Odd job interviews
Rob: Welcome to 6 Minute English with me Rob.
Finn: And me, Finn.
Rob: Finn, I'd like to start by asking you: How many job interviews have you had?
Finn: That's difficult.
Maybe ten interviews in my life.
Rob: Ten.
That's quite a few – and do you enjoy going to job interviews?
Finn: I absolutely adore them!
No, I'm joking!
Who does?
Nobody does.
Rob: Well, for me, they are torture!
I hate being grilled by a panel – or group – of people.
I know I can do the job but I hate having to convince them!
Today, we'll be discussing some odd job interviews and looking at some related vocabulary.
So Finn, are you ready for your first interview question?
Finn: Yes Rob, I am raring to go!
Rob: Good to hear.
Well, it's important to know what type of job you are being interviewed for.
Some job titles are a bit exaggerated.
So, what type of job has been named a 'Field Nourishment Consultant'?
Is it:
a) A waitress
b) A school dinner lady
c) A petrol station assistant
Finn: I think that it's b) a school dinner lady.
Rob: An interesting choice.
I'll let you know if you are wrong or right later on.
Let's talk more about job interviews.
A traditional interview usually involves being asked a list of questions, and sometimes you have to give a short presentation.
Finn: Yes, questions like: "Why do you want this job?"
or, "Where do you see yourself in five years' time?"
Rob: Yeah, that's a tricky one to answer!
But some interviewers – the people who ask the questions – go a bit further and ask the interviewees – the people being interviewed – to do some inappropriate things.
Finn: You mean they are asked do things are not really relevant to the job.
Such as Alan Bacon, a university graduate, who last year was asked to do a dance as part of his interview.
Rob: Well, maybe the position – or job – was for a dancer or a children's entertainer?
Finn: No – it was actually for a job as a sales assistant in an electronics shop; so, someone who works on the shop floor, giving advice to customers about what to buy.
There's no dancing involved.
Rob: Let's hear from him now.
What did he do at the interview to look positive?
And how did he really feel about doing a dance?
Alan Bacon, university graduate:
We all wanted the job, some of us are desperate, like myself, and the idea is just to keep smiling and go for it.
On the surface I had to look positive, I was smiling, I was laughing along with it, but inside I felt degraded and humiliated especially.
Finn: Oh poor Alan.
He felt degraded – so he lost respect from other people – and he felt humiliated – so he felt embarrassed and ashamed.
Rob: So that's how he felt on the inside but he wanted the job so he put on a brave face – a positive attitude and a smile on his face; he even laughed.
Finn: Well, later on, he did complain and he got an apology.
Rob: But experts say there are now too many candidates chasing too few jobs so companies are trying unorthodox – non-traditional ways of recruiting people - to see who stands out.
Finn: Yes, well, in any job interview it's good to leave a lasting impression – that means to get noticed and make people remember you.
I suppose doing a dance is a good way of breaking the ice – making people feel relaxed – but being asked to do something outside your comfort zone also seems a bit unfair to me.
Rob: Yes, but I guess if you want that job, you'll do anything.
Finn: Well, almost!
Rob: I've heard about people who have had to sing at an interview and also, role playing – pretending to be someone else and acting out a situation.
Finn: I find just being asked odd or random questions in an interview can make me feel uncomfortable.
And a US employment website carried out a survey about this and discovered some strange questions…
Rob: Yes they did, such as: "How would you cure world hunger?"
and: "If you were a computer programme, which one would you be?"
Here's one for you Finn: "If you were a word in the English language, which word would you be?"
Finn: Which word would you be?
Oh, come on, that's unfair.
Just asking like that – that's outside my comfort zone Rob!
Rob: Indeed, but I'm trying to break the ice here Finn!
Never mind, I'll give you the job anyway!
Seriously, there's no perfect way to interview someone for a job.
If you are having a job interview, my advice would be to keep calm, think before you speak and if you are asked to do something inappropriate, tell them how you feel about it!
Finn: And if all else fails you could use a bribe?
What do you think?
No?
Rob: Not recommended.
However you can bribe me to get the answer to today's question?
Finn: I don't think I need to.
I think I've got the answer right.
Rob: OK, let's find out.
Earlier I asked you if you knew what a 'Field Nourishment Consultant' really is.
Finn: I said b) a school dinner lady – but it could be a man.
Is it right?
Rob: It has something to do with food but it's not school dinners.
It's actually a waitress – or waiter.
I wonder how we could describe our jobs – maybe we could be 'Educational Dissemination Executives'?
Finn: Oh yes, very grand.
I like that!
Rob: We hope you've enjoyed today's 6 Minute English.
Please join us again soon for another programme.
Both: Bye.
Vocabulary and definitions
grilled -
here) asked lots of difficult questions
interviewers - people who interview someone for a job
interviewees people who are being interviewed
position - job in a company
degraded - feeling you have lost respect for yourself and from other people
humiliated - feeling embarrassed and ashamed
put on a brave face - hide your feelings of being upset or disappointed
unorthodox - different from what is usual or normally expected
recruiting - the process of finding and employing someone to work for a company
leave/ make a lasting impression - behave in a way that makes people remember good things about you for a long time
breaking the ice - making someone feel relaxed role playing - pretending to be someone else to act out a pretend situation
bribe - money or gifts you give someone to try and make them do something
