37 Matching Annotations
  1. Jul 2023
    1. This is why, by the way, the job interview is a terrible way of sorting out people because the job interview is a performance for a very short period of time. And what psychopaths are extremely good at doing is making people like them, especially because they're chameleon-like, they can sort of morph, depending on what they think people want to hear, in this short period of time.
      • key observation
        • job interviews are poor at screening out psychopaths because they can put on superficial charm for short periods of time.
        • the psychopath can say whatever they think needs to be said in order to get the job
  2. Jul 2021
    1. I have noticed that some of my friends who are Indian tend to speak English too fast and run all of the syllables together without pronouncing them properly. So every time they say something I have to ask them to repeat it. To make a good impression, speak slowly and pronounce every syllable. Practice reading out loud, concentrating on pronunciation. Make eye contact.
    2. If you got to the interview, then the company is interested in what you can do for them. They must already know you have poor English. It is probably best to lead with your best hand. There is no need to defend your poor English because it is obvious. Just talk about what you know how to do and how well you fit the job being offered.
    3. For openers, don’t say “fastly”, because there is no such word in English. Also, learn to check your typing so you don’t write “Bur” when you intended “But”. In my opinion you would make a terrible mistake by trying to defend your low skill in English. It is simply an inadequacy you have, and presumably are interested in overcoming. I think it will serve you better to memorize the following speech, and practice saying it until it flows out quickly and easily, with no hesitation or errors. Say this just as the interview begins: “I am very pleased to meet you, Mr. _______. Thank you for granting me this interview. “Before we begin, please let me apologize for my inadequate English skill. I may use some incorrect words, or pronounce some words improperly. I may not be able to answer some questions suitably, because I might lack the right words. “I hope to show you that I have the technical knowledge needed for this position, and that I have the skills and work ethic needed to do the job well. “I am currently working very hard to correct my deficiencies in English, and I believe I can accomplish that soon. I have had great success in learning other languages rapidly, but I have not yet devoted enough attention to developing fluency in English. Please understand that achieving skill in English is my highest priority.” This, I believe, will gain you a very sympathetic ear, and will lead to a very productive interview.
    1. Probably. Reading books and watching movies are fine, but they don’t do much for your active verbal expression. Each aspect of language use — receptive and expressive, reading, writing and speaking — needs to be practiced. And you aren’t getting enough practice speaking and “thinking on your feet.” Work on that and it’ll improve.
    2. Yes, it is normal. Reading English books and watching English movies are passive skills that require the person to absorb only. Your brain stores information. Also, 95% of what you absorb will be lost in time. Not very encouraging but that’s just the reality of it. In order to improve thought process and speech fluency, you have to start using the information that your brain has absorbed. One way is to write summaries and articles on books and movies you have read/seen. Another is learning to articulate your words by practising speaking before a mirror and watch how your mouth/tongue moves as you pronounce words. But the most important way to improve is human interaction. Human interaction calls for your brain to have immediate action and reaction through listening, processing, filtering and then speaking. Daily conversations is the best avenue for improvement. All the best!
    3. If you don’t have experience actually speaking English, preferably in a similar or at least similarly complex situation, and especially if you didn’t even spend quite a lot of time practicing (aloud or at least in your thoughts) what you could say in such a situation - no wonder that you weren’t able to speak very well, actually it would be quite a miracle if you had been able to! Namely, speaking is a different skill from reading and listening, and for most people much more difficult, and most people also need to practice it separately. It took me about a month of working and living nearly every awake moment in an English-speaking environment to start speaking English fluently - after I was already writing fluently, already passing for a native speaker in writing. Many people are quicker than that, but nearly everyone needs quite some practice. And even if you have generally had practice speaking English and can speak it fluently in everyday situations, it is still normal to have trouble because of being stressed out and afraid of the job interview, and/or because of the specific vocabulary it requires. In any case, doing practice job interviews with another person who can speak English, or at least with yourself, should help. This is often needed/ helpful also for job interviews in the native language.
