The lecturer gave tips on how to succeed in the United States by placing particular emphasis on how to act in a job interview and the questions that might be asked. “First of all, I’d recommend telling a joke to break the ice and set a more relaxed tone. In the United States, this is important in a good orator”, he advised students.

During the lecture, González Viaña discussed important things to bear in mind when interviewing for a job in the United States. “You should never say more than what the interviewer expects”, he said. “There’s no need to present all your qualifications at once”. He also recommended being brief. “Never say in 20 minutes what you can say in one”, he said.

González Viaña is a Peruvian professor and journalist who has authored novels, short stories and news articles. He was a Spanish professor at Western Oregon University from 1999 until his retirement last year. He has also been a visiting professor at universities such as the University of California, Berkeley, Dartmouth College and Willamette University, as well as an honorary professor at the Universidad de Oviedo. He won the 2007 International Latino Book Award for best novel for El Corrido de Dante (Dante’s Ballad).