Job interview
Entretien d'embauche
- Performing a job interview
- Indirect object
This A2 lesson focuses on mastering key verbs like expliquer (to explain) and examiner (to examine) in the context of job interviews, including common expressions such as \"parler de votre expérience\" and \"poser des questions\" to communicate professionally.
Vocabulary (20) Share Copied!
Exercises Share Copied!
These exercises can be done together during conversation lessons or as homework.
Exercice 1: Conversation exercise
Instruction:
- Imagine you walk into the office for your job interview. What do you say? How do you introduce yourself politely? (Imagine you walk into the office for your job interview. What do you say? How do you introduce yourself politely?)
- What is important in a job interview? (What is important in a job interview?)
- What are the most important aspects of a job for you? (What are the most important aspects of a job for you?)
Teaching guidelines +/- 10 minutes
Example phrases:
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Bonjour, je m'appelle John Smith. Enchanté de faire votre connaissance. Je suis ici pour l'entretien. Hello, I’m John Smith. Nice to meet you. I’m here for the interview. |
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Bonjour. Je suis Maria López. J'ai un entretien à 10 heures. C'est un plaisir d'être ici. Good afternoon. I am Maria López. I have an interview at 10 o’clock. It’s a pleasure to be here. |
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Il est important d'être à l'heure pour un entretien d'embauche. It’s important to be on time for a job interview. |
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Vous devriez préparer des réponses et poser des questions. You should prepare answers and ask questions. |
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L'aspect le plus important d'un emploi est l'argent. J'ai besoin d'un bon salaire pour subvenir aux besoins de ma famille. The most important aspect of a job is the money. I need a good salary to support my family. |
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Pour moi, il est important que les personnes qui travaillent dans l'entreprise soient sympathiques. For me it is important that the people that are working in the company are nice. |
| ... |
Exercise 2: Dialogue Cards
Instruction: Select a situation and practice the conversation with your teacher or fellow students.
Exercise 3: Multiple Choice
Instruction: Choose the correct solution
1. ____ attentivement le contrat de travail avant de le signer.
(____ carefully examine the employment contract before signing it.)2. ____ clairement vos qualités au recruteur pour vous mettre en valeur.
(____ clearly explain your qualities to the recruiter to highlight yourself.)3. N'____ pas seulement les défauts, mais aussi les qualités du candidat.
(Do not ____ only the faults, but also the qualities of the candidate.)4. N'____ pas ton parcours professionnel trop rapidement, prends ton temps.
(Do not ____ your professional background too quickly, take your time.)Exercise 4: Job Interview: Preparation and Advice
Instruction:
Verb Tables
Préparer - Prepare
Présent
- je prépare
- tu prépares
- il/elle prépare
- nous préparons
- vous préparez
- ils/elles préparent
Examiner - Examine
Présent
- j'examine
- tu examines
- il/elle examine
- nous examinons
- vous examinez
- ils/elles examinent
Demander - Ask
Présent
- je demande
- tu demandes
- il/elle demande
- nous demandons
- vous demandez
- ils/elles demandent
Expliquer - Explain
Présent
- j'explique
- tu expliques
- il/elle explique
- nous expliquons
- vous expliquez
- ils/elles expliquent
Expliquer - Explain
Impératif
- (tu) explique
- (nous) expliquons
- (vous) expliquez
Grammar Share Copied!
It's not the most exciting thing, we admit, but it’s absolutely essential (and we promise it'll pay off)!
Verb conjugation tables for this lesson Share Copied!
Expliquer to explain Share Copied!
imperatif
| French | English |
|---|---|
| Explique | You explain |
| Expliquons | You explain |
| Expliquez | They explain |
Examiner to examine Share Copied!
imperatif
| French | English |
|---|---|
| Examine | You examine |
| Examinons | Let us examine |
| Examinez | You examine |
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Lesson Overview: Job Interview in French (A2 Level)
This lesson focuses on preparing you for a typical job interview conducted in French. It covers various realistic scenarios such as formal office interviews, phone call simulations, and informal meetings over coffee. The lesson emphasizes the use of indirect objects in dialogues, polite expressions, and common questions and answers used during interviews.
Key Topics Covered
- Interview Scenarios: Roleplays include formal office meetings (e.g., "Je leur ai expliqué mes responsabilités"), telephone interviews (e.g., "Je voudrais savoir à qui je dois m'adresser"), and informal chats (e.g., "Je leur ai confié que j'aime travailler en équipe").
- Grammar Focus: Use of indirect object pronouns in responses, imperative forms for polite instructions, and present tense conjugations of relevant verbs.
- Vocabulary Highlights: Terms related to job applications, skills, motivation, and follow-up procedures, including:
- responsabilités (responsibilities)
- compétences (skills)
- parcours professionnel (professional background)
- formation (training)
- entretien (interview)
- recruteur (recruiter)
Useful Expressions
- "Pouvez-vous me parler de votre expérience ?" — Can you tell me about your experience?
- "À qui dois-je m'adresser pour les formations ?" — Who should I contact for training?
- "Je leur ai montré comment je gérais efficacement une équipe." — I showed them how I managed a team efficiently.
- "N'explique pas ton parcours professionnel trop rapidement." — Don’t explain your professional background too quickly.
Verb Conjugations
The lesson reinforces key verbs essential to job interviews, such as:
- Préparer (to prepare): je prépare, tu prépares, il prépare, nous préparons, vous préparez, ils préparent
- Examiner (to examine): j'examine, tu examines, il examine, nous examinons, vous examinez, ils examinent
- Demander (to ask): je demande, tu demandes, il demande, nous demandons, vous demandez, ils demandent
- Expliquer (to explain): j'explique, tu expliques, il explique, nous expliquons, vous expliquez, ils expliquent
Comparison: English and French Interview Language
In French, indirect objects are often used with verbs such as "expliquer" or "montrer," making sentences like "Je leur ai expliqué mes responsabilités." In English, the equivalent would often be simply "I explained my responsibilities." Notice the use of "leur" (to them) in French, which sometimes doesn't have a direct English equivalent because English can omit the indirect object when it is implied.
Politeness is essential in both languages during interviews, but French tends to use more formal and elaborate expressions, such as "Pourriez-vous me dire..." (Could you tell me...). Also, the use of the imperative in French for polite instructions (e.g., "Explique aussi votre parcours professionnel") is common, whereas in English, modal verbs are often preferred (e.g., "Please also explain your professional background").
Practical Phrases to Remember
- Je vous appelle pour le poste annoncé. — I am calling about the advertised position.
- Qu'est-ce qui vous motive à travailler avec nous ? — What motivates you to work with us?
- Je leur ai décrit mon parcours universitaire et mes stages. — I described to them my university background and internships.
- À qui dois-je m'adresser pour le planning de l'entretien ? — Who should I contact to schedule the interview?
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