Episode 03

Marcia calls the candidates to give them details of the interview.

Do the preparation task first. Then watch the video and do the exercises. You can also read the transcript.

Transcript

Marcia: Hi, I'm Marcia Boardman. I'm calling from WebWare.

Daniel: Oh, hi, Marcia. Great to hear from you.

Marcia: You'll have already been told you've been shortlisted for interview ...

Sarah: Oh, yes, great ... hello? Can you hear me?

Marcia: Yes ... Is it OK if I call you now? Would you like me to call you back later?

Sarah: Erm, no, no, no, that's OK.

Marcia: Good. Well, we're very excited about meeting you. OK, I just want to talk you through the procedure for the day. Someone will meet you when you arrive, reimburse you for any travel expenses you may have, and then bring you up to meet myself and Philip Hart, the CEO.

Daniel: OK, sounds good. So, will you be the only members of the interview panel there, then?

Marcia: Yes, it'll be just me and Philip who will talk to you. The interview will be in three parts. First of all we'll ask you some general questions about yourself and your educational and professional background, then we'll move on to specifics.

Sarah: Oh, er, specifics? Erm, well, er, what kind of questions will you be asking?

Marcia: Well, it'll be very similar to the personal statement you submitted with your CV. We'll be expecting you to give actual examples of problems you've faced and solved, and of what you feel are your major successes in your career so far.

Daniel: OK, well, yeah, that sounds great. Can't wait!

Marcia: Then there'll be a chance for you to ask us any questions about the job itself or WebWare in general.

Sarah: Oh, erm, OK. I'll think of something!

Marcia: After that, we'd like you to give a short presentation on how you see WebWare as a company progressing, and how you see yourself taking us there.

Daniel: OK, so will I be expected to give, like, a formal-style presentation?

Marcia: It can be as formal or as informal as you like. There'll be a flip chart and a data projector there available. If you need anything else, just let us know.

Sarah: Oh, erm, OK, a presentation! Erm, I'll think of something. I haven't done one of those in a while ...

Marcia: Is that all clear? Great. So, Daniel, I'll see you at 11 a.m., a week tomorrow.

Daniel: OK, great, yeah, I look forward to meeting you! Thanks, bye.

Marcia: OK, so, Sarah, we'll be seeing you at 1 p.m., a week tomorrow. Best of luck!

Sarah: Oh, thanks. I'll need it!

Task 1

Exercise

Task 2

Exercise

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Discussion

What did you have to do in your last job interview? What questions were you asked?

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Language level

B1 English level (intermediate)

B2 English level (upper intermediate)

What did you have to do in your last job interview? What questions were you asked?
in my last job my boss asked me about my experience, qualification, and my family background I asked everything about my experience and I'm a hardworking girl and always dedicated to my work. you may rely on me i hope you will be happy with my work. the main problem is that my English was not good and my boss offered me less salary but in that period of time I got the best sales within 2month. my boss was surprised me he increased my salary with incentive. in my first month I got only 6000 rs fact my fare is 3000 rs a month but I corporate it the second month I work very hard and I got 18000 rs with incentive my boss happily increased my salary for 10,000 rs with incentive within 6month I've got 25000 in a month and after 1year I achieved 30 to 35000 in a month and after 2years of my experience I received 50k every month. I fulfill my family's dreams. whatever they want i give him after 3year I decided to do my own business with someone and I decided to learn English on 1 April 2021. and I join many English courses to improve my communication and still I'm learning the English language and I'm doing my own business and it all about my work hard.

What did you have to do in your last job interview? What questions were you asked?

During my last job interview, I were mostly asked to introduce about myself, my successes in the past and why I quite... I am not good at showing myself, I know this is my weakness. But, I were not convinced with the question is my successful project in the previous work places though I am just a legal officer. I really really confuse why they posed this question and how to answer it. Please share your experiences in this situation. Thank you in advance.

While my last job interview, the recruiter asked me present me, tell him of my professional experience and why I want quit my actual job. He asked me if I know speak English or Deutsh. He asked me too what I search in my job? He asked me if the time passed in my car for come to work is a problem.

In the last interview i had ,i was asked many questions. The owner company asked me firstly general questions in English about my educational qualifications,my family ,where i do live ,if i have a car or not , secondly he asked me why do i want to join his team ,then he asked me about expected salary, finally he asked me if he accepted me as a member of his team ,how long will i need to be available to stay my new job.

