle with grammar and being able to talk about projects or myself in the interview.

OR

I can’t find the language to describe what I want to say – my mind goes blank and it’s awkward so they think my English isn’t great.

A lot of the time we think becoming more fluent in English means spending more time speaking the language – speaking more with English speakers and that you aren’t doing enough.

You might think you need to:

Spend more time reading books or watching videos

Find more resources to help you improve your English

Speak more and generally do more…

But actually, it is not that.

After having conversations and working with many professionals, I can tell you it is not just your level of English that is holding you back from the first stage of the interview.

Also… if your English level is not where you want it to be or enough to use English in your job – reading books or watching more videos on Youtube isn’t going to get you the results you want either.

We are pretty lucky to live in a time where we have access to so many resources – videos and content to consume online.

A lot of people learn every day things like how to boil the perfect rice or how to cut their nails on TikTok and there’s so much content to learn English, too.

Sure it’s fun to consume and it helps with your comprehension…

But that material isn’t going to improve your professional English and it certainly isn’t going to help prepare you for an interview in English or your career.

It’s not tailored to your specific needs as a professional.

That’s why I developed The Fluent Speakers Success Path for Design and Tech Professionals.

Designers and Tech professionals have specific needs to be able to confidently use English, communicate their ideas, talk about projects and case studies and convince stakeholders and others in their role and to nail interviews.

I developed this framework because I saw so many Designers and Tech professionals become completely sidetracked while trying to improve their English speaking skills as well as prepare for interviews and build professional language and workplace essentials to use English in their job.

I saw Designers and Creatives who were losing out on opportunities and it was SO frustrating for them.

They had the technical skills.

They knew they were a great candidate.

But their English speaking and communication confidence kept holding them back.

There are other factors though, other than your English level that are important to be successful in the first stage of an interview.

Here are just a few of them that you need to develop:

Confidence

You might feel confident inside for the interview, but that doesn’t always come across. The language (what you say), your intonation and your body language (how you say it) all show how confident you are in what you are saying. If you aren’t able to express yourself confidently, hiring managers will question your ability not just in English but as a professional.

Answering the questions

Being able to read between the lines and understanding exactly what the question means is important. Sure, you might understand the words and the question but you might not share the details that they want to hear. When answering questions you need to consider the macro -sharing your broader experience and giving background and micro – sharing necessary and interesting details. The information and detail that you are sharing might not be relevant and you could be missing out despite having the experience and knowledge.

Standing out from others

You all have a passion for your job… but that’s what everyone else is saying. Sure you have experiences and have worked on many different projects but what makes YOU special – what have you learned and can bring to the team that is unique?

Shine

Your enthusiasm and energy will demonstrate that you are excited about the new opportunity. If you can’t show that through your voice and how you answer the questions, you aren’t going to shine.

Are you frustrated that you are unable to articulate your ideas or find the best way to express yourself in an interview?

If you want to know the 5 Steps to Stand Out in Your Design and Tech Career so you can speak English more fluently, prepare for interviews and get promoted to work on international projects and with global teams, join me live tomorrow ?

I’m sharing some of the best insights I’ve had working with Designers and Tech professionals!

Here’s a sneak peak at what I’ll be covering:

❇️ Learn how to develop your confidence in communication so you can feel great using English in your role and work with global teams.

❇️ Discover how to stand out in an interview and get past the first stage of interviews and be offered higher paid and international work opportunities.

❇️ Find out how to develop your English speaking and communication skills even when you are busy and have limited time to practice or speak.

I look forward to seeing you there and answering any questions you might have :)

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If you would like to build your communication confidence and foundations in English but are not really sure how or where to start then check out my free guide to build your confidence today.

Listen to The Design of Communication Podcast – new episodes every Thursday about how you can become a confident communicator, articulate yourself clearly, and make more impact in the workplace as a design, tech or creative professional.