English for work

The English skills that actually get you hired in Rwanda

Employers rarely test your grammar. Here is what they actually listen for in interviews — and how to prepare for it.

Vuganawe Team· 19 May 20264 min read

We asked hiring managers in Kigali what they listen for when a candidate speaks English. None of them said "perfect grammar".

They said: Can this person explain their experience clearly? Can they answer a question they did not expect? Will they be able to talk to our clients?

That means your interview preparation should be speaking preparation. Prepare your three core stories — a problem you solved, a result you achieved, a time you learned fast — as bullet points, not scripts. Practise saying them out loud until they come out naturally in different words each time.

In our English for Work & Career program, mock interviews are the core activity, because the difference between a prepared and unprepared candidate is obvious within one minute.

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