Some interview questions for graduaters and suggested answers
1. Describe your most rewarding experience?
1.1 My most rewarding experience, I think, is overcoming shyness and establishing my self-confident. When I first came to study in Hue, I was short of stunned by her beauty and magnificence. I’m from a small town and it’s very different from the big city. I quickly found that my classmate were better, if not as good, than me, in many way. They had a good background in English and they were good at all kinds of games and they talked out loud. And I think I have to do something. At first, I started learning English from low level to higher level by myself. I practiced speaking in front of the mirror and then my classmate with the loudest voice. I had taken part in all activities in campus. After the first year, I became good at English and self-confident. I believed no matter how difficult it is, I can make it.
1.2 Ah, that’s very interesting. Hum, let me think. My most rewarding experience must be reading, and then, joining the editorial board of our College Weekly, a weekly newspaper on campus. I have always been interested in reading. I devoted most of my spare time to that. In Vietnam, as you know, it’s very hard to get into a college, but once you are there, things are easy. I borrowed from the library all the novels, magazines I had wanted to read but I didn’t have time when I was in high school. I was so happy! After I joined the editorial board, my horizon again broadened. There’re many decisions to be made and there are lots of discussions with the team. I even stared to write myself. Something got so tough that we always went bananas. Ha ha! Anyway, it’s a wonderful experience. As we know, Frances Bacon said: “Reading makes a full man, conference a ready man and writing an exact man”. Is this applies to a woman, I agree with Sir Frances Bacon very much.
2. If you were hiring for this position, what qualities would you look for?
2.1 Oh, that sounds fun! Just imagine I were a director looking for a secretary. The job usually involves talking on the phone, contacting and meeting a lot of different people. Therefore, I would expect a, a very, say, warm, outgoing person. This person must be able to communicate with people without much effort. He should be initiative, too, apt to establish business relations. Yeah, warmth, good communication skills, initiation and enthusiasm, yeah, that’s very important, too…are the best qualities of the right person for a position like that.
2.2 They must be carefulness and accuracy, absolutely. As the system supervisor, the person can’t be too careful. The system can’t afford to break down, even for a short time. Accuracy, too, is very important in a system which combines human skills and experience with high technology and automation. Each procedure in the whole process requires high level of accuracy, as I understand. So, if I were hiring a graduate for this position, I would expect the person to have the quality of carefulness and accuracy and be well-disciplined and follow the instructions all the time.
3. Why did you select your college or university?
3.1 I have always wanted to become a businessman and this university is famous for its courses for commerce. So, I guess this must be the right place for me. Our economy is developing rapidly. The government is so happy about that and is also concerned in the meantime with the proper regulation and legislation. Therefore, I believe a good number of professional people in this field with be useful.
3.2 Ah, frankly speaking, I didn’t select the college. It was the college that selected me. Yeah, that’s the truth. I passed the National Entrance Examination with the excellent scores and my college was on the list of the privileged colleges and universities. That means they are entitled to recruiting the best high school graduates. And they picked me. Anyway, I’m happy about that, too. It’s a good college and I can expect to find a good job and, a job I like.
4. What led you choose your field or mayor study?
4.1 My admiration, I should say. I saw people working with computers when I was a small child. I was very curious and keen to find how they put them to work. Computer programming is amazing to me; it opens up a completely new world. Once I started to learn more about it, I was even more excited. I’m very delighted to find that I can actually do so much to help improve the business world and people’s daily life. I’m quite proud of my choice of major study.
4.2 Oh, the reason is very practical. My teachers and parents told me that English is very important there would be more foreign company and organizations in Viet Nam. And the existing ones were going to expand to a high level. So, they will need lots of people working in English. I thought they were right. Besides that, I want to become a very successful businessman, I would say: “That’s my ambition”.
5. What college subject did you like best? Why?
5.1 Psychology. It reveals the inner world of the human beings and tells us about the reasons of their behaviors. It’s very interesting and inspiring. Based on these, we are more able to deal with some of our own negative emotions and understand other people better. In this way, we learn how to communicate with each other effectively; the world will be a much better place to live in. Don’t you think so?
5.2 Money and Banking, perhaps. Probably it’s because it’s most useful in my field. It gives you a strategic package of how money can be used more sensibly. It also enables you to look at money from a professional point of view.
5.3 I should say I like studying languages very much. It helps you train your brain to a great extent. The more you know about it, the more interesting it becomes. Talk about my favorite subject…I like English in speaking best. It’s because it’s so useful.
