Lesson 5: Mastering do/have questions.

Here is everything you need to know about it.

Welcome back to another session of Boost! Classes began last week, and we're proud to have over 690 students participating. Thank you for being a part of the TECLA community.

Answering the most common interview questions without mistakes.

Mastering the do/have struggle.

When interpreting questions about their previous experience, job seekers often face the do/have hurdle, which can lead to misunderstandings about whether they are being asked about their knowledge or task performance.

A study by Glassdoor revealed that communication is a significant challenge for job candidates, with many providing vague or unimpressive answers. This miscommunication can result in incomplete or inaccurate responses, potentially harming their chances of success.

To overcome this hurdle, candidates must listen attentively, seek clarification when necessary, and provide specific examples to demonstrate their value.

Effective communication from the outset is crucial, with 49% of employers reporting that they determine a candidate's suitability within the first five minutes of an interview, according to a survey by CareerBuilder.

Let's put that communication skills into practice...

Interviewer: “Do you have any prior experience in tech?”

Your answer: “Yes I have.”

👉 Be careful! This is WRONG ❌.

Don't worry. All non-native speakers have been there and misunderstood this question. That's precisely why mastering this skill is so essential!

The correct way to answer it is: "Yes, I do."

Have is often used as an auxiliary to the verb, and those questions sound like: "Have you worked in technology in the past?"

  • To which you would answer: "Yes, I have." or "No, I haven't."

During a job interview, the interviewer typically asks the candidate about their experiences, values, and skills.

Example: "Have you ever worked for a US company?"

You could answer: "Yes, I have." or "No, I haven't."

Naturally, it's always a good idea to provide more details in your answer, such as saying, "I've had the privilege of working at Microsoft for three incredible years!".

Using "do" or "have" to answer "Yes, or No" questions are determined by the tense.

"Do" is used as an auxiliary to ask questions in the simple present tense.

Remember that the word order changes, and the auxiliary verb comes first when asking questions. Therefore, using the auxiliary instead of the verb in short "Yes or No" answers is essential.

For example...

Person A: "Do we have a meeting today?" 

Person B: "Yes, we do. It starts at 2 pm."

Important note: If you would have answered: "Yes, we have…", this would be wrong.

It's essential to remember that the word order in questions changes, and it's necessary to use the auxiliary verb instead of the main verb in short "Yes or No" responses.

These skills are crucial for overcoming the do/have hurdle, and succeeding in your following interview!  With practice, you can master these techniques and confidently showcase your skills and experience to potential employers.

So, keep these tips in mind, and prepare to ace your following interview like a pro! Good luck out there! 

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