In my last interview i was asked about my wage aspiration, and about what is my Vision an Mission in life.

it was two years back in my interview i was given an online assessment and a topic given to me write about it in English to check my writing skills. then the manager round took place in which i was asked about my qualification my recent experience and hobbies. and finally i got selected.

In my last job interview, I had to do a Math test without using caculator, after that I answered some questions from the interviewer. They were about my educational background, experiences, English skills, my strengths and weaknesses.

In my last job interview I was first asked to introduce myself. I summed up my professional experience and my educational and described my personality. I was requested after to tell about my qualities and drawbacks, to describe a situation where I faced difficulties and how I solved it, to speak about my achievements. I had to speak more thoroughly about my last job and to explain why and when I quited, and why I applied to the job.

i was on time they asked me about my self then about my old work

I never have a job real interview. I've work for 12 years. The first job, there is a company of my friend, I came there for working and help him around 2 years. A second job, I 've woked 10 years is also my family company. I worked and didn't any more interview.

In my last job interview I had to talk about the company, the competitors, the main product of the company and many other things. In addition, the interview was in Spanish, but it included a few questions in English.

In my last job interview, I had to wait for two hour because the interviewer arrived late. He asked me about the last job. That to say, about my functions and my skills in accounting. I think that was something special and good.

I had to answered some question. The questions that were asked centred on the following: - General questions. - Specific questions. - And questions relating to objective, mission and vision of the organization.

My last job interview was two years ago. I applied for a job as a tour guide. Bufore I was working as a journalist in a newspaper, so the job was absolutely different from my previous one. I was excited. My new job was supposed to be in another country, so it was online. I spoke English, told about my city like I was making a tour and answered some questions. The most unexpected question was why I wanted to change the field. I answered sincerely that I wanted to live in a warm country, try myself in a new field and change something in my life.

Hello dear team, as usual I admire you all for your work. Thank you very much. and now, could you helo me to get this? Marcia: Is that all clear? Great. So, Daniel, I'll see you at 11 a.m., a week tomorrow. what does "a week tomorrow" mean? Suppose that the call was today "Tuesday" does that mean the meeting is on Wednesday of next week?

Hello Joel-0505

Yes, that's right -- it's another way of saying 'a week from tomorrow'. Some people also say 'tomorrow week' to mean the same thing. I'd say the most commonly used expression is 'a week from tomorrow'.

All the best

Kirk

The LearnEnglish Team

If today is Monday and a week from tomorrow mean 'Next Week of Tuesday'?

Hello Naw Chaw Su,

Yes, that's the idea. For example, if today is Monday January 1, 'a week from tomorrow' means Tuesday January 9.

All the best,
Kirk
The LearnEnglish Team

Hello (You'll have already been told you've been shortlisted) could you explain the tensender please Why it's will have in the future?

Hello fidaasiddig,

Will is a modal verb like should, might and may, and it has several uses, not all of which are connected with the future. In your example will is used to express a prediction (a guess or an expectation) about the present. You could say the same thing in many other ways. For example:

I expect that you have already been told...

You've probably already been told...

I imagine that you've already been told...

Peter

The LearnEnglish Team

this video series're very useful for me to understand what's going on in recruiting new personel in english

In the old-time, recruitment used not to require so many qualifications to a candidate. Perhaps activities at that time were less abundant, and life seemed to be more simple, time ran slower, then to find a job was less competitive as today. In a point of view of an old retired, I find the video interesting, but if I were a candidate, I would be out from the first step!

Hello, I find very interesting to understand how recruiting is working. It helps us to prepare better for whatever job interviews. I never had Business English lessons before, and now I am realizing how much I have lost along the years. I will try to do my best to watch the video lessons regularly and doing exercises and practice. Thank you very much! It's rare finding a good Business English course!

When I answered the task 1, it was difficult to recall what Marcia said. So I listened to the video again, imagining myself taking the interview. Then I could remember the interview procedure accurately.

This serie is very interesting, because not only we learn specific expressions but it helps us how to prepare ourselves for our job seeking.