    4. Let me ask you straight question. Did you learned any words and tried using it with someone, or at least in front of the mirror? If you’ve done this, you wouldn't be asking this. When try to speak or try to talk with someone, at first you make mistakes, and that’s very common. Do not be ashamed of who you are. I had this same problem but with Hindi. Even though I learned Hindi in school I couldn’t be fluent. At times I made blunder mistakes especially when I was in Bangalore. I still remember the incident, a guy laughed at me for uttering a word wrong. And he did correct me at the very moment, but at that time I felt very awkward. But later I got many Hindi speaking friends and I got fluent in HIndi now. Same with you amigo, if you don’t let your hands get dirt then no pay off. Try, try, try, eventually you’ll get it.51 views · View 1 upvote
    1. I’ve interviewed a lot of candidates in the past 30 years, and these cases are always the most difficult to adjudicate. On the one hand, millions of brilliant programmers don’t speak great English. On the other hand, if it take twice as long to hold every conversation, that makes for a difficult work relationship. Certainly it makes the face-to-face interview awkward depending on the relative skill level. I’ll put up a ballpark figure and say that “bad English” is a 20% handicapping factor. In other words, out of a 100 points, your grasp of English probably accounts for 20 points.
    1. There is one way coding, improve your problem solving skills by doing competitive programming and learn development in a specific language, if you have these skills , english or communication skill will be a secondary thing and you also need to improve that for which the best way is to watch english tv shows and movies. Good luck
    2. Like this, I am not sure about the HR rounds. But yes, in technical rounds when my type interviewer finds a candidate is struggling with English, answering a particular question, we say “Are you comfortable in Hindi ?!, Please go ahead in Hindi” And once you answered well. Cheers, You are selected. I am not supporting you should not improve your communication skills, you must, because that's your first impression these days. Good luck :)
    1. As a technical person writing code, all they need is the ability to understand and communicate so that work can progress without any misunderstanding. They are looking for high technical aptitude and a medium satisfactory English speaking aptitude. I have seen foreign people continuously attempt to gain English proficiency while on the job and enhance it just like any other skill. For non-technical positions,higher proficiency is required and in most cases you are required to pass IELTS academic. HTH
    2. The US isn’t particularly tolerant of workers who cannot communicate in English. If you want to be on good projects and you want to be promoted, you need at least good conversational english, with accent minimal enough to be understood, plus a complete grasp of technical english for your profession.
    1. The English language has evolved in too many ways to just settle down with one variant or dialect. You must have a thorough knowledge of all variants of the English languageYou must not depend on Spell Check to conform to UK English or US English or AU EnglishGrammar must be impeccable. Surprisingly Americans enjoy the British accent and dialect; and some may choose to use that as a "brand identity" - you need to be aware of the nuancesSoftware companies often don't care about this; but their clients do. Which means it may not appear in a job interview but when you speak with your clients having a good handle on the preferred variant would be a huge bonus. And a reason for that client to specifically ask for YOU to be their support person / service manager. In my work with clients in India and abroad, I've generally found they they understand the Indian accent fairly well - as long as the words and phrases used are suitable to the region. If you use a heavy Texan accent while talking to someone native to Norway, chances are they won't understand you too well. Sometimes, albeit rarely, you need a translator. Yes English to English translation is a possibility wherein complex words and phrases native to one culture need to be put in context while talking to a different culture. In fewer words: Learn Everything. Keep Learning.
    1. Yes. If your English isn't good you may have trouble understanding and may have trouble being understood. That's bound to make things difficult. However, if it's good enough, you don't have to worry about it. The interviewer will do their best to communicate, and they are unlikely to be biased against non-native speakers, because probably most people at Google aren't.
    1. It is not mandatory to be fluent in English but it is necessary that you learn enough English to communicate your thoughts and opinions and understands others. English is a universal language and so it is important to know basic level English in order to work for multi-national companies like Google.
    1. Every answer to every single doubt in your life solely depends on what you want to do and where you want to reach. If you want to be a content reviewer, knowing English-movie level English is more than enough. If you want to be a person who documents stuff, its always better if you are spot on in your written English. If you want to be somebody who wants to travel to different countries and communicate with different people, well you definitely should be a man with words. And if you end up to be somebody like me, a Software Developer, the only English that you'll be expected to speak is the extent of the Programming Language. It might seem as a done and dusted script, but in the long run, only hard work pays off and shows the character you're made of.Depends what you are working hard on and for.If you know that the only goal for you is to see the view from a mountain top and wave to a friend, be wise and finish it in the daylight. Cheers!
