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 last of a three-part series on interviewing for your first job.
When you're in an interview, everything is focused on you your education, your skills and the qualities that make you the best candidate for the job.
But it's also important for you to focus on the company you're interviewing with.
After all, you're interviewing for more than a job.
You're interviewing for a spot on the company team.
Employers want to know how you'll fit in with the office culture and see if your values are consistent with theirs.
In this episode, we'll talk about ways to show you've researched the company.
We'll also cover language to show you're a good fit and for discussing your long-term career goals.
Finally, we'll look at ways the company might explain next steps in the hiring process.
Once again, we'll join Owen, who is interviewing for a test engineer position at a company called IBH.
He's in the middle of a panel interview with Erica and Cindy, two HR reps, and George, who's the head of engineering.
Today, the interview wraps up.
As you listen to the dialogue, try to answer the following questions.
One, why is Owen interested in working for IBH?
2.
What does Owen say about collaborative spirit?
3.
What is one of Owen's long-term career objectives?
So let's talk about IBH for a bit.
What is it that attracts you to the position?
Well, I think these are exciting times for IBH.
I was just reading about your latest on chip systems.
I see a lot of progressive thinking here, and that really attracts me to the company.
All right.
So having said that, why do you believe you're a good fit for IBH?
What values do you think you share with us?
I think the most important one is a collaborative spirit.
People need to work together to be successful and be open to each other's ideas.
Designers, test engineers, marketing, everyone.
Even in this interview, I can see how important it is for different team members to give their input here.
Well, you're right.
We do value teamwork and think it's a key to our success.
But most people have their own personal career goals as well.
What are your long-term objectives?
Hmm.
Well, I have a broad outlook.
I definitely plan to stay in the electronics field, solving problems.
And I plan to keep learning, especially since technology changes every day.
Okay, but can you be more specific?
Well, I could see myself in a supervisory role, coordinating with other test engineers, developers and vendors.
I'm an effective troubleshooter and like taking care of details, but I always keep an eye on the big picture.
And that's all about end users and making sure their experiences with a company are good ones.
Great.
Well, I think it's time to start wrapping up.
George, Cindy, do you have anything to add?
No, I'm good.
I think we're all set.
All right.
Thanks for coming, Owen.
We'll finish reviewing all the candidates in the next couple of days.
If you're selected for the second round, we'll notify you by email.
Thank you, Ms.
Lee.
And thank you too, Ms.
Wei and Mr. Zhu, for your time.
Now, let's take a closer look at the dialogue.
We'll start with Erica's question about IBH.
So, let's talk about IBH for a bit.
What is it that attracts you to the position?
Well, I think these are exciting times for IBH.
I was just reading about your latest on chip systems.
I see a lot of progressive thinking here and that really attracts me to the company.
Erica asks Owen what attracted him to the test engineer position.
What she's really asking is why do you want this job at IBH?
She wants to know what Owen thinks about the company.
If he's hired, will he stay with IBH for a long time?
Or will he become dissatisfied and leave within a year?
Owen's answer shows he's done his homework.
He mentions the company's development with on-chip systems.
These systems have all the electronic circuits they need on one microchip.
And he also compliments their progressive or open-minded thinking.
It is important to research a company and industry before you interview.
Doing this shows that you're serious about the job.
You can research companies by reading annual reports, searching the internet and talking to any people you know who work there.
Let's hear some other candidates show that they've researched an employer or industry.
I was just reading an article in the Wall Street Journal about your company's planned expansion in Southeast Asia.
I see from your website that you have some prestigious clients.
In a seminar, one of my professors discussed your latest research on infectious diseases.
Science Today recently reported on your role in developing food safety regulations.
Here's a quick vocabulary note.
Something that is prestigious is highly regarded and exclusive.
For example, people might be impressed if you drive a prestigious car or live in a prestigious neighborhood.
Now, Cindy wants to know why Owen is a good fit for IBH.
All right.
So having said that, why do you believe you're a good fit for IBH?
What values do you think you share with us?
I think the most important one is a collaborative spirit.
People need to work together to be successful and be open to each other's ideas.
Designers, test engineers, marketing, everyone.
Uh-huh.
Even in this interview, I can see how important it is for different team members to give their input here.
In our last episode, we discussed why Owen thought he was the best fit for the job.
Now, he needs to explain why he's a good fit for the company.
How would he fit in with the company culture?
What values or principles does he share with IBH?
To answer this, Owen needs to show that he knows what IBH values.
Again, this is where interview preparation and research will help him.
He mentions collaborative spirit, a willingness to work together as a team, with each member making contributions.
He also makes his answer company-specific, noting that there is a team of people involved with interviewing and hiring the new test engineer.
This is a collaborative process.
To prepare for this type of question.
Learn as much as you can about office culture before you go to the interview.
Then you can craft your answers along the lines of these examples.
I work best when there's an opportunity to share ideas, and I think your open-door policy helps foster that sense of openness.
I know you work on some tight deadlines here.
I never mind working late.
I just want to get the job done and get it done right.
My management style encourages communication at all levels.
When I worked on group projects for classes, I always suggested some initial brainstorming.
It's helpful to bounce ideas off one another.
I can see how that's important here, too.
Let's have a quick look at a few vocabulary terms from the set of examples.
To foster means to encourage.