This video is interesting because you can see how an interview is done and what questions are asked of the interviewees, it is not very fomal.

it is a very interesant text because the global plain job is fantastic

hi.i'm student, i think that it's a good idea to do interviews to find out what people to hire, also, if i were the interviewer Behavioural job, sinece it is the most efficient in my opinion

hello

This episode about recruitment happens in the developped countries like US or UK . In Poland most employers are looking for employees who will be work under pressure for badly -paid wages . This is sad realities of being employee in Poland. If you live in harsh , dire conditions of Third World like Poland , Moldova, Ukraine or India you will be abused or will have to abuse another human being only for money. This is the real face of globalisation .Of course this episode show how business life like in the international and multicultural companies. And I have watched this series like films about James Bond because I never have have such a opportunity in my life.

Hi I need to know meaning of 'a week' in this phrase ' I'll see you at 11am, a week tomorrow. ' , it might be 'this week' , isn't it?

Hello arradfar In British English, 'a week tomorrow' is a common way of saying 'a week from tomorrow'. For example, if today is Sunday 28 April, 'a week tomorrow' means a week from Monday 29 April, i.e. Monday 6 May. All the best Kirk The LearnEnglish Team

Hi, Mrs Marcia called to candidates and invated them for the interview in this video content.

hi, it's really interesting to watch this video and previous ones too I think Marcia had like man candidate more than woman at first, and it is so interesting how it will be after interview

MB: OK, so, Sarah, we'll be seeing you at 1pm, a week tomorrow. ___________________________________ Hi. I want to know what does it mean "a week tomorrow" in this dialogue?

Hi Lusine,

The phrase 'a week tomorrow' means that it will happen one week after tomorrow. In other words, in eight days. If today is Monday, it will happen on Tuesday next week.

Peter

The LearnEnglish Team

Oh I see.Thanks

MB: After that, we'd like you to give a short presentation on how you see WebWare as a company progressing, and how you see yourself taking us there. __________________________________ Hello.Could you explain me what are the words of "taking us there" mean in this dialogue???

Hello Lusine,

'Taking us there' refers back to the idea of the company 'progressing'. If you visualise progress as a journey from the current position to a better place, then 'taking us there' is easy to understand, I think.

Peter

The LearnEnglish Team

Ok.thanks a lot

what do you mean by moderation

Hello nuam7273,

That would depend on the context. If you are asking about the moderation we do on this site, it refers to the fact that all comments are read before they are published so that we can ensure that they are relevant, not spam and are in line with our House Rules.

Peter

The LearnEnglish Team

sorry if I say that the accent is not clear for me because I am foreigner that's why its difficult for me to understand from the beginning not all the videos are not clear just one was not clear for me the rest are good sorry for bothering you I apologize.

the accent is not very clear so after I read the transcription I understand more I think they (HR and CEO) didn't like the answers of the candidate (Dane). He was not convincing

Exactly, it's complicated to me, it goes on quickly and I didn't pick up most of the collocations so I missed the whole and I couldn't repeat it or benefit it

Thank you. Very useful!

Hello! I have a question on this episode. Is it a typical thing in the UK or the USA that HRs outline the procedure of an interview? I mean, do they say the questions that candidates will be asked?

Hi Jules_RZ,

As far as I know, it is not common practice for HR departments to give candidates the questions they will be asked in an interview. In any case, the kinds of things that Marcia mentions, except perhaps for the presentation, are very common in such interviews, so I think most people who prepare well will have at least thought about how to answer them.

All the best,
Kirk
The LearnEnglish Team

Dear moderator， The last question is "You'll have already been told you've been shortlisted for interview". Why we use "will" in this sentence. Because I think you want to express they are already informed. So I don't know why to use the "will" here to mean the future. And I think we should add "an" or "the" in front of the "interview". Because it seems to miss a determiner before it. Can you help me? Thanks a lot. Best regards, Leo

Hello Leo,

We can use 'will' for predictions or guesses about the future ("I'll be president one day!") or about the present ("I think he'll be in a meeting now"). 'Will have' is used in the same way when we are guessing about something before a point in the future ("At three o'clock I'll have been here for six hours!") or present ("The meeting will have finished by now"). The use of 'will have' in your example is similar to these: a guess or expectation about something which happened before the present.

You can say 'for an interview' or 'for interview' without any difference of meaning in this context.

Peter

The LearnEnglish Team

Episode 03

Preparation

Transcript

Task 1

Task 2

Discussion

Language level