You're listening to Business English Pod, the Business English podcast for professionals on the move.
This is the second in a two-part series on discussing previous experience in job interviews.
It's one of an ongoing sequence of podcasts that covers the whole interview process.
In the first part of this series, we examined a bad example of everything that can go wrong when we talk about our previous experience.
We use the theme don't let your guard down to highlight the importance of maintaining an appropriate level of formality and professionalism, even when the interviewer is attempting to strike a casual tone.
In Part 2.
Today we listened to a better interview performance by someone who was prepared to talk about their previous experience more effectively.
In this good example, Sherry Shen from Hong Kong is interviewing with a multinational accounting company for her first job after graduating with a master's degree in finance.
It's her first round of interviews and she's being asked all the standard questions by an HR officer.
Although Sherry is an all-around good candidate, her resume has some problems.
Her grades aren't great and there is a gap, with no employment, between her college and graduate school careers.
As you listen, focus on the following questions.
First, does Sherry let her guard down Or does she answer briefly and to the point with an appropriate level of formality?
Second, does Sherry seem well-prepared to talk about her experience?
And finally, how does Sherry account for the gap in her resume?
So, Sherry, how are you today?
Fine, thank you.
And you?
Not bad, thanks.
Did you find us okay?
Yes, no problem.
Your directions were spot on.
Great, because it can be a little tricky getting here by MTR.
All right, well, let's get started.
Perhaps you can begin by telling me a little about your previous experience.
Of course.
In my coursework and internships I've had extensive experience in both the theoretical and practical aspects of accounting, and I excel in both areas.
Really?
Can you give me some examples?
Well, I've taken two advanced applied mathematics courses on risk analysis.
They were very challenging, but I managed to get in the top 10% of both classes.
Okay.
But at the same time, in our more hands-on courses, I've also become familiar with many of the leading software packages, particularly the at-risk suite for Excel and ACL for audit analysis.
That's good.
We use at-risk for analysis here too.
And in my internship last year at Armstrong Associates, I got to apply these analytical skills.
I worked on an audit of a Fortune 500 company.
Yes, I saw that on your resume.
So, in what ways did you benefit from this experience?
Well though, as an intern, my responsibilities were limited, this was a great opportunity to participate in a team effort and to learn practical knowledge about how to face clients.
Great.
Now, can you tell me about this gap in your resume?
It looks like you took two years out between college and graduate school.
Yes, actually.
I had a baby in 2003, a little girl.
It was very important to me that she had a good start in life, so I took two years out after she was born.
My family helps me take care of her, but it's taught me a lot about time management.
I bet.
Children can be a handful.
Indeed. but it certainly made me mature faster than most of my classmates, and despite these extra challenges, or perhaps even because of them, I have had quite a successful grad school career.
I'm always working hard to do my best, so I'm confident I'll continue to succeed in the future.
Sherry is off to a good start in the interview.
She maintains a proper level of formality in her replies, even when the interviewer tries to set her at ease with some chit-chat at the beginning.
Also, Sherry is prepared to discuss her experience.
Even though she has no real work record, she can still talk convincingly about how achieving university successes and overcoming life challenges make her a strong candidate.
First, let's review how Sherry handles the small talk at the beginning of the dialogue.
So, Sherry, how are you today?
Fine, thank you, and you?
Not bad, thanks.
Did you find us okay?
Yes, no problem.
Your directions were spot on.
Great, because it can be a little tricky getting here by MTR.
Sherry keeps her responses polite, brief, and to the point.
In your interview, there may well be more small talk than there was in this one, which is fine.
Just be sure to remember that it's an interview and, aside from a few polite questions, let the interviewer lead the exchange.
What happens next?
Perhaps you can begin by telling me a little about your previous experience.
Of course.
In my coursework and internships I've had extensive experience in both the theoretical and practical aspects of accounting, and I excel in both areas.
Really?
Can you give me some examples?
Sherry is obviously prepared well for this interview.
She does a great job of summing up her university experience and, more importantly, of talking about how it translates into benefits to her future employer.
She uses the present perfect tense, have done, to highlight that her experience is relevant now.
She employs positive, active language, such as Excel, and she makes good use of word partnerships such as extensive experience.
Critically, she backs up what she says with examples.
Let's listen to more.
Well, I've taken two advanced applied mathematics courses on risk analysis.
They were very challenging, but I managed to get in the top 10% of both classes.
But at the same time, in our more hands-on courses, I've also become familiar with many of the leading software packages, particularly the at-risk suite for Excel and ACL for audit analysis.
That's good.
We use at-risk for analysis here too.
Notice how Sherry quantifies, that is, uses numbers where possible by, for instance, saying she scored in the top 10% of her class, and how she uses strong, vivid words in her description, advanced, challenging, and hands-on to describe her experience.
Here's a few more examples of some key words you can use to highlight your experience.
I was mainly responsible for implementing new accounting procedures which succeeded in reducing our tax burden by 15.
I see my role as manager as a facilitator for change, to be supportive of my staff's needs and to make sure they have the tools to adapt to the changing marketplace.
By participating in the university debate team, I've been able to develop both my communication and leadership skills.
Over the past year, I have succeeded in rolling out an innovative new system for measuring productivity.