And when people bounce ideas off one another, they openly share ideas and give each other feedback.
Now, back to the dialogue.
Erica asks a tricky question.
Well, you're right.
We do value teamwork and think it's a key to our success.
But most people have their own personal career goals as well.
What are your long-term objectives?
Hmm.
Well, I have a broad outlook.
I definitely plan to stay in the electronics field, solving problems.
And I plan to keep learning, especially since technology changes every day.
Erica steers the discussion towards Owen's career goals.
What goals does he have for his entire career?
And she asks him about his long-term objectives.
Objective is another word for goal.
Owen starts out with a very general answer, noting his broad outlook or view of the future.
Staying in the electronics field, solving problems and staying current on technology are all safe answers.
But George wants more specific information.
Okay, but can you be more specific?
Well, I could see myself in a supervisory role, coordinating with other test engineers, developers and vendors.
I'm an effective troubleshooter and like taking care of details, but I always keep an eye on the big picture.
And that's all about end users and making sure their experiences with a company are good ones.
Owen says he could see himself in a supervisory role.
He believes he could become a supervisor someday.
Then he explains what a supervisory role means to him, coordinating with others.
He also says that while he pays attention to fine details, he also keeps an eye on, or watches, the big picture or long range view.
To him, the big picture includes end users and satisfied customers.
Answering questions about your long-term career objectives is difficult, especially when you're a new college grad.
Sometimes we aren't sure what our goals are, and many people don't stay in the same career for their whole lives.
But you should be able to discuss your long-term goals without sounding hesitant.
Let's practice a few other ways to handle this type of question.
Eventually, I'd like to be in charge of a large sales territory.
Well, it's hard for me to know what the future holds, but I think retail management is the path for me.
I see myself specializing in corporate law, and Solomon's would be a great place to develop this.
In time, I'd like to conduct research in biochemistry.
Now, it's time for the interview to start wrapping up.
Let's hear how it finishes.
Great.
Well, I think it's time to start wrapping up.
George, Cindy, do you have anything to add?
No, I'm good.
I think we're all set.
All right.
Thanks for coming, Owen.
We'll finish reviewing all the candidates in the next couple of days.
If you're selected for the second round, we'll notify you by email.
Thank you, Ms.
Lee.
And thank you too, Ms.
Wei and Mr. Zhu, for your time.
Erica explains the hiring procedure.
They still have some candidates to meet this week.
Then there will be a second round of interviews.
This means there'll be another series of interviews for strong candidates who were successful in the first round.
Owen will get an email if IBH would like him to come back for a second interview.
It takes time to make hiring decisions.
When an interview ends, you'll normally be told what to expect in the next few days or weeks.
The interviewer should tell you how he or she will contact you.
It's okay to ask for this information if it's not provided.
Here are some ways that an interviewer might explain next steps to you.
We expect to make a decision by September 15.
We'll let you know either way.
We have two more candidates to meet, but we'll be in touch in a few days.
The hiring committee will be meeting early next month to make a decision.
We plan to start a round of second interviews in a week or two.
You'll be notified by email if we need you to come back in.
Again, let's look at some of the phrases in those examples.
Letting someone know either way is a little tricky.
It means a person will let you know of a decision whether it's yes or no.
Here's an example.
Imagine you're hosting a meeting and one person isn't sure he can attend.
He says he'll let you know either way.
This means that if he's attending, he'll tell you.
And if he isn't attending, he'll still tell you.
You won't have to wonder about his status.
To be in touch means to contact someone.
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.
Use the language on the prompt to give an appropriate response.
After you've answered the first question, you'll hear a second question and a prompt.
Keep answering the questions based on the prompts until you complete the dialogue.
For example, if you hear, Why do you want to work for our company?
Say that the company handles some exciting projects and give an example.
You can say, You handle some exciting projects here, like developing new retail outlets.
We'll play an example answer at the end of the practice.
Ready?
Let's give it a go.
What do you know about our company?
Say that they have a diverse customer base.
OK.
And how would your experience help us with that diverse customer base?
Tell the interviewer you've handled clients from many different industries.
What kinds of industries?
Give two examples of industries.
Alright, now tell me something about your long-term career goals.
Say that you'd like to become a sales manager and give a reason why.
How did you do?
Compare your answers to these examples.
What do you know about our company?
Example answer.
Well, I know that you have a very diverse customer base.
Okay, and how would your experience help us with that diverse customer base?
Example answer.
I've handled clients from many different industries.
What kinds of industries?
Example answer.
Transportation and education are two that come to mind.
Alright, now tell me something about your long-term career goals.
Example answer.
Eventually, I'd like to become a sales manager.
I enjoy helping teams succeed.
Now, let's practice some 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.
It's hard to have a positive... in such a poor economy.
Answer.
It's hard to have a positive outlook in such a poor economy.
I hope there won't be another of layoffs.
Answer.
I hope there won't be another round of layoffs.
Bill is known for his creative and thinking.
Answer bill is known for his creative and progressive thinking.
Our company's include honesty and openness.
Answer our company's values include honesty and openness.
We've reached the end of this episode, the last of a three-part series on interviewing for your first job.
We've covered ways to show what you know about the company and prove you're a good fit.
We've also looked at ways to discuss your long-term career objectives.
Finally, we've discussed how an employer might explain the next steps after your interview.
Thanks for listening and see you next time.
