Job interview
Entretien d'embauche
- Performing a job interview
- Indirect object
This lesson focuses on French job interview dialogues, teaching you key expressions like 'entretien d'embauche' (job interview), 'compétences' (skills), and common verbs such as 'expliquer' (to explain) and 'examiner' (to examine). Master typical questions and answers to confidently present your experience and qualities.
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. ___ clairement vos compétences pour convaincre le recruteur.
(___ clearly your skills to convince the recruiter.)2. Le recruteur ___ attentivement votre curriculum vitae.
(The recruiter ___ carefully examines your curriculum vitae.)3. ___ vos expériences professionnelles lors de l'entretien.
(___ your professional experiences during the interview.)4. Le recruteur ___ votre parcours professionnel avec attention.
(The recruiter ___ your professional background with attention.)Exercise 4: Job Interview: Preparing for Success
Instruction:
Verb Tables
Préparer - Préparer
Passé composé
- j'ai préparé
- tu as préparé
- il/elle/on a préparé
- nous avons préparé
- vous avez préparé
- ils/elles ont préparé
Demander - Demander
Passé composé
- j'ai demandé
- tu as demandé
- il/elle/on a demandé
- nous avons demandé
- vous avez demandé
- ils/elles ont demandé
Expliquer - Expliquer
Impératif
- (tu) explique
- (nous) expliquons
- (vous) expliquez
Mettre - Mettre
Passé composé
- j'ai mis
- tu as mis
- il/elle/on a mis
- nous avons mis
- vous avez mis
- ils/elles ont mis
Examiner - Examiner
Passé composé
- j'ai examiné
- tu as examiné
- il/elle/on a examiné
- nous avons examiné
- vous avez examiné
- ils/elles ont examiné
Décider - Décider
Passé composé
- j'ai décidé
- tu as décidé
- il/elle/on a décidé
- nous avons décidé
- vous avez décidé
- ils/elles ont décidé
Signer - Signer
Passé composé
- j'ai signé
- tu as signé
- il/elle/on a signé
- nous avons signé
- vous avez signé
- ils/elles ont signé
Rencontrer - Rencontrer
Passé composé
- j'ai rencontré
- tu as rencontré
- il/elle/on a rencontré
- nous avons rencontré
- vous avez rencontré
- ils/elles ont rencontré
Pouvoir - Pouvoir
Présent
- je peux
- tu peux
- il/elle/on peut
- nous pouvons
- vous pouvez
- ils/elles peuvent
Grammar Share Copied!
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Verb conjugation tables for this lesson Share Copied!
Expliquer to explain Share Copied!
Impératif
| French | English |
|---|---|
| Explique | You explain |
| Expliquons | You explain |
| Expliquez | They explain |
Examiner to examine Share Copied!
Impératif
| French | English |
|---|---|
| Examine | You examine |
| Examinons | Let us examine |
| Examinez | You examine |
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Introduction to Job Interview in French
This lesson covers essential vocabulary and dialogues related to job interviews in French, designed for A2 level learners. It includes practical scenarios between candidates and recruiters, focusing on common questions, answers, and expressions used during an interview. The content prepares you to understand and engage in job interview situations, emphasizing clarity and confidence in your responses.
Key Lesson Content
Typical Job Interview Dialogues
You will find example dialogues such as:
- Bonjour, je m'appelle Marie. Je suis ici pour l'entretien d'embauche.
- Quelles sont vos principales qualités ?
- Je suis organisée et je communique bien avec les clients.
These conversations train you to respond simply and appropriately to questions about your experience and qualities.
Discussing Skills and Abilities
The lesson also includes conversations where candidates describe their skills, such as using software like Excel and Word, preparing reports, attending meetings, and organizing events.
Understanding Indirect Questions
You will practice how to ask and answer indirect questions, for example: Je voudrais savoir quelles sont vos attentes pour ce poste. (I would like to know what your expectations are for this position.) This is a key part of nuanced communication in professional settings.
Important Vocabulary and Expressions
- Entretien d'embauche – job interview
- Qualités principales – main qualities
- Compétences – skills
- Poste – position, job role
- Recruteur – recruiter
- Curriculum vitae – résumé
Grammar and Verb Use Highlights
The lesson contains exercises focusing on verbs in the imperative mood and passé composé tense, for example:
- Expliquez clairement vos compétences (Explain your skills clearly) – imperative.
- Le recruteur a examiné votre parcours (The recruiter examined your background) – passé composé.
Verbs like préparer, demander, expliquer, mettre, examiner, décider, signer, rencontrer are practiced to reinforce your command of common action verbs in interview contexts.
Short Story for Contextual Learning
A short story illustrates the process of preparing for an interview, answering key questions, and successfully getting hired. It uses past tense verbs with highlighted conjugations to support understanding.
Notes on Language and Cultural Differences
French job interviews often involve indirect questions and formal address. For instance, indirect questions like Je voudrais savoir... are polite ways to gather information, which differ from direct English questions. The imperative form is used for polite instructions (Expliquez), which may feel more formal than typical English commands. Understanding these nuances helps in sounding professional and polite.
Useful phrases include:
- Je postule pour le poste de... – I am applying for the position of...
- Quelles sont vos principales qualités ? – What are your main qualities?
- Je suis organisée et je communique bien avec les clients. – I am organized and communicate well with clients.
By mastering these expressions and structures, you will be better prepared to handle interview conversations in French.
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