Sunday, August 04, 2019

Business English - job interview: marketing

Business English conversation at a job interview for a position in marketing designed for advanced learners. Includes questions and answers, useful phrases and vocabulary.





1. Listen and answer questions below:

a) Why does David want to change his current job?
b) What made David answer this particular job offer?
c) What is David's greatest flaw?



2. Now listen again and check with the reading whether you answered correctly.


- Hi David, thank you for coming. As you know, we’re currently interviewing for a position of marketing assistant. First things first. Why don’t you tell me a bit about yourself.

- Thank you for the opportunity. I’m currently an office manager at Smart Software. Before that I was studying for a degree in marketing at the University of Exeter and working at a fitness centre. During that time I acquired some essential sales experience and developed my people skills. Now I’m ready to move on to a more responsible position, where I could apply my professional knowledge. That’s why I was really looking forward to taking part in this process.

- And  how long have you been working for your current employer?

- For almost two years.

- Two years? Is there no marketing department in your company?

- Of course there is.

- Because, you see, what I’m struggling with, is why you’d choose to leave a long-time employer at a point, when you could easily negotiate a promotion or a different set of tasks, more in line with your education. Provided that, of course, you’ve proved yourself worthy of that privilege. But perhaps you haven’t. Help me to understand what is the reason why you want to change your job.

You should be prepared for challenging questions at a job interview


- I think it’s fair to say that I’ve proved myself extensively. And it has been recognized. I received numerous praises from my boss for my significant commitment and outstanding performance. I have brought up this matter with him recently.  Unfortunately my request was denied. They explained all job vacancies were filled and the company wasn’t looking to expand. My boss said they needed me at my current position and that there was no room for any experiments. Then, of course, he assured me once again how much they valued my work.

- Sounds like a slap in the face.

- It sure felt like it. But I don’t hold a grudge. They’re entitled to their own vision. I accept that their plans for the company may differ from mine.

- Awww… how very big-hearted of you. Fair enough. Now. How did you hear about this position?

- I’m actively looking for a job at the moment. I found your advert on get-a-job-dot-com while searching for a position in marketing. It caught my attention right away.

- What was it exactly that caught your eye?

- I found your company mission statement highly appealing. Especially the fact that you encourage personal development.

- Indeed. We believe that investment in human capital is one of the pillars of a successful business. But let’s move on to the next question. Why did you choose a career in marketing?

You should know some basic facts about the company you decide to interview with


- First of all, I am deeply fascinated by the creative process behind marketing campaigns. It’s where different ideas come together to form carefully thought-out strategies. If everything goes well, the final product is a masterpiece. Second – the people factor. In order to be successful in marketing, you need to learn how to properly identify your target audience. Which means you need to know the ways in which people think, how they react, and you need to take into account their inherent unpredictability and inconsistency.

- Are YOU inherently inconsistent?

- I would hope not. Although on a subconscious level I probably am, as most people are. The trick is to know how to overcome it when necessary. At work, for instance.

- Nice save. What type of work environment do you prefer?

- I have worked in different types of environments. But I think what I’d enjoy the most is working in an environment where people are casual and laid-back but also motivated, passionate and like to get things done.

- Ok! Now, could you tell me what your greatest achievement is?

- When I was working at the fitness centre, I came up with an idea for a campaign which attracted lots of new customers.

- And your greatest weakness?

- My greatest weakness would have to be my hyperactivity. I’m unable to sit still for very long and I prefer to multitask rather than focus on one thing at a time.

- Some might consider that an asset.

- Well, I’m glad to hear that.

- Do you have any questions?

- Yes, if I may. What are day-to-day responsibilities of this job?

- You’re going to work in a team managed by an experienced marketer. The team have daily meetings, brainstorming sessions and presentations.

- And what are the next steps in the interview process?

- You’ll be asked to come again and meet the team. They’ll give you some tasks to complete and they’ll evaluate your performance. Based on that evaluation we will make our final decision.


3. Write in the comments:

a) What is your work experience?
b) Describe your current position.
c) Justify why you deserve a promotion.


4. Now practice what you've learned with the video lesson.




Photos by freepik.com

Saturday, July 27, 2019

English conversation about travelling through Europe



1. Listening

Listen to the conversation about travelling and answer the questions below:

a) When was the last time Riley saw Nate and Zoe?
b) How much time did Nate and Zoe spend in Barcelona?
c) What happened to Nate on the hike in the Alps?






2. Reading

Now you can check your answers by listening again while you read the text below.




Travelling through Europe


- Hey Riley!
- How ya goin'?
- Not bad mate.
- Hey Zoe, how's it going?
- Good!
- It’s been a while, hasn’t it?
- I think it’s been almost a year since we last saw each other.



