Lisa Leopold, Assistant Professor, Monterey Institute of International Studies

Succeeding in job interviews in the United States is challenging even for well-qualified international students because it requires advanced linguistic and pragmatic competence as well as an understanding of American values–personal initiative, success-oriented behavior, and egalitarianism (Pautkina, 2006). However, pragmatics training can help learners acquire the skills for succeeding in job interviews. In this demonstration, participants will learn how to design a training which incorporates videotaped models of interviews with native speakers, role-plays, and vocabulary exercises. Participants will discover why undergraduate international students credited this workshop with helping them land jobs in the U.S.