ESP Performance and Interview Strategies among Information Systems Students of Varying Academic Achievement

Abstract

As the global technology sector becomes increasingly integrated, Information Systems (IS) graduates must possess both technical mastery and the linguistic competence to navigate international professional environments. This research investigates the intersection of technical academic achievement and communicative performance by analyzing the English for Specific Purposes (ESP) usage and interview strategies of IS students. Utilizing a qualitative descriptive research design, the study stratified 24 undergraduate students from one of universities in Indonesia into three groups i.e., high, medium, and low achievers. Data were elicited through semi-structured mock job interviews and analyzed using the six-phase reflexive thematic analysis framework of Braun and Clarke (2013). The results reveal a significant pragmatic gap between achievement levels. High achievers demonstrated professional agency, characterized by the use of lexical anchors and proactive rhetorical strategies that linked academic projects to business outcomes. Conversely, lower achievers exhibited template dependency, relying on rigid scripts and generalist language that often masked their technical potential. Significant First Language (L1) interference and phonetic slips were observed across all levels, though high achievers displayed superior self-monitoring and mitigation skills. These findings suggest that high academic achievement provides the content for professional success, but it does not automatically confer the linguistic voice required for global employability. The study concludes with pedagogical recommendations for integrating industry-specific pragmatics into ESP curricula to ensure that all IS graduates are effectively prepared for the demands of the global technology workforce.