21 Ways to Communicate Effectively if English is Your Second Language
9. Define Your Effectiveness in the Four Skills of English
Fluency in English is actually composed of four skills: speaking, understanding, reading, and writing. Many of us do one better than the others.
It is a great help to the employer when you point out exactly how well you do each of these things, for the employer usually assumes that you understand, read, and write English only as well as you speak it. This is often untrue, as many immigrant professionals read and write English quite well, though they have not used oral English very much.
HINTS. If you read English well, point out that you can learn from manuals and read safety instructions. If you understand English well, emphasize that you can take and respond to orders quickly. If you write English, emphasize your ability to make accurate notes and written reports to your employer. And if you speak English well, but don't read or write so well, describe how well you can interact with other employees in the woprkplace.
10. Bring Your English or Other Assessment with You
Employers are sometimes justifiably skeptical about how good you say your English is. If you have taken any oral or written assessments of your English, bring them with you. This is useful, especially if you get nervous during the interview and you are having some difficulty speaking.
You should also bring assessments and Canadian evaluations of your work skills. Many employers desperately want to hire you, but cannot, unless you can provide some kind of proof of your skills. Proof would include a videotape of you doing a job, or an evaluation from a Canadian expert in the field.
HINTS. Bring these out only if you are having real trouble, or if the employer is extremely dubious about your claims of fluency and your claims of skill.
11. Volunteer to Take an English Test (formal or informal)
If the employer is visibly hesitant, suggest a test of your English skills. Ask what workplace situation would be appropriate to test. Volunteer to take a walk through the workplace, talk to some of his employees, perhaps work for half-a-day for free. Offer to take a timed test.
HINTS: Show your confidence by helping the employer devise a test for you. The longer you spend in the employe@s presence, showing your confidence, desire, and overall character, the closer you are to being hired.
12. Explain Your Education and/or Training in Detail 1
Employers are dubious about your skills because they don't know your education. You should be able to describe your education or training in detail; you should be able to describe the tools and machines you used, and the projects you completed. These facts are very powerful, and help demonstrate that your lack of English does not mean a lack of skills.
HINTS: Don't spend much time describing how good your school or training institution was, or giving its name or city; just give the employer the names of the courses you took and describe in detail what you learned.
13. Demonstrate Your Knowledge of Canadian Workplace Practice
Sometimes employers take an ignorance of English to mean an ignorance of Canadian workplace expectations. In Canada, worker safety is usually paramount, and the ability to get along with other employees often takes precedence over high skill level.
Be sure you have a good idea before you go into the interview what kind of workplace the employer is offering. Is the workplace hot or cold, crowded, or does everyone work alone? Is the pace very fast, or slow and careful?
HINTS. Get information interviews with employers or workers in the field you are applying to, so you can ask
about working conditions. Read the B.C. Employment Standards Act, so that you know your rights.
14. Avoid Showing Bitterness or Sharing Problems
Beyond acknowledging, "Yes, I have had some problems", your difficulties aren't the employees business. When you talk about the obstacles you have run into over your English, you usually hurt your chances.
First, you introduce a negative feeling to the interview. Second, you are talking about your weaknesses, not your strengths. Third, you are weakening your case to the employer, by showing him that other Canadian employers will not hire you. Fourth, you are showing to the employer that you care more about your problems than about his. Fifth, you are showing that you have a negative attitude, and that you focus on problems, rather than solutions.
HINTS: Remember to speak about your strengths, and always show a positive face. If the employer insists upon knowing your difficulties with getting hired, don't get specific; remain general, and bring up your strengths again.
15. Share Your Vision of the Future
Do tell the employer where you expect to be working 3 or 5 years in the future. Tell him or her how much you expect to improve your English, your income, and your social standing. Share, if you can, success stories of other immigrants who worked their way to success.
HINTS: Emphasize how much you expect to improve your English once you are working regularly.
16. Acknowledge yo
《21 Ways to Communicate Effectively if English is Your Second Language》
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