- What have you been up to?
- Not much. Well, mostly work. That’s actually the reason I couldn’t join you. My new boss wouldn’t let me take so much time off work. He turned out to be a bit of a bastard. But enough about me! Tell me how your trip worked out?
- It worked out great! We visited a number of truly magnificent places.
- Did you get to see Spain?
- Yes, we did! We spent a whole week in Barcelona.
- Whoa! Sweet!
- We did loads of sightseeing. Sagrada Familia, Park Güell… umm…
- Casa Batllo.
- Casa Batllo, Las Ramblas, La Boqueria. We also did some winetasting just outside the city.
- Sounds interesting. Where else did you go besides Spain?
- Portugal, Scotland, France, Switzerland…



- Swiss Alps! Nate had a close encounter with an unidentified flying object!
- How come?
- One day we went hiking. We chose one of the most difficult trails with lots of narrow cliff ledges secured with chains. We were trying to get through one of the toughest spots. I was holding onto the chains with my hands all sweaty.  Suddenly we hear a loud flutter and a huge bird lands on my shoulder!
- No way! And what did you do?
- I froze for a minute. I said: „oh yeah, sure. well, isn’t that just wonderful! Just as I’m trying not to die here, you decide to make a nest!”.
- I wish I had taken a picture!
- I wish I had been there to see your face! What did the bird do next?
- It looked over at me and took off.



Present Perfect



Present Perfect Simple



it’s been almost a year since we last saw each other = we haven’t seen each other for almost a year 

This instance of PP tense is used to emhasize how much time has passed since an event that happened in the past:

                                             It has been a year since we saw each other

Subject+auxiliary verb+past participle+time expression+since+a past event

                       have/has            3rd form of a verb                                                    past simple





Present Perfect Continuous


what have you been up to? = what have you been doing?

what have you been doing?
question tag+auxiliary verb+subject+been+continuous verb

(meaning: what have you been doing lately)




Vocabulary



take time off (from) work = stop working temporarily
turn out to be = prove to be the case
enough about me
work out = have a good or specified result
Did you get to see Spain? - get to do something = to have the opportunity to do something
Where else did you go besides Spain?
encounter = an unexpected or casual meeting with someone or something
how come? =  how (or why) did it happen?
ledge = a piece of rock on the side of a cliff or mountain, which is in the shape of a narrow shelf
get through = to manage to deal with a difficult situation
hold onto something
flutter = flapping of wings
I wish I had been there
take off = take to the air or depart hastily



3. Further questions


Write your answers in the comment section:

a) How do you like to spend your holidays? Do you travel a lot?
b) Describe a funny experience you had on holiday.



4. Practice your English with a video lesson!



Now you can come back any time and practice what you've already learned.









People photo created by freepik - www.freepik.com
Hiking photo created by jcomp - www.freepik.com

Wednesday, July 24, 2019

English lesson about pets - reading & listening



English lesson about pets for intermediate learners.

1. Listening

Listen to the podcast about pet owners. Try to get as much information as you can and answer the questions below:

a) What advantages do pets have over human friends?
b) Does Simon regret having two dogs? Why/why not?
c) How are cats different than dogs according to Emma?




2. Reading

Now listen again while you read the text below and check your answers.

Pet owners

Nowadays more and more people decide to invite a furry creature into their lives. Some will even gladly choose pets over human friends. After all, your pet will love you unconditionally. As long as you keep feeding it and giving it a bit of attention. They won’t argue with you or betray you. You can always expect a warm welcome when you come home. Have you noticed that they’re in a good mood almost 24/7?!


free English lessons dogs pets
Simon is a happy owner of two labrador retrievers

Here with me is Simon Green, a happy owner of two labrador retrievers.
- Tell me Simon, is it an easy job to take care of not one, but two large dogs? How do you manage?
- Hi! Well, I wouldn’t say it’s easy. Sometimes it feels as if I had two kids under my care. It is a lot of work. And it’s time-consuming. But, hey! It’s all worth the trouble. It’s amazing how well dogs can communicate. After you spend some time with them, it actually feels like you know them and they know you. Plus, I don’t think anyone has ever loved me as much as my dogs.
It has been proved that our furry friends can improve our health and even contribute to our happiness. Whether you're a dog person or a cat person, it doesn't matter.


britsh english listening cats pets
Emma prefers cats to dogs

My next guest is Emma Gilbert.
- Emma, you’re more of a cat person, aren’t you?
- Yes, I’m definitely a cat person.
- So tell us, what is so special about cats?
- People think that dogs are the only animals you can be truly close with but I think it’s a myth. Cats may not seem as extroverted or excited. But they do show love in their own way and they can become your genuine and loyal friends.


Glossary
pet owner – a person who owns a pet
furry – covered with fur
creature – any living thing that is not a plant
unconditional – not subject to any conditions
time-consuming – taking a lot of time to do or complete
24/7 – all the time, 24 hours a day, seven days a week
manage to do something – be able to do something
contribute to something – give to help achieve something
dog/cat person – a person who prefers dogs/cats
definitely – without doubt
extroverted – outgoing, socially confident
genuine - authentic
myth - a widely held but false belief or idea




Useful English phrases


to invite someone into your life
to love someone unconditionally
to give someone attention
to give someone a warm welcome
feels as if I had two kids (- that’s what having two large dogs makes him feel like, but in fact he has no kids)
it’s worth the trouble
improve someone’s health


3. Follow-up excercise
Leave a comment below and let us know:

a) Are you a cat person or a dog person? Or perhaps you prefer other pets, like rabbits or fish?
b) What do you think taking care of a pet teaches people?
c) Try to think of 4 advantages and 4 disadvantages of having a pet.

learn English listening dogs pets




4. Now you can repeat new vocabulary with the video lesson









Photos/graphics source: https://www.freepik.com