You're listening to Business English Pod, the Business English podcast for professionals on the move.
Hello, and welcome back to Business English Pod.
My name's Edwin and I'll be your host for today's lesson on collocations.
You can use to describe your capabilities in a job interview.
A job interview is one of the most stressful and high-pressure situations you experience in your working life.
With such high stakes, you don't want to leave anything to chance.
So you prepare by anticipating what questions you'll be asked and planning how you might respond.
In this lesson we'll hear how a couple of interviewees respond to typical but challenging interview questions.
And as they respond, the speakers use some useful expressions that we call collocations.
Learning collocations is a great way to expand your active vocabulary and sound more natural and confident.
But what exactly is a collocation?
Well, a collocation is simply a group of words that we usually use together.
It's like a chunk of language that you can plug into a sentence.
For example, you might have heard the expression to take an approach to something.
We always use that verb take with the noun approach so you can remember them together.
Collocations sound natural and they make language learning efficient, because you can learn chunks of language rather than individual words.
As you listen to the two different interviews, try to pick out some of these collocations and we'll discuss them later in the debrief.
In the first interview we'll hear Dale interviewing Carla, who is applying for an accounting job at an insurance company.
Carla is talking about her experience, knowledge, and accomplishments.
In the second interview, we'll hear Sophia interviewing Joseph.
Joseph is applying for a management position at the company where he works.
He'll talk about his approach to work and his problem-solving skills.
As you listen to the dialogues, try to answer the following questions.
1.
How much experience does Carla say she has in the field of insurance?
2.
What special accomplishment does Carla mention?
3.
How does Joseph say he has decreased stress in his department?
So, Carla, you've been at Signal Bank for the past five years, in a couple of different divisions?
Yes, that's right.
Commercial lending in Chicago for the first two, then the insurance wing in New York for the past three.
Before that I was with Davis for eight years, so I've got a wealth of experience in all types of insurance.
I see.
And that includes insurance for corporate finance transactions, warranty and indemnity litigation, buyout and such
Certainly.
I'm well acquainted with the different approaches for risk management in corporate finance.
And I've overseen insurance for some of our biggest corporate accounts at Signal.
Actually, we've grown a lot in that area during my tenure.
Is that right?
So could you tell us how you've contributed to that growth or what role you played in it?
Well, one of the most important things I did was to spearhead an initiative two years ago to standardize client reporting.
I recognized that we were wasting quite a bit of time tracking down information that we needed for policy quotes and changes, so I implemented a new procedure.
So, a push for efficiency, in other words?
Yes, exactly.
Standardizing the reporting really helped to optimize performance.
And our team was then able to focus a bit more of their time on wooing new clients, which was part of our overall strategy.
Now let's go through the dialogue again and look at the language and collocations Carly used in her interview.
So, Carla, you've been at Signal Bank for the past five years, in a couple of different divisions?
Yes, that's right.
Commercial lending in Chicago for the first two, then the insurance wing in New York for the past three.
Before that I was with Davis for eight years, so I've got a wealth of experience in all types of insurance.
Carla is asked about her experience at Signal Bank.
When you're asked about your work experience as you will be in any interview it's a good idea to show how broad that experience is.
That's why Carla mentions the different divisions she worked in before saying she has a wealth of experience in insurance.
That means she has a lot of valuable experience in the field.
So, rather than just saying you have some experience, it's a good idea to emphasize how much or how valuable that experience is.
You can do this in several different ways.
Besides saying you have a wealth of experience or a great deal of experience, you can talk about your proven track record or say that you have demonstrated an ability in something.
Let's practice these collocations with a few examples.
I think the awards I won show that I have a proven track record in sales.
With a total of 15 years at three major firms, I have a wealth of experience in marketing.
I believe my previous employers would agree that I have demonstrated an ability in leadership positions.
I've got a great deal of experience in crisis management and leading teams through difficult situations.
Next, Dale wants to check that Carla's wealth of experience includes certain types of insurance.
I see.
And that includes insurance for corporate finance transactions, warranty and indemnity litigation, buyout and such
Certainly.
I'm well acquainted with the different approaches for risk management in corporate finance.
And I've overseen insurance for some of our biggest corporate accounts at Signal.
Actually, we've grown a lot in that area during my tenure.
Dale has asked about some specific types of insurance to make sure Carla has the right knowledge for the job.
And, as with experience, you want to show that you have a lot of knowledge or a deep knowledge in a particular area.
Carla uses the expression well-acquainted with to mean that she understands corporate finance insurance very well.
She then goes on to explain how she acquired that knowledge by handling large corporate accounts.
In this way, she ties her experience and knowledge together.
So when you talk about your knowledge, how can you emphasize the depth or quality of your knowledge?
Well, you can say you are well acquainted with something, as Carla has done.
