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Skills 360 – Advanced Interview Skills for Effective Hiring (2)

Business English, Business Skills 360, Human Resources, Job Interview in English /

Skills 360 - Advanced English Interview Skills 2

Welcome back to the Business English Skills 360 podcast as we continue our look at advanced interview skills for interviewing and hiring the right people.

Effective interviewing is essential for finding the right candidate. That’s not just someone with the right qualifications but also the right mindset and skills for long-term success. Beyond education and experience, advanced interviewing techniques can help identify critical thinking, problem-solving ability, and workplace compatibility.

Spotlight on Critical Thinking
Critical thinking is a vital 21st-century skill that isn’t always listed in job descriptions. It involves analyzing, evaluating, and making logical inferences – all crucial in today’s fast-paced work environments. To assess this, use scenario-based questions tailored to the role. For instance, ask: “You are tasked with creating a low-budget marketing campaign. What steps would you take to ensure its success?” Such questions delve deeper than generic prompts, revealing a candidate’s thought process and creativity.

Challenge-Specific Questions
Understanding how candidates handle challenges is key to gauging their suitability. Ask direct questions about common role-specific difficulties. For example: “This role involves tight deadlines. How do you manage pressure?” Responses can reveal practical strategies and resilience.

Workplace Compatibility
Discuss workplace setups—whether hybrid, remote, or in-office—and ask how candidates thrive in these environments. Instead of a simple yes/no question about preferences, explore strategies they’ve used to succeed in similar settings. This helps you understand whether they’ll adapt to your unique work culture.

Long-Term Goals
Assessing a candidate’s career aspirations ensures alignment between their goals and the role. Questions like “Where do you see yourself in five years?” can clarify whether the position supports their professional journey.

With rising costs, fierce competition, and high turnover, effective interviewing is more critical than ever. By evaluating critical thinking, adaptability, and alignment with your workplace, you’ll make informed hiring decisions that benefit both the candidate and your company.

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Skills 360 – Advanced Interview Skills for Effective Hiring (1)

Business English, Business Skills 360, Human Resources, Job Interview in English /

Advanced English Interview Skills (1)

Welcome back to the Business English Skills 360 podcast as we look at advanced interview skills for interviewing and hiring the best staff.

Interviewing effectively is a skill that goes beyond asking common questions – it’s about uncovering the ideal candidate who fits both the role and the organization’s culture. Here’s how to elevate your interviewing game.

Start with Fit
Interviewing isn’t just about verifying skills; it’s about evaluating fit. A candidate may have the right experience but still might not align with your company’s values, mission, or work style. Frame your questions around this concept. For instance, “Can you describe a workplace where you felt most productive?” helps identify if their preferences match your environment.

Values Matter
Understanding a candidate’s values is key to predicting how they’ll integrate into the team. Ask open-ended questions like, “What motivates you most in your work?” or “What does success look like to you?” Such questions provide deeper insights into their core drivers and compatibility with your organization’s culture.

Assess Soft Skills During the Interview
Strong soft skills such as communication, collaboration, and problem-solving often make the difference in team performance. Use the interview to dig deeper: ask candidates to share examples of handling conflicts or overcoming challenges. Observe their responses for clarity, tone, and adaptability. This will help you gauge their interpersonal and emotional intelligence.

Build Rapport without Bias
Creating a comfortable environment helps candidates show their true selves. Begin with job-related small talk, avoiding potentially sensitive topics like family or health. Remember, rapport shouldn’t overshadow diversity. A hiring panel with varied perspectives can provide valuable insights and help counter biases.

Adopt Fair Practices
Blind screening of resumes and consistent, structured interview questions can mitigate bias and ensure objectivity. This approach prioritizes finding the most qualified candidate rather than the one who interviews most smoothly.

Ultimately, an effective interview isn’t about who you personally like most – it’s about finding evidence of alignment with the job, the team, and the company. Perfecting your interviewing strategy is the foundation of successful hiring.

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BEP 39c – English for Project Management: Reporting on Progress

Business English, Intermediate English, Project Management /

BEP 39c - Project Management English: Reporting on Progress

Welcome back to Business English Pod for today’s lesson on reporting on the progress of a project.