6. If you could do so, how would you plan your study differently? Why?
6.1 Oh, I would definitely spend more time studying logistics. Yeah, that’s what I was thinking. As the economy grows, the whole world is getting smaller and the people of all nationalities are brought much closer than before. As information technology develops, the Internet has reached every office of important government and business organizations. We are moving to an era of e-commerce, a brand new concept of doing businesses on line. Up to now, logistics is a subject worth learning. It tells us how to move merchandise from place to place more effectively. This must be immensely significant. Yeah, definitely I would spend more reading and thinking more about that.
6.2 Err, I’m afraid I wouldn’t do it definitely. I’ve been working very hard throughout my college years and I’ve been rewarded with honors four years in a row. I think I’m one of what they call “nerds”, straight “A” students. I believe I’m better equipped than most other people in terms of science and research. If I should plan my study in any different way, I think I would do some more sports. That helps relax yourself and build your body and your mind. I began to realize its value later. But better be late than never. Is it right?
6.3 I’m afraid I wouldn’t do it definitely. I have studied so hard, taken part in every extra-curricular activities in college, even sometimes I realize that, doing many things at one time in hardly manageable. If I should plan my study in any different way, I think I would do some more sport. That helps relax yourself and your mind. Maybe I wish I’ll spend a lot of time in spare-time jobs. Because working experience is so important than theories.
7. What changes would you make in your college or university? Why?
7.1 Ha, my university is doing very well, compared with others in China. Of course, it’s not perfect, though. Um, if I could, I would, err; I would provide some more up-to-date courses, for the students and cut down on some of the old-fashioned ones. Perhaps this is also a kind of rationalization of the educational organizations. These would enable them to better meet the challenges of the modern society. Yes, this is the area of improvement, I think.
7.2 Oh, if only I could do that. I would, um, let me see, finance more students to further their studies in many ways. For example: sending the students to visit the offices of business organizations, the workshops of manufactures, the power plants and so on, in order to give them a better idea of the real workplace. Students would benefit greatly from this experience and have stronger motive to study and thus, better enabled to serve the people and the society after graduation.
8. Do you have planned for continued study, an advanced degree?
8.1 No, I haven’t any plans like that so far. I’ve been studying in the college for 4 years and I would like to start working. Well, I think of pursuing an advanced degree occasionally. Some of my classmates are doing exactly that. As far as I am concerned, I’m sure beginning my career is a better idea. Of course, I’ll be more than happy to go back to school to further my studies in a few years if it contributes to my progress at work.
8.2 Yes, I do. Actually, I’ve signed up for a seminar on Financial Management. It doesn’t offer any degree but I’m sure I’ll benefit from the course. My mother tells me that it always pays to continue studying.
9. Do you think that your grades are an indication of your academic achievement?
9.1 Sure. They are the indication of my academic achievement. I think they reflect the great effort I’ve made to improve my studies.
9.2 Absolutely. I’m sure my grades are true to the fact. In addition to that, my academic achievement further includes three of my theses published in the reputable professional journals. It is a highly praised achievement for a postgraduate.
9.3 Sure, hold my record sheet so you can see how much I try my best to study as well as possible. When I think back, I’ll always happy about that.
10. What have you learned from participating in extra-curricular activities?
10.1 Above all, I learned it’s important to work as a team. I was the center forward on the college football team. A football player just knows that your chances are very slim if you don’t cooperate with each other closely.
10.2 It is good for college students to participate in extra-curricular activities. They give a break to the hard and sometimes dull work on the courses and get the students refreshed for further studies. In my case, I’ve learned from my experience of participating in various extra-curricular activities that, you can do more than you thought. Every person has undiscovered potential and energy. Give him a chance, some pressure and some encouragement, and he’ll come up with something.
11. How has your college experience prepared you for a business career?
11.1 Oh, this is a very good question! First, it’s obvious that I’ve learned the basics theories in this field in the college. My record sheet gives a good picture of that. This has laid a solid foundation of my future career. Second, my English has greatly improved, especially the reading comprehension and oral English. Lastly, I find myself more mature, understanding and confident after staying in the college for 4 years. All these will do well to my future business career.
11.2 Firstly, I’m sure that I’ve received the best education in my college. A great number of the graduates of my college are working for the world leading companies located in China. I think I am able to follow their steps and even exceed them in business. The other important fact in that I am rather dynamic, full of energy more mature, understanding and confident as a result of the year-round training in track and field’s event in my college. No one can deny that this is essential for a person launching into a hectic, always changing world of business.
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