Or you can use to acquire a solid understanding or to have a firm grasp of something.
And you can also be intimately familiar with something.
Let's give these collocations a try with a few more examples.
I'm well acquainted with all the major design software suites currently being used.
During my time at KPMG, I acquired a solid understanding of California tax law.
With experience in operations and logistics, I am intimately familiar with all aspects of supply chain management.
I would say that I have a firm grasp of the recent changes to government regulations.
Now remember.
After mentioning her knowledge of corporate finance, Carla said that her company grew a lot in that area during her time with them.
This actually helps her steer the interview toward another important topic.
Is that right?
So, could you tell us how you've contributed to that growth, or what role you played in it?
Well, one of the most important things I did was to spearhead an initiative two years ago to standardize client reporting.
I recognized that we were wasting quite a bit of time tracking down information that we needed for policy quotes and changes.
So I implemented a new procedure.
Dale wants to know what role Carla played in the company's growth.
This is an opportunity for Carla to describe her accomplishments.
When you describe your accomplishments, it's best to be specific.
So rather than just say, I accomplished something important, you should say what you actually did.
Carla decides to talk about how she spearheaded an initiative, which means she led a new effort or program.
That's a good choice of accomplishment because it shows leadership and motivation.
But she needs to give more detail.
So she says exactly what the initiative was, explaining that she standardized client reporting, which means she created guidelines and consistency.
But that's not all.
Carla also mentions that the reason she did this was because she thought they were wasting time.
In this way, Carla can emphasize how her accomplishment benefited the company.
What are some other ways to describe your accomplishments?
Well, it depends what you've done, but you might talk about how you exploited opportunities if you're in sales, or how you optimize performance as a manager.
You may also use expressions like to meet targets or to champion a cause.
Now let's practice these collocations with some more examples.
I was able to exploit opportunities in new markets and grow international sales by 30%.
At Turner Enterprises, I helped optimize performance on the factory floor through better scheduling.
I didn't just meet my monthly targets, I set a new record for summer sales.
One of my first activities was to spearhead an initiative to cut the number of complaints in half.
As manager, I championed several causes, including efforts to improve safety and environmental conditions.
Dale is curious about this accomplishment and invites Carla to say more.
So, a push for efficiency, in other words?
Yes, exactly.
Standardizing the reporting really helped to optimize performance.
And our team was then able to focus a bit more of their time on wooing new clients, which was part of our overall strategy.
As you can hear, Carla's effort to spearhead an initiative to standardize reporting led to another accomplishment, which was to optimize performance.
And she connects these accomplishments with the overall strategy of the company, which makes them more meaningful.
So we've heard how Carla has moved from describing her experience to describing her knowledge and connecting that to an explanation of some key accomplishments.
In doing so, she has used some great collocations to present herself as a confident and suitable candidate for the job.
Now, let's move on to our next interview.
Remember we'll hear Sophia interviewing Joseph for a management position in the company's marketing department.
Okay, so we've discussed some of what you've done here over the past several years.
Now, besides that, could you tell me what you think you've brought to the team dynamic?
I mean, how does Joseph make the team work better?
Yes.
Well, you know, we work pretty hard here to get the results that are asked of us.
And I think I thrive in that kind of environment and manage to stay poised under pressure.
You know, it seems to me that when things start getting crazy deadlines are approaching and such I'm the one that people turn to because they know I won't be pulling my hair out.
Alright, so you hold up under pressure.
Anything else?
Yes, just building on that idea of handling pressure.
I think I've actually helped decrease the overall level of stress in our department by taking a proactive approach to things.
A proactive approach?
Could you give us an example?
For sure.
In July.
As you probably remember, those early focus groups on our new TV spot were all over the place.
I mean, the responses weren't very consistent.
So I put together a team to analyse the situation.
And we quickly recognised we'd made some recruiting mistakes and our samples weren't working.
So I tackled the problem right away.
We cancelled the remaining focus groups and reworked our approach.
Now let's go through Joseph's interview and look at the language and collocations he used, to show why he's the right person for the job.
Okay, so we've discussed some of what you've done here over the past several years.
Now, besides that, could you tell me what you think you've brought to the team dynamic?
I mean, how does Joseph make the team work better?
Yes.
Well, you know, we work pretty hard here to get the results that are asked of us.
And I think I thrive in that kind of environment and manage to stay poised under pressure.
You know, it seems to me that when things start getting crazy deadlines are approaching and such I'm the one that people turn to because they know I won't be pulling my hair out.
Sophia's first question is about what Joseph has brought to the team dynamic.
This isn't just about experience, knowledge, or accomplishments.
It's about your attitude and personality.
For management positions, you often need to be able to describe these qualities and show how you can make a contribution to the leadership of a company.
So what does Joseph say?
He starts by talking about how hard they have to work and how he stays poised under pressure.