Project management isn’t just for people who consider themselves a “project manager.” No matter what kind of work you do, you’ll likely have to lead or participate in some kind of project. And if you are a project manager, then today’s lesson is particularly important.

Reporting on progress can happen in various settings, ranging from formal meetings with stakeholders to more casual interactions, like a quick chat at the water cooler or over a coffee. While the tone and format may differ, the core principles remain the same. Effective communication in these moments is crucial to keep everyone aligned and ensure no details slip through the cracks.

For example, you’ll likely want to ask for an update and confirm key details. You’ll also have to identify follow-up actions, assign responsibility, and establish clear deadlines. Ultimately, strong reporting and follow-up skills are essential to fostering accountability and driving projects to successful completion.

In this lesson, we’ll hear a project manager named Rudi giving updates to his boss, Wolfgang. They work for a company that maintains and modifies jetways, the bridges that connect airplanes to the airport gates. They’ve been working on a project to modify jetways at an airport for a large type of plane called an A380.

Listening Questions

1. How does Wolfgang respond to the possible problem that Joe has identified?
2. What actions does Wolfgang ask Rudi to take after he mentions Joe’s solution?
3. After they discuss costs and budget, what topic does Wolfgang ask about near the end of the conversation?

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BEP 411 – Mergers: Discussing an Integration Plan (2)

Business English, Management English /

BEP 411 LESSON - Discussing an Integration Plan 2

Welcome back to Business English Pod for today’s lesson, the second in our series on integrating the operations of two companies. These lessons will focus on discussions about how to merge, or integrate, companies and operations.

Mergers can bring enormous benefits to corporations. They can lead to greater efficiency, greater market share, greater value, and greater access to talent. But there are a thousand and one things that might get in the way of a successful integration. And to overcome these potential roadblocks, you need a strategic approach.

Mergers are part negotiation. Your company has a lot to gain, but you can’t sign everything away too easily. For that reason, you may find it important to assert your position at crucial times and to emphasize issues you consider critical.

In taking a strategic approach, it’s also important to identify those big challenges or roadblocks I mentioned. Once you’ve done that, you can address these challenges. And it’s always helpful if one of the companies has gone through a merger before. In that case, you can reference prior experience as you plan the integration.

In today’s dialog, we’ll rejoin a conversation between two Chief Operating Officers of companies that are planning to merge. Michelle and Alex are discussing how the integration will happen and addressing challenges along the way.

Listening Questions

1. What major challenge does Michelle identify related to integrating the IT systems?
2. What particular issue does Michelle emphasize needs to be considered besides technical issues?
3. What does Alex suggest to counteract worries about people leaving the company?

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BEP 410 – Mergers: Discussing an Integration Plan (1)

Business English, Management English /

BEP 410 LESSON - Discussing an Integration Plan 1

Welcome back to Business English Pod for today’s lesson, the first in our series on integrating the operations of two companies. These lessons will focus on the conversations we have when talking about how to merge or integrate companies and operations.

There’s an old saying that strategy is 95% implementation. There’s no better proof of this than in the merging of companies. Coming to terms on a buy-out is difficult in and of itself. But once the agreement has been made, there’s the incredibly difficult work of making it happen.

Integrating companies requires us to think and talk about every aspect of business, from the nuts and bolts of accounting to the fuzzy aspects of culture. There’s a lot at stake, not just for the owners but for every single person who works for the two companies.

In discussing an integration, it’s important to lay out a clear timeline and to build in feedback mechanisms to ensure things go as smoothly as possible. You will have to bring up concerns effectively and suggest ways to smooth the transition. And you may find yourself referring back to previous agreements as you work out all the details.

In today’s dialog, we’ll listen to a conversation between Alex and Michelle, two Chief Operating Officers. Alex’s company has just bought out Michelle’s company, and they’re meeting to discuss how the integration will roll out.

Listening Questions

1. What concern does Michelle raise after Alex lays out a possible timeline?
2. What previous agreement does Michelle refer to?
3. What does Alex suggest to ensure a smoother leadership transition?

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