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 Edwin and I'll be your host for this episode, the second of a three-part series about interviewing for your first job.
Interviewing for a job is a lot like a sales meeting.
You need to sell yourself to the employer by convincing them that you have the knowledge, skills and experience they need.
But when you're interviewing for your first job, it gets a little trickier, as you probably don't have that much work experience.
So you need to show the interviewer why your college experience makes you the best candidate.
In this lesson, we'll focus on ways to highlight that experience and relate it to the job.
We'll talk about extracurricular activities, internships, and gap years.
And we'll look at ways to differentiate yourself from the competition and prove that you're the best person for the job.
In today's dialogue we'll rejoin Owen, who is interviewing for a test engineer position at IBH, an electronics company.
He's in the middle of a panel interview with Erica and Cindy, two HR reps, and George, who's in charge of engineering at the printers division of IBH.
As you listen to the dialogue, try to answer the following questions.
1.
Name one thing Owen did for his school's robotics team.
2.
Why did Owen decide to intern at LUTEC?
Three, what did Owen do in his gap year?
So, let's talk about experience.
Did you take part in any extracurricular activities that relate to this job?
Yes.
I was on the Jiao Tong robotics team for five years, just getting on the team as a competition.
I was fortunate to work on two of our three national championships.
OK, but how would that make you a good test engineer?
Well, of course.
We were constantly testing our robots.
And when something went wrong, my teammates looked to me to figure it out.
One time, we couldn't get some parts.
So it was up to me to scavenge for parts and adapt them to our needs.
That took a bit of patience and creativity.
I'll bet.
And now, how about your internship?
Your resume says you did software analysis at Lutec Systems, but I've never heard of them.
Ah, right.
Let me explain.
Lutec is a startup here in Shanghai.
I was one of their first interns, in fact.
I had opportunities with IBM and Intel, but decided to go with a smaller company.
Why was that?
I wanted to see firsthand what launching a tech company was like.
I felt the hands-on experience would be more valuable.
I see.
Well, that leads me to my next question, then.
We see a lot of candidates with impressive grades and internships.
What makes you different?
I'm open to new things.
For me, it goes beyond academics.
Here's an example.
Like a lot of students, I took a gap year.
But I wanted to use this time as an opportunity.
So what did you do?
I went to work for my cousin, who runs an electronics repair shop in California.
I mainly did small repairs for individuals in the shop and in their homes, though I did set up a couple of networks for small businesses.
Go on.
The experience taught me more about how people use products and it helped me put faces on people who are end users.
That's interesting.
And frankly, something more companies should be aware of.
So tell me why you are the right person for this job?
Well, I know my stuff.
I have the computer know-how and practical experience in testing, troubleshooting and solving problems.
And there's something else I bring to the table, the customer relations side of things.
Now, let's go through the dialogue again, step by step.
So, let's talk about experience.
Did you take part in any extracurricular activities that relate to this job?
Yes.
I was on the Jiao Tong robotics team for five years.
Just getting on the team is a competition.
I was fortunate to work on two of our three national championships.
George asks Owen whether he took part in any extracurricular activities.
To take part in is another way of saying participate, and extracurricular activities are activities that are not directly related to your academic studies, such as playing on a sports team or playing guitar in a band.
Owen mentions his five years on the Jiao Tong robotics team.
This is a good choice because it's related to engineering.
Owen was chosen for the team and worked on their entry to the national competition.
Two impressive accomplishments.
When choosing an extracurricular activity to highlight, pick one that's a close match with the job you're going for.
If you've held a significant position or had a great success, be sure to mention that, as these candidates do.
I was elected class president two years in a row.
I helped organize several events, including a series of lectures on risk analysis.
I was captain of the lacrosse team during my last year.
We were undefeated that season.
I served as a resident assistant in one of our university's dorms.
Now, George asks Owen to connect his experience on the robotics team to the job he's seeking.
Okay, but how would that make you a good test engineer?
Well, of course.
We were constantly testing our robots.
And when something went wrong, my teammates looked to me to figure it out.
One time, we couldn't get some parts.
So it was up to me to scavenge for parts and adapt them to our needs.
That took a bit of patience and creativity.
I'll bet.
Constantly testing robots does relate to the job.
It's also a bit obvious.
So Owen goes deeper and describes his role on the team.