That means he is calm in stressful situations.
And he emphasizes the importance of this attitude by explaining that when things get crazy or stressful, other people actually turn to him or depend on him.
So Joseph is talking about his attitude as well as how useful this attitude is.
What are some other ways for describing our attitude to work?
Well, We can talk about how we bring enthusiasm to a role, or how we took the initiative, or a proactive approach.
You might also use the expression to have an eye for detail to highlight your careful and thorough attitude to work.
Let's practice these collocations with some more examples.
In an extremely competitive sales department.
I think I showed that I can remain poised under pressure.
My previous employers will tell you that I bring a lot of enthusiasm to my work.
I think I have an eye for detail when it comes to proposals and reports.
Instead of sitting back and waiting for direction, I prefer to take the initiative and do what needs to be done.
As a leader, I generally take a proactive approach to employee dissatisfaction and deal with problems quickly.
Next, Sophia invites Joseph to add to this idea of being poised or holding up under pressure.
All right.
So you hold up under pressure.
Anything else?
Yes.
Just building on that idea of handling pressure, I think I've actually helped decrease the overall level of stress in our department by taking a proactive approach to things.
If an interviewer gives you a chance to explain who you are or what you can do, you'd better take full advantage of it.
In this case, Joseph builds on his previous idea of handling pressure, saying that he's actually decreased stress levels in the whole department.
He did this by taking a proactive approach, which means he tries to solve problems and deal with things before they become bigger problems.
And remember, he connects this approach with the impact on the company.
After all, your personality and skills are only valuable if they benefit the company.
Joseph has mentioned his proactive approach, but Sophia wants an example, as we can hear.
A proactive approach?
Could you give us an example?
For sure.
In July.
As you probably remember, those early focus groups on our new TV spot were all over the place.
I mean, the responses weren't very consistent.
So I put together a team to analyze the situation.
And we quickly recognized we'd made some recruiting mistakes and our samples weren't working.
So I tackled the problem right away.
We canceled the remaining focus groups and reworked our approach.
To explain his proactive approach, Joseph gives an example of solving a problem with some focus groups for new TV spots or advertisements.
In a focus group, you get people's reactions to your ad before it is shown on TV.
And what Joseph noticed was that these reactions were not consistent.
In other words, they didn't seem to support the same opinion or the information didn't seem accurate.
So Joseph has identified a problem.
Now he wants to show his approach to solving it.
His approach involved analyzing the situation, which means looking carefully at what is happening and recognizing any problems.
In this case, they made some mistakes in recruiting or finding a variety of people for their focus groups.
Finally, he emphasizes how he tackled the problem or dealt with it right away.
So Joseph doesn't just say that he takes a proactive approach.
He shows what he did in a specific situation to solve a problem.
And that's what interviewers want to hear.
We've already heard the expressions to analyze a situation and to tackle a problem.
A couple of other ways to describe your problem-solving skills are how you can formulate a solution or meet challenges head-on.
Let's run through these expressions with a few more examples.
I think it's very important to analyze a situation very carefully before taking action.
Once I formulate a solution to a problem, I work very hard to get my team to implement it.
To me, it's always best to tackle problems with a team approach, which produces better results.
I think I've shown that I can meet challenges head on when it comes to dealing with deadlines.
So Joseph has used some great expressions to explain his attitude to work and his problem solving abilities.
And he's shown how these have directly benefited his company.
Now it's your turn to practice some of the collocations we've looked at in this lesson.
In a moment, you'll hear a series of sentences with a word replaced with a beep.
Repeat the whole sentence, including the missing word.
Remember a collocation is two or more words that we commonly use together, so pay close attention to the words before the beep.
For example, if you hear, As a stock trader, I learned to stay poised under, You can say As a stock trader, I learned to stay poised under pressure.
After each response, we'll provide the correct answer.
Ready?
Let's give it a go.
I like to take a proactive... to all types of management issues?
I like to take a proactive approach to all types of management issues.
At Microsoft, I was able to spearhead and to cut costs.
Answer.
At Microsoft, I was able to spearhead an initiative to cut costs.
I think it is important to tackle every new... as soon as it comes up.
Answer.
I think it is important to tackle every new problem as soon as it comes up.
Before making a decision, I would analyse the... from different perspectives.
Answer.
Before making a decision, I would analyse the situation from different perspectives.
Over the past 15 years, I've gained a wealth of... in operational planning?
Over the past 15 years I've gained a wealth of experience in operational planning.
That's all for this lesson on collocations for job interviews.
We've learned lots of vocabulary and collocations for talking about your experience, knowledge and accomplishments.
We've also covered expressions for discussing your attitude to work and problem solving.
And we'll cover lots more of these useful expressions in our next lesson.
Thanks for listening, and see you again soon.
