You're listening to Business English Pod, the Business English podcast for professionals on the move.
Welcome back to Business English Pod.
My name's Jennifer and I'll be your host for this episode, the first in a two-part series on talking about your job and company.
The way you talk about your job gives clues to what you're like as an employee or colleague, so it's important to consider your audience.
For example, if you're talking to a recruiter or future employer, you want to be brief but still provide enough details to give an accurate description and make a good impression.
In this lesson we'll talk about ways to explain the basic aspects of your job and give details about your duties.
We'll also cover ways to talk about any special projects you've worked on and how to discuss your job satisfaction.
We'll be listening to Rhonda, a recruiter, and Stella, an IT manager.
Rhonda is going to help Stella find a new IT position, but first she wants to get some more information about her current job.
They are meeting over lunch at a restaurant.
As you listen to the dialogue, try to answer the following questions.
1.
What is the name of Stella's current employer?
2.
What are two of Stella's responsibilities?
3.
Why does Stella feel like she can't grow at her current job?
Ah, the burgers here are amazing.
Have you tried them?
I have.
My company has parties here sometimes.
Always great food.
Oh, I bet.
So how long have you been working at Bell Associates?
Well, I've been there since 2007.
I started right after I got my BS in computer science.
Mm-hmm.
And what are your day-to-day duties like?
Basically, I'm the go-to person for everything IT.
In what way?
Well, for the most part, it's mainly troubleshooting and training.
But I also supervise the help desk.
Sounds like a lot.
Have you worked on many specific projects?
Sure.
I wrote up the tech support manuals for employees.
You know taking on some of the most common issues, so they can do some troubleshooting for themselves.
And is that well received?
Yes.
A lot of people say it helps, especially the new hires.
My company's a bit in the dark ages when it comes to technology.
Really?
How so?
Our system is from the late 1990s.
Really a dinosaur when you think about how fast technology advances.
So new people need extensive training.
Mm-hmm.
There's no budget to upgrade.
It's too bad really.
I like my company and I enjoy training, but I feel like my talents could be better used in a different position.
Let's look at Rhonda and Stella's conversation more closely.
Ah, the burgers here are amazing.
Have you tried them?
I have.
My company has parties here sometimes.
Always great food.
Oh, I bet.
So how long have you been working at Bell Associates?
Well, I've been there since 2007.
I started right after I got my BS in computer science.
Rhonda and Stella start with a little small talk about the burgers in the restaurant.
Burgers is just a short way to say hamburgers.
Rhonda quickly turns the discussion to Stella's current job.
She wants to know some basic information such as how long she has worked at her company.
Stella replies that she's worked at Bell Associates since 2007 and that she started there after she got her BS or Bachelor of Science degree in computer science.
When talking about your job, basic information usually comes first.
It can include the name of your company, your position or job title and how long you've held that position.
If relevant, you can also talk about your education and any promotions or career changes.
Let's practice a few ways to give basic job information.
I've been working as an HR assistant for the last four years.
I was a junior copywriter until I was promoted last summer.
I changed careers in the mid-90s and became a teacher.
I started here two years ago, after I finished my master's degree in biology.
I've been with Henderson since leaving college.
It's important to think about verb tenses when you're giving this type of information.
Is the action finished or does it continue into the present time?
Keeping the tense in mind will help you give more accurate information.
Also, let's look at one vocabulary word from that set of examples.
A copywriter is a person who writes advertising, marketing and promotional materials.
Now, Rhonda asks for more detailed information about Stella's duties.
And what are your day-to-day duties like?
Basically, I'm the go-to person for everything IT.
In what way?
Well, for the most part, it's mainly troubleshooting and training.
But I also supervise the help desk.
Rhonda asks about Stella's day-to-day responsibilities.
What are some of the routine tasks she does on a daily basis?
Stella replies that she's the go-to person for everything IT.
A go-to person is an expert that people go to when they need help or advice.
Everything IT is another way to talk about all aspects of IT.
Rhonda needs more details, so she asks, in what way?
Stella replies that for the most part, meaning most of the time, her main duties are troubleshooting and training.
Troubleshooting means finding out what's causing a problem.
Stella also supervises the help desk, a resource employees can call when they have IT questions.
We often hear this term when we're talking about technology.
For example, Many companies have help desks to assist employees and customers who might be having trouble with computer hardware or software.
When explaining job duties, it's helpful to add details and use descriptive verbs.
If it applies to you, you might mention the size of your clients, how much of a certain task you're responsible for, or if you handle a specific territory or industry.
Here are some examples, but remember that any explanations depend on the individual and his or her job.
I take care of all the scheduling.
I follow up with customers to make sure they're satisfied with our service.