    1. Sure. A lot of people with limited knowledge or even no knowledge of English work here. You can certainly find a job but it may not be what you want to do. Best option is to work for a person from your own country who is fluent in English and has his or her own business where most of the customers are also from your own country. He or she may own a retail store, gas station (petrol station), hair or beauty salon, landscaping or construction company, restaurant, etc. You will need to communicate with your owner to do most or all of your work and most of the customers or clients will also be from your own country. While working in such an environment you can also work on learning English. There are many resources available in US for speakers of other languages who want to learn English1.1K views · View 2 upvotes
    1. If you are able to put your ideas and thoughts in an understandable way for another person to get what you want to convey. Take it simply like you talk in your native language saying what you want to say. Try being yourself and speak without keeping in mind what you think about your communication skills. And this is something definitely you can work on to get better at it. Youtube has lots of resources to help you improve with your communication skills. And with regular trails, people get better at it.
    2. Yes. You will get a job. There are many jobs that do not require excellent communication skills in English. If you can communicate with clarity, listen carefully to what others have to say, you have qualified for the job. You must be fluent in the local languages that also helps you in the job. Besides, learning English is not difficult at all. By practice, you can master this language and the best way is to keep talking and listening. When someone corrects you, thank them and move on and not get bogged down by criticism.
    3. Jens Hartmann, Head of Learning & Development at Barrett Consulting Group (2012-present)Answered February 9, 2017Originally Answered: Is it possible find work, if I don't speak English very well?When I have interviews with people I always look for their willingness to learn. If they didn’t even bother to learn the language used in my company, I’d be worried how well they would learn the other stuff they needed to know to work here. It doesn’t matter if your English isn’t very good yet, if you showed that you are working on it and are eager to get better then I would be happy with that.
    4. Knowing fluent English is not a prerequisite to get a job. However, it depends on the type of job and your own personal ambitions. If you are seeking a job where knowledge of English is a essential or you aspire for growth in your job, then perhaps it is possible that poor communication skills in English could hamper your selection/ progress. The fact that you have drafted your question in Quora without any mistake, suggests to me that your competence in English, is fairly good ( especially when I see a large number of very poorly drafted questions being asked on Quora). Hence all you need to do is keep working on enhancing your competence in English and use it to grow personally and professionally.
    1. poor English speaking will worsen your opportunities in any country to get a software job…. forget about job in US which is their native language and more over its the universal language too.. so I feel it is must ,at least an IELTS band of 6.5 will be good enough
    1. Yes you can get software job without fluency in English. Software industry requires only technical skills but you must be good in that skills. The requirement of good English skill comes after you reach certain level/position. I.e. If you become a project manager you would have to communicate among different departments and customers. So for better understanding of project you must attain good communication skills. I am not focusing on English skills only. You must be a good communicator in your native language also. I have seen people getting stuck on a developer position even after a good set of technical skills and experience. It is necessary when you are looking for jobs in a state other than your native language. There you must have a good English skills to communicate among your colleagues.
    1. However, for getting hired as a software developer, it really doesn’t matter about how much English you know. Software companies look for candidates who have the knowledge and got a fine way of representing it. May be that’s what you should focus on. It’s about standing in a market and selling yourself. And that needs you to know the domain specific English, mostly the technical jargon stitched by few simple words of English.
    1. Well the question is structured very well, so I don't think you have a poor English. Have faith in yourself buddy. Don't get disheartened that you have a weak grip on English. 1.) Be confident. Confidence alone can do wonders. Tell yourself standing infront of the mirror, that you're going to make it and no force in the world, can stop you. 2.) Use simple sentences. Don't rush, take you time. 3.) And if you fail, then it's fine. It's not true that we will win everytime. Sometimes we do fail. But never give up. Work on yourself and surley you will make it.
    2. You can face it (job interview, life quandry, challenge, fear, anxiety, stress, etc.) with bravery, courage, kindness, patience, forgiveness, gratitude, knowledge/wisdom (you know that you'll do the best you can with what you have/know), and the ability to laugh at yourself. (:
    3. First of all, I'm not going to sugarcoat saying, tackling interviews is easy with bad English. No, they are not. But, on the bright side, interviews are more about what else you do apart from speak well. So, concentrate on that part. Learn the basic grammar. Keep your sentences short, crisp and relevant.Don't let the hesitation or the feeling that you are bad at something, cloud your clarity about things you clearly know. This in my opinion should be sufficient to face any interview.