It was a challenge, but it really paid off with an 18% increase in customer satisfaction.
Now, let's go back to the dialogue.
Listen to how Sherry talks about a specific case in which she applied her university experience in the real world.
And in my internship last year at Armstrong Associates, I got to apply these analytical skills.
I worked on an audit of a Fortune 500 company.
Yes, I saw that on your resume.
So, in what ways did you benefit from this experience?
Well though, as an intern, my responsibilities were limited, this was a great opportunity to participate in a team effort and to learn practical knowledge about how to face clients.
Sherry puts the negative information, the fact that, as an intern, her responsibilities were limited inside a subordinate clause.
Although my responsibilities were limited, This was a great opportunity to learn.
Thus, the emphasis of this statement is on what she learned and on what a great opportunity it was for her.
Also, she's careful to underline how her previous work has demonstrated the positive personal qualities of teamwork and cooperation.
When we're asked about our previous experience, in addition to talking about our qualifications, It's important to mention positive personal characteristics.
Listen to another example from someone interviewing for a management position.
Although this industry is different, I think my experience as a team leader demonstrates a lot of management skills that fit well with this job specifically, my ability to listen, to be flexible and innovative in my approach.
We'll be studying many more positive personal characteristics that you can mention in the next series on job interviews, talking about your accomplishments.
Finally, let's have a look at how Sherry deals with the question about the gap in her resume.
Great.
Now, can you tell me about this gap in your resume?
It looks like you took two years out between college and graduate school.
Yes, actually.
I had a baby in 2003, a little girl.
It was very important to me that she had a good start in life, so I took two years out after she was born.
My family helps me take care of her, but it's taught me a lot about time management.
I bet.
Children can be a handful.
Indeed. but it certainly made me mature faster than most of my classmates, and despite these extra challenges, or perhaps even because of them, I have had quite a successful grad school career.
I'm always working hard to do my best, so I'm confident I'll continue to succeed in the future.
Although the gap in her career record is a weakness, Sherry does her best to turn it into a strength.
Instead of focusing on her personal challenge, she attempts to look at it from the point of view of the employer.
How does her history, even when it doesn't fit a traditional career pattern, translate into benefits to the employer?
Sherry focuses on how her experience as a mother has taught her time management and maturity.
Before your job interview, examine every gap in your work history and every weakness on your resume.
Nobody's perfect, but usually every coin has two sides.
What are the lessons, strengths, or positive experience that you have drawn from your frustrations?
Let's look at more examples of turning weaknesses into strengths.
One good thing that has come out of my time out is catching up on a lot of training and reading for my work.
Taking care of my mother during her illness reinforced my commitment to help people.
I had to take time out for health reasons, but it gave me a chance to reevaluate my goals.
I emerged from the experience with a new sense of direction.
I volunteered to help small businesses with their taxes, which has given me a deeper perspective on dealing with SMEs.
Now let's finish off today with a little practice on the two key skills we looked at highlighting your experience and portraying weaknesses in a positive light.
First, we'll practice talking about your experience.
Let's use gap reading to review key collocations word partnerships.
That can help make your discussion fluent, vivid and strong.
In the cues for this practice, you'll hear a series of sentences.
One word in each sentence is blanked out with a beep.
Repeat the sentence, but say the missing word.
For example, if you hear I was mainly responsible for new accounting procedures, you'll say I was mainly responsible for implementing new accounting procedures.
Note that in some cases, more than one correct answer is possible.
As a manager, I see my role as a for change.
As a manager, I see my role as a facilitator for change.
I work hard to make sure my staff have the to adapt to the changing marketplace.
Answer.
I work hard to make sure my staff have the tools to adapt to the changing marketplace.
By participating in the university debate team, I've been able to both my communication and leadership skills.
Answer.
By participating in the university debate team, I've been able to develop both my communication and leadership skills.
Over the past year, I have succeeded in... Autan innovative new system for measuring productivity.
Over the past year, I have succeeded in rolling out an innovative new system for measuring productivity.
It was a challenge but it really... with an 18% increase in customer satisfaction.
It was a challenge, but it really paid off with an 18% increase in customer satisfaction.
Next, it's time to practice turning weaknesses into strengths.
Imagine you're discussing gaps in your resume with an interviewer.
In the cues you'll hear the reason for your gap, followed by a benefit to you and your potential employer.
Form a sentence in which you link the gap to the benefit.
You can use language we've studied today, such as every cloud has a silver lining, or I emerge from the experience with, or one good thing that has come out of it is, and so on.
Are you ready?
Unemployed, took classes in new software, took time out for health reasons.
Enabled me to re-evaluate my goals.
Listen now to some example phrases.
Bear in mind that your answers may be different.
One good thing that has come out of being unemployed is that I've had an opportunity to take classes in new software.
I had to take time out for health reasons, but every cloud has a silver lining.
It really enabled me to reevaluate my goals.
That's all for this series on previous experience.
We've looked at how to deal with the small talk that accompanies the beginning of almost every job interview, and we've examined how to prepare yourself to respond to typical questions about your previous experience.
We particularly emphasize strong, vivid language and turning weaknesses into strengths.
Thank you for listening.