When he says his teammates looked to him when there was a problem, it means they went to him for help solving it.
They had confidence in his ability.
Similarly, Owen says it was up to him to scavenge for parts and adapt them.
In other words, it was his responsibility to look for and collect parts.
They may not have been the exact parts needed, but Owen found a way to make them work.
His teammates knew he'd get the job done.
After Owen says it took patience and creativity, George responds with, I'll bet.
This is a phrase we use to show agreement.
Saying I bet means the same thing.
By adding details, Owen shows that he's a creative problem solver who can adapt to critical situations.
And his teammates' confidence shows he can handle responsibility.
All of these qualities are important for a test engineer.
Anytime you're asked about your college experience, try to connect it to the job you're applying for.
This is an important technique, so let's practice a few examples.
Playing violin in the university orchestra taught me about teamwork.
Every musician has to listen carefully to the others.
I got valuable counseling experience when I worked on our school crisis hotline.
I demonstrated top-notch organizational skills when I stage-managed our school's production of Hamlet.
When you're on the school debate team, you learn a lot about negotiation.
Next, George asks about Owen's internship.
And now, how about your internship?
Your resume says you did software analysis at Lutec Systems, but I've never heard of them.
Ah, right.
Let me explain.
Lutec is a startup here in Shanghai.
I was one of their first interns, in fact.
I had opportunities with IBM and Intel, but decided to go with a smaller company.
George has never heard of Lutec Systems, which means the company is unknown to him.
Owen explains that Lutec is a startup, a company that is just starting to do business.
In fact, the company is so new, Owen was one of the first interns.
Owen says that IBM and Intel, two well-known companies, were also interested in him.
While that's impressive, Owen still chose a smaller company.
When George asks why, Owen responds.
Well, I wanted to see firsthand what launching a tech company was like.
I felt the hands-on experience would be more valuable.
First-hand refers to using an original source.
For example, if your boss tells you something directly, you hear it first-hand.
Owen wanted to learn about the practical aspects of launching a company first-hand, so he went to the source and worked for Lutec.
Owen uses the term hands-on to describe the valuable experience he gained.
He learned about the work by actually doing the work.
This shows that Owen has practical experience to complement his academic background.
In this set of examples, notice how the candidates use specific facts and details to explain their internships.
During my internship, I maintain the equipment in a medical lab.
I was fortunate to assist a fashion photographer in Milan.
It was very exciting.
My geology internship took me into the mountains, where I collected samples for Dr Patel.
Now, let's hear how Owen explains how he is different from other candidates.
I see.
Well, that leads me to my next question then.
We see a lot of candidates with impressive grades and internships.
What makes you different?
I'm open to new things.
For me, it goes beyond academics.
Here's an example.
Like a lot of students, I took a gap year.
But I wanted to use this time as an opportunity.
So what did you do?
I went to work for my cousin, who runs an electronics repair shop in California.
I mainly did small repairs for individuals in the shop and in their homes, though I did set up a couple of networks for small businesses.
Go on.
The experience taught me more about how people use products and it helped me put faces on people who are end users.
It's likely that IBH received dozens of responses to their job post.
And it's likely that many candidates are similar to Owen in education and internships.
So George wants to know why Owen is different.
In other words, why should IBH hire Owen instead of another equally qualified candidate?
Owen explains that he's open to new experiences and describes his gap year.
Many students take a gap year, a year off between college and graduate school.
Owen chose to travel and work at something that would give him hands-on experience in repair and customer service.
This shows IBH that Owen takes initiative.
He feels it's important to make opportunities and learn new ways of doing things.
Owen also uses two key phrases that relate to customers.
To put a face on someone means to make a connection with someone in a human way.
In many industries, customers are anonymous.
Putting a face on a customer can help you see just who that person is.
Owen also talks about end users.
These are the people who use products once they've been manufactured and sold.
It's probably safe to say that the other candidates haven't spent a year in California repairing electronics and helping customers.
This is how Owen differentiates himself.
He shows IBH what he has that other candidates don't, and this will make him stand out.
It's important to differentiate yourself in job interviews.
Show the company what makes you stand out from the crowd and why that makes you a stronger candidate for the job.
Let's practice some other ways you can differentiate yourself from other candidates.
I've done a lot of traveling in my life and have experienced many different cultures.
I think my volunteer work shows that I'm extremely committed to this field.