I supervise branches in the southeast region.
I head up the sales team.
Next, Rhonda asks about specific projects.
Sounds like a lot.
Have you worked on many specific projects?
Sure.
I wrote up the tech support manuals for employees.
You know taking on some of the most common issues, so they can do some troubleshooting for themselves.
Stella has written tech support manuals.
Manuals are documents that guide people through a procedure or tell them how to use a piece of equipment.
Stella's manuals help employees with some of the simpler IT issues so they can handle problems on their own.
When you describe a specific project, try to include a few details that will help the other person see the whole picture, as in these examples.
I chaired the fundraising committee last year.
We raised a record amount of money for our charity projects.
My team develops the company's branding strategies.
I led on the company's annual audit.
My colleagues and I designed the new elementary school in Clifton.
We pioneered the research methods for this type of environmental science.
Let's take a quick look at some of that vocabulary.
Branding strategies are part of a company's overall marketing plan.
An annual audit is an examination of financial records that happens once a year.
To pioneer something means to be one of the first people or organisations to do it.
Now, Rhonda steers the conversation so she can learn more about Stella's job satisfaction.
First, she asks more about the tech support manual.
Let's listen.
And is that well received?
Yes, a lot of people say it helps, especially the new hires.
My company's a bit in the dark ages when it comes to technology.
Really?
How so?
Our system is from the late 1990s.
Really a dinosaur when you think about how fast technology advances.
So new people need extensive training.
There's no budget to upgrade.
It's too bad, really.
I like my company and I enjoy training.
But I feel like my talents could be better used in a different position.
When Rhonda asks if the manual is well received, she wants to know how the employees like it.
Something that is well received gets positive feedback.
Something that is not well received gets negative feedback.
Stella says that yes, the manual is well received and that new hires, people who have recently joined the company, find it especially helpful.
This is because with technology, Stella's company is in the dark ages.
Its IT equipment is quite old.
It's likely that new hires have been trained on more up-to-date technologies, but when they arrive at Bell Associates, they need to learn how to use the older equipment.
This is why they appreciate Stella's tech support manual.
Intrigued, Rhonda asks, And now Stella reveals how satisfied she is with her job.
She mentions that her IT system is a dinosaur when compared to current technology.
A dinosaur is a reptile that lived in prehistoric times.
Stella is saying that when you consider the timeline of technology, her current system might as well be from the time of dinosaurs.
In a way, she's joking, but only in part.
Her point is that the old technology requires extensive training and this can become a problem.
Stella continues that the company does not have the money to upgrade its system, which puts her in a difficult situation.
She is clear that she likes her company and enjoys the training aspects of her job.
But she also feels that she could do so much more with newer technology.
Discussing job satisfaction can be tricky.
Sometimes it's hard to know how candid or open you should be.
Usually, the situation will guide you.
The following examples will give you some ideas.
I really enjoy working for a company that values employee input.
For me, it's the challenges that make it all worthwhile.
It's the smiles on the customers' faces that I find the most rewarding.
My company has thousands of employees.
Sometimes I feel like I'm just a number.
Here's another quick vocabulary note.
Input is someone's thoughts, opinions or ideas on something.
And if someone feels like he's just a number, he feels insignificant among a large group of people.
Now let's practise some of the language we covered today.
First, we'll practise language that can be used to explain job basics.
You'll hear a question followed by a prompt.
Use the language in the prompt to answer the question.
For example, if you hear How long have you been at your job?
Ten years.
You can say I've been at my job for ten years.
We'll play an example answer after each practice.
Are you ready?
Let's give it a go.
When were you promoted?
1996 Example answer.
I was promoted in 1996.
When did you finish the training program?
Nine months ago?
Example answer.
I finished the training program nine months ago.
How long have you been selling copiers?
Six years Example answer.
I've been selling copiers for six years.
When did you transfer to the Moscow office?
Eight years ago.
Example answer.
I transferred to the Moscow office eight years ago.
Now let's practice useful vocabulary and idioms.
You'll hear a series of sentences with a word replaced with a beep.
Repeat the whole sentence saying the missing word.
For example, if you hear... You can say...
After each response, we'll play the correct answer.
Let's begin.
I had trouble with the software, so I called the desk.
Answer.
I had trouble with the software, so I called the help desk.
We need to plan an orientation session for the new... Answer.
We need to plan an orientation session for the new hires.
Has anyone seen the... For the copier?
Answer Has anyone seen the manual for the copier?
I'm afraid our company is really in the ages when it comes to technology.
Answer I'm afraid our company is really in the dark ages when it comes to technology.
We've also looked at ways to discuss job satisfaction.
Thanks for listening and see you next time.
