Business English Games – Sports Idioms Golf Challenge
It’s the beginning of a new year, so it’s time to get back to work… or is it?
BEP 148 – How to Ask for a Pay Raise (2)
This is the second of a two-part Business English Pod series on how to ask for a pay raise.
Asking for a pay raise is a two-step process. Before any discussion of compensation begins, it’s important to state your case and demonstrate why you deserve a raise. Let your boss know of your achievements and your value to the company.
The second part involves negotiating. This is the time to start talking about specific numbers and benefits, but it must be handled diplomatically. You’ll need to outline what you want, acknowledge the other party’s concerns and bargain for the best deal.
In the last episode, we listened to Ryan, a salesman at an industrial supply company called Pylon, present his case to his boss, Jacob. Ryan pointed out that his relationship with Alliance Builders brought in more sales overall. He also took on some web design work in addition to his sales duties. Now, Ryan and Jacob are ready to start negotiating Ryan’s compensation.
Listening Questions
1. How much does Ryan think he should receive for the web design work? Why?
2. Why can’t Jacob give Ryan the amount of money he wants?
3. What do Jacob and Ryan agree to in regard to Alliance Builders?
Download: Podcast MP3
BEP 147 – How to Ask for a Pay Raise (1)
This is the first of a two-part Business English Pod series on how to ask for a pay raise.
Asking for a pay raise makes many people uncomfortable, but it’s most definitely to our benefit to make the effort.
Getting a raise is more than just asking, though. Before the discussion can start, you need to prepare. Make a list of your achievements and quantify them with numbers and examples, if you can. It’s also helpful to get an idea of how your compensation compares to industry averages. You can easily find this information online or at the library. Remember that there can be more to compensation than salary, like health insurance, retirement plans, and stock options.
Today, we’ll listen as Ryan, a salesman at an industrial supply company called Pylon, discusses his salary with Jacob, his boss. Ryan would like a pay raise, but first, he needs to show Jacob why he deserves one. Notice how Ryan has thoroughly prepared for this meeting and is able to provide specific examples to support his case.
Listening Questions
1. Is Ryan is happy with his job? What reasons does he give?
2. Why is Ryan’s relationship with Alliance Builders important?
3. What is the difference in the pay structure for web design and sales work differ?
Download: Podcast MP3
ET 06 – Writing Requests to Senior Managers
In this Email Tune-up lesson, we’re looking at an email from Jimmy, who is the training officer for his company. Jimmy wants to notify the various department heads of an upcoming seminar their staff will be attending. This is an internal email, which usually means it’s a bit more informal than something being sent outside the company. However, it’s being sent to managers at a higher rank than Jimmy’s, so the tone must be respectful and not too informal.
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BEP 146 – Money Idioms (Part 2)
This is the second of a two-part Business English Pod series on idioms related to money.
Many of our day-to-day business transactions involve money, so it’s common to hear money idioms used frequently in business discussions. We use them to talk about handling money and to describe situations with lots of money or no money at all. But we also use them to talk about situations that have nothing to do with money – such as evaluating ideas or speculating on their impact.
In the last episode, we met Kevin and Leah, two employees at a cosmetics company. They’re planning a promotional campaign on a small budget. So they’re brainstorming ideas that will spark customer interest at a reasonable cost.
Now, they’re thinking of ways to show that their company’s cosmetics line is good value for money-conscious consumers.
Listening Questions
1. What idea does Kevin suggest at the beginning of the dialog?
2. What are two things the company will have to do if it accepts Kevin’s idea?
3. What are Leah’s concerns about the idea?
Download: Podcast MP3