Mandarin Go | How to pass a job interview in Chinese?

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Before heading to your next job interview, be carefully prepared for any questions you may be asked.

Part 1: Introduce yourself
请自我介绍一下

(Qǐng zìwǒ jièshào yíxià).

Thank you for introducing yourself.
This is usually the first task most respondents face when in conversation with potential employers in any country or language. While describing your background, academic achievements, and career path may seem like a simple task, it's worth taking a moment to think about your answer beforehand.

Rather than memorizing a long speech, try to maintain a conversational tone instead and use the following key talking points to help guide your story.

Let's start with the basics:
xxx女士/先生。
您好Nín hǎo！...... 女士nǚshì/先生xiānshēng.
Hello,Madam/Sir (name of the investigator).

Note that in Chinese culture, it is especially important to name your superiors or colleagues by their correct address term.

Although it is acceptable to place 女士 (nǚshì; Mrs) or 先生 (xiānshēng; Mr.) after the last name of your interlocutor if you do not know his specific position within the company, it is better to mention a job title, such as 经理 (jīnglǐ; manager) after the last name of your interlocutor if possible.

Scenario:
我来自......

Wǒ láizì......

I come from (country).

Scenario:
我的母语是......

Wǒ de mǔyǔ shì......
My mother tongue is (language).

Scenario:

我毕业于......

Wǒ bìyè yú......
I graduated from (university).

Scenario:
我学的专业是......

Wǒ xué de zhuānyè shì......
I specialized in......

If you have earned higher degrees, you may want to consider moving directly to those at this stage:
xxx 年毕业于.....大学，获得 xxx 硕士/博士学位。

Wǒ......nián bìyè yú......dàxué, huòdé......shuòshì / bóshì xuéwèi.

I have (year of graduation) graduated from (university) and obtained a (field of study) master's/doctorate.
It's also a great opportunity to mention any other training or special designation you've earned over the years, like the HSK xx Certification.

我有......证书。

Wǒ yǒu......zhèng shū.
I have......certification.

To conclude your introduction, let the interviewer know about your work history by briefly explaining the relevant jobs you have held since graduation. Consider one of the following common sentence structures for this section:
......负责......

......fùzé......

我曾在......负责......

Wǒ céng zài......fùzé......
Previously at (company name), I was responsible for (work function).

Scenario:
担任 ......

dānrèn ......
从......年到......年，在......担任dānrèn......

Cóng......nián dào......nián, zài......dānrèn......

From (year) to year), I (company name) held the position of (job title).

Part 2: Why do you want the job?

你为何想申请这份工作?
(Nǐ wèihé xiǎng shēnqǐng zhè fèn gōngzuò?)

Why would you want to apply for this job?I hope you have thought long and hard about this issue before moving on to the interview stage. Whatever the reasons why you apply, your Chinese recruiter is sure to ask you to explain. Therefore, it is wise to first prepare a thoughtful and serious response in order to demonstrate your seriousness as a candidate.

Try the following opening statement to preface your response:

贵公司是......

Guì gōngsī shì......
Your business is......
贵公司 (guì gōngsī) is a polite way of saying "your company" in Chinese and should be followed by a short statement praising the company you are interviewing for.

Because of the meaning of (面子miànzi; face, metaphor of reputation) in Chinese social and professional contexts, offering compliments or giving a face to your potential employer will certainly position you in a favorable light.

When explaining why you would like the position, mention the ways you hope to grow professionally and contribute to the company, for example:
我相信在贵公司可以学到新的技能。

Wǒ xiāngxìn zài guì gōngsī kěyǐ xué dào xīn de jìnéng.
I believe I can learn new skills in this business.

Here's another example:
我具备贵公司需要的专长。

Wǒ jùbèi guì gōngsī xūyào de zhuāncháng.
I have the skills your company needs.

After listing some of your reasons for applying, summarize your answer with this extra-authentic sentence:
这份工作可以让我尽其所长。
Zhè fèn gōngzuò kěyǐ ràng wǒ jìn qí suǒ cháng.

I will be able to put my skills to good use in this position.

Part 3: Conclude the interview

Once the Q&A part is over, you may feel that your interview is coming to an end. At this point, you'll probably hear the following sentence (or a similar final remark) from the other person:
我们会在一个星期之内打电话通知您面试的结果。
Wǒmen huì zài yí ge xīngqī zhī nèi dǎ diànhuà tōngzhī nín miànshì de jiéguǒ.
We will inform you of the results of your interview within a week.

Before you shake hands and rush to the door, don't forget to graciously thank your interlocutor for their time and for the opportunity to audition for the concert by concluding with a polite statement like the one below:
感谢给我这次面试机会。

Gǎnxiè gěi wǒ zhè cì miànshì jīhuì.
I appreciate this interview opportunity.

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Mandarin Go | How to pass a job interview in Chinese?

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