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BEP 393 – English Idioms about Body Parts (1)

Business English, Business English Vocabulary, Business Idioms /

BEP 393 - English Idioms about Body Parts (1)

Welcome back to Business English Pod for today’s lesson on English idioms related to different parts of the body.

Now you probably already know that when I said “head over to” the website, I meant you should go look at the website. Even if you didn’t know that particular expression, you could probably guess the meaning from my sentence. “Head over to” is a kind of idiom, and English has a lot of idioms, as you’ve probably noticed!

In fact, there are many common sources of idioms. And one interesting source is the human body. There are a few body parts in particular that have generated a lot of idioms. English has dozens of idioms just with the words “head” and “hands.” But there are idioms using all different parts of the body, and that’s what we’re going to learn about today.

In this lesson, we’ll listen to a conversation between two friends and former colleagues: Maria and Trevor. They’re meeting for coffee and are eager to catch up after not seeing each other for a while. Maria and Trevor talk about their different work situations. During their conversation, they use many English idioms related to the human body. See if you can spot some of these as we go through the dialog, and we’ll explain them later in the debrief.

Listening Questions

1. How does Trevor agree with Maria’s assessment of her old boss Roger?
2. How does Maria describe her ten years of working at Trevor’s company?
3. What does Maria say about the attitude of the people she works with?

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Skills 360 – Keeping your Career on Track (2)

Business English, Business Skills 360, Human Resources /

Business English Skills 360 - Keeping your Career on Track 2

Welcome back to the Business English Skills 360 podcast for today’s lesson on how to restart your career and keep it on track.

With the current job market being so uncertain, it’s a great opportunity to make a change, whether that means a new job in your current career track or a whole new career.

When considering a change, it’s important to think long and hard about what you really want to do. Be honest with yourself about how well your current job aligns with your ambitions. If you’re feeling unfulfilled, take the time to imagine what a more rewarding career might look like. If you’re not sure what that is, do some research and talk to people you know about what they do. The right job may be out there waiting for you, but you need to be able to recognize it.

When searching for a new job, don’t just focus on interests, skills, and rewards. Think about the kind of workplace you want and what a good work-life balance looks like. It’s also important to consider learning opportunities and advancement potential. Smart companies understand that people are looking for the right culture fit as well as suitable compensation and benefits.

Once you’ve figured out what you want, it’s time to update your resume and prepare for interviews. Make sure to include any new training, skills, and achievements. Remember, the world has changed, and digital literacy, collaboration, and a growth mindset are all important factors to consider. Also, review your online presence and make sure your Facebook privacy settings are tight and your LinkedIn profile is up-to-date.

Overall, this is a great time to think about a job that does more than just pay the bills. Look for a job and culture that aligns with the life you want. With so many openings, it’s a golden opportunity to find the right job for you.

Members: Lesson Module | Quiz & Vocab | PDF Transcript

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Skills 360 – Keeping your Career on Track (1)

Business English, Business Skills 360, Human Resources /

Business English Skills 360 - Keeping your Career on Track 1

Welcome back to the Business English Skills 360 podcast for today’s lesson on keeping your career on track.

Today’s workplace looks pretty different from the one your parents toiled away in. Walk into an average office and you’ll immediately be struck by the fact that it only seems half full. Remote work – in one form or another – has become the norm. And the people themselves may look different. The baby boomers are retiring, and younger generations are entering the workforce, often with different values and expectations.

So now might be a good time to think about how your expectations have changed. How has your approach to your work and career evolved? Do you see yourself in a position to benefit from the current situation?

With the Great Resignation causing staffing shortages the world over, this is a great time to take stock of your career. You may be able to ask for more, whether that’s in salary, vacation time, benefits, or other intangibles. Competition for talent is stiff, and companies around the world are working hard to retain what they have.

Members: Lesson Module | Quiz & Vocab | PDF Transcript

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925 English Lesson 44 – Phrasal Verbs with Drop

925 English, A2, Business English, English Video /

925 English Lesson 44 - English Phrasal Verbs using Drop

Welcome back to 925 English for another lesson on English phrasal verbs. In today’s lesson we’re going to look at phrasal verbs using the verb “drop.”

As you may already know, a phrasal verb is an expression with a verb and a preposition. For example, we say “turn on” and “turn off” a light or computer. From these common examples, you can see that one verb might combine with different prepositions to make different meanings. And in this lesson, we’ll look at how different prepositions combine with the verb “drop” to form some common expressions.

925 English is a series of English video lessons for beginners (CEFR level A2). With 925 English you can learn business English expressions and phrasal verbs.

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BEP 392 – Project Management English: Scoping a Project (2)

Business English, IT English and Tech, Project Management /

BEP 392 - Project Management English: Scoping a Project 2

Welcome back to Business English Pod for today’s lesson on pricing strategy. This is the second of a pair of lessons on project management English and scoping new work for a client.

Every project is its own animal. Sure, you might run different projects with similar tools and approaches, or apply standard processes. But with different clients, at different times, and with even small differences in inputs, each project is different. And that means pricing is different.

Once you’ve talked with a client to clarify and nail down the project scope, what happens next? Well, the client will want something on paper – whether that’s a full-blown proposal and bid or a simple quotation. And one of the most important things they’ll be looking at is price. So as a team, you need to figure out a strategy to bid on each project.

Your pricing strategy is going to depend on a few things. First off, it’s going to depend on your capacity and the client’s perception of value. Then you’ll have to figure out your bid strategy, which may work upward from a minimum viable product. Or you may take a different approach like hourly pricing. And there are always intangibles you need to take into account when deciding how to price your bid.

In today’s dialog, we’ll hear Jill and Martin, who work for a software development company. They are working out a pricing strategy for a project that Jill has already scoped. They’re trying to figure out the right approach for the two options they’re proposing to the client.

Listening Questions

1. What is the first concern Jill expresses during the conversation?
2. How will they direct the client toward their alternative approach?
3. How will the client’s timeline affect their pricing strategy?

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