BEYOND THE SCRIPT: COMMUNICATION STRATEGIES IN INTERVIEWS

About the Project

Effective communication is essential for workplace success, particularly during job interviews, where candidates must communicate ideas clearly and manage interactional challenges. However, conventional interview preparation materials often focus on common questions and model answers, giving less attention to communication strategies that help candidates overcome speaking difficulties and manage misunderstandings. This project presents CS Flipbook, a digital learning resource designed to enhance awareness of communication strategies used in job interviews, with particular relevance to Malaysian graduates and English as a Second Language (ESL) learners. CS Flipbook presents real interview dialogues between candidates and interview panellists, illustrating how communication strategies are used in authentic interactions. It highlights favourable and less favoured strategies, including self-rephrasing, self-repair, requests for repetition and requests for clarification. By examining these examples, learners can understand how communication strategies may influence interactions and how politeness can help them achieve their communicative goals. CS Flipbook supports flexible, self-directed learning, allowing students to access the material at their convenience. The evaluation involved 135 students who completed both pre- and post-questionnaires. The findings indicated increased awareness of appropriate clarification strategies, with mean ratings rising from 3.66 to 4.47. Confidence in using English for assessments also increased, from 3.24 to 4.07. These descriptive findings suggest that CS Flipbook has the potential to support learners’ communication awareness and confidence. The product has been commercialised and may serve as a supplementary interview-preparation resource for universities, language centres and career development units. Overall, the project promotes context-sensitive communication skills that may strengthen graduates’ readiness for employment.