I spent my gap year studying art history.
I think this helps me see graphic design from a different angle.
I ran my own business in college.
It may have been small, but it was a huge learning opportunity that not many students get.
Now, Owen explains why he's the best fit for the job.
The idea of fit is important for companies and job seekers.
Imagine you have a pair of shoes that don't quite fit.
The discomfort can distract you from what you need to do.
Fit in a business sense works the same way.
If a company or employee aren't a good fit or a good match, they won't be able to do their best work.
That's interesting.
And frankly, something more companies should be aware of.
So, tell me why you are the right person for this job?
Well, I know my stuff.
I have the computer know-how and practical experience in testing, troubleshooting and solving problems.
And there's something else I bring to the table.
The customer relations side of things.
George feels that companies should pay more attention to their customers.
Frankly is an adverb that means sincerely and straightforward.
And if you're aware of something, you're conscious of it.
Then he asks another common question.
Why is Owen the person for this job?
Why is he a good match for IBH?
Owen crafts his answer well.
First, he knows his stuff.
He has the subject knowledge the job requires.
He also has computer know-how and practical experience.
Having know-how means knowing how to do something.
And Owen brings something else to the table.
This means he has something extra that will benefit IBH.
He's had close experience with customers, something George just said was valuable.
When you're interviewing, always think about the job itself.
Before the interview, read the job description again.
Think about what knowledge, skills, and personal qualities the job requires.
Then think of why you're the best candidate and how you can prove it.
Listen to these candidates as they explain why they're a good fit for the jobs they're applying for.
I speak three languages fluently and can easily work with clients from different parts of the world.
I'm very comfortable with people and can handle any face to face transactions with ease.
My math skills are excellent and I can complete problems with a high rate of accuracy.
I've been using database management software for years and would not need additional training.
Now, let's practice some of the language we've covered today.
First, let's try a role play, where you'll play the part of the candidate.
Imagine you're in an interview for a sales position.
In a moment, you'll hear a question from an interviewer followed by a prompt.
The prompt will give you an idea of how to answer the question.
Use this idea to give an appropriate response.
After you've answered the first question, you'll hear a second question and prompt.
Keep answering the questions based on the prompts until you complete the dialogue.
For example, if you hear, So how do your extracurricular activities relate to sales?
Say that you sold over 500 tickets to an event.
Give an example of the event.
You can say, I sold over 500 tickets to our university's music festival.
We'll play an example answer after the practice.
Ready?
Let's give it a go.
Tell me why working on the music festival helped your business experience.
Say that you learned about sales and promotion.
Great.
And did your internship involve sales and promotion too?
Say yes.
You interned in a marketing department.
Name the type of business.
What kind of work did you do for your internship?
Say that you researched the buying habits of particular types of customers.
Give an example.
How does that experience make you different from other candidates?
Say that you talk directly to customers.
Give an example of what you learned from doing this.
Tell me why working on the music festival helped your business experience.
Example answer.
Well, I learned a lot about sales and promotion.
Great.
And did your internship involve sales and promotion too?
Example answer.
Yes, I interned in the marketing department of a clothing manufacturer.
What kind of work did you do for your internship?
Example answer.
I researched the buying habits of suburban teenagers.
How does that experience make you different from other candidates?
Example answer.
I talked directly to customers and learned what products they use the most.
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, One of my extracurricular was the ski club.
You can say, One of my extracurricular activities was the ski club.
After each response, we'll play the correct answer.
Let's begin.
I've never of that program before.
Answer.
I've never heard of that program before.
What did you do during your... year?
Answer.
What did you do during your gap year?
Our budget is tight, so we'll have to... for supplies.
Answer.
Our budget is tight, so we'll have to scavenge for supplies.
I'm sorry I can't take in the workshop next month.
Answer.
I'm sorry I can't take part in the workshop next month.
We've reached the end of this episode, the second of a three-part series on interviewing for your first job.
We've covered ways to discuss extracurricular activities and internships, as well as ways to differentiate yourself and show you're a good fit for the job.
Be sure to listen next time when we'll hear the rest of Owen's interview and how he handles questions about the employer and his long-term career goals.
In the meantime, check out some of the other podcasts that can help you with first job interviews, such as discussing your accomplishments in BEP 86 and 87.
Thanks for listening, and see you next time.