    4. The one thing I am not sure about is, the eligibility criteria for the interview that the you are going for. If Spoken English is one of their major assessment criteria, I think you shouldn’t go unprepared. Start planning and preparing for the interview if you still have time. You could try these:Do mock interviewsPrepare good answers for most frequently asked questionsTry to exhibit confidence in your voice and body languageBe sincere in your answersRead about the company in detailHope it’s of use!
    5. First of all, I'm so happy that you've accepted your limitation and you want to make an attempt to overcome it. The only way you can get better at English is by using it as frequently as possible. So, start conversing with people in English. Don't be afraid to make mistakes. Everyone does. Just don't give up. People will laugh and try to pull you down, yes! Ignore those bastards! Interviewers are nothing but people. And they make grammar mistakes too. And more than your language, it's the skill you possess that matters. So, go out. Stay positive. Talk to whoever you meet. Do not be afraid to learn! We're not perfect either. Cheers to your spirit,love! :)
    6. I once had to hire a software engineer. The job required some knowledge of classical physics. In the end the choice was down to two applicants. Both were Vietnamese immigrants. One spoke English very well and already had the necessary knowledge. The other knew no physics at all, and struggled with English. I hired the latter applicant because, despite his weakness in the language, he was open and easy to talk with. The other was more reserved. I felt that I could easily teach the latter the physics he would need, and that he would be motivated to follow directions. He worked out very well. I wrote all the physics he would need to know on seven pages. He successfully worked from that. By the time I left that company he was ready to fill my shoes as the new software director.
    7. Does’t matter. Face it and experience it. There is nothing for you to lose but gain. Once you are rejected, you will have following things for next one. a) What basic questions Interviewer does ask ? Prepare them for next one. b) Confidence . it will help you in next one. PS:- Learn grammar. Improve listening skill, Start writing about your daily activity, at last but not least- “start speaking” . PPS:- Watch Hollywood movies with subtitles and repeat the dialogue .
    8. You have rated yourself as “really bad” in speaking English. What efforts have you taken to improve? I’m sure you must have made some efforts and you feel that it’s not good enough compared to those who have studied in English medium schools . If what you say is understood by others, you are doing fine. Now coming to impress the IO. At SSBs the IO is evaluating your personality qualities from what you answer to his questions. For example, if you are asked to narrate your daily routine, you must arrange your thoughts sequentially, narrating essentials events of your day and how you manage your time, how you take responsibilities, how you interact with others in the day etc etc. Please be reminded that spoken English, pronunciation etc. improves with time and interaction with others in company. In my case, although I am from an English medium school, my spoken English was far from the English spoken by other cadets in my course. However, with passage of time and my eagerness to improve, I was as fluent as others. You will find the other candidates who come for ssb are as good/bad as you are. My sincere advice is not to have any complex about spoken English. There are many other things to emphasize on. Now, some tips for you to improve are:Try speaking to your family members and friends in English only.Listen to English news on TV . Admire and try to emulate the anchor.Pick up topics and speak on them to your family members or friends and if there’s no audience, speak to the mirror. Record your speech in your cell phone and notice the areas that could be improved. I am sure, your speech on the 7th day would be much much better than the one recorded on the first day.Finally, have the confidence that you are the best learner and can do it.Best wishes.
    9. Whenever you are about to face an interview, the most important thing is to be confident, how you are presenting matters the most and whether you know or don't know any answer try not to get nervous .When it comes to english, try to use simple present tense and past tense while framing sentences. Always try to keep them simple and understandable. While facing any interview, there will be a set of common questions asked for all except your field knowledge. Before attending any interview, find out those questions, make a list of them and start practicing them in home.Afterall, practice makes a man perfect. So even if you are not fluent still you can easily crack any interview. Keep trying and giving interview, even if you don't get selected, you will gain experience which will be helpful while giving next inteeerview. In the end I would say just FACE IT ALL. YOU will crack it easily.
  3. Mar 2021
  4. Nov 2020
  5. Jul 2020