Skills 360 – Adapting to Change (Part 2)

Business English Skills 360 - Adapting to Change (2)

Welcome back to the Business English Skills 360 podcast for today’s lesson on how to adapt to an ever-changing world.

Our world has been undergoing massive changes. And it’s not just the global pandemic that has wreaked havoc on the economy. There’s political turmoil, rapidly evolving technology, climate change, and calls for greater social justice. Our work and workplaces look and feel different because of this. There’s less travel, increased automation, more remote work, and moves toward greater equity and inclusion.

Nobody’s untouched by these changes. But not everybody is equally adept at dealing with them. Now, more than ever, we need to learn to accept, if not embrace, volatility, uncertainty and ambiguity. If you’re waiting for the world to go back to the way it was in 2019, you’re going to be sorely disappointed.

Lesson Resources: Lesson Module | Quiz & Vocab | PDF Transcript

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Skills 360 – Adapting to Change (Part 1)

Business English Skills 360 - Adapting to Change (1)

Welcome back to the Business English Skills 360 podcast for today’s lesson on adapting to change.

You might have heard that “change is the only constant,” meaning nothing ever stays the same. That’s easy to say, but not always easy to deal with. Many of us like certainty and stability. We get comfortable and we want to stay that way. But being comfortable shouldn’t mean being complacent, especially in today’s world.

Change doesn’t always happen at the same pace. These days, change seems so fast. And the COVID-19 pandemic has introduced new uncertainties and has accelerated certain trends, like the move toward remote work. Many industries have been battered. And the fact that people are tired of the word “pivot” only demonstrates how the pace of change has accelerated.

Lesson Resources: Lesson Module | Quiz & Vocab | PDF Transcript

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Skills 360 – English Interview Tips 3: Career Goals

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Welcome back to Business English Skills 360 for today’s lesson for the final part of our series on English interview skills.

In previous lessons, we’ve gone over some of the fundamental questions about who you are and what you’ve done. Today I want to take a closer look at talking about your career goals and researching prospective employers. Interviewers don’t just want to know whether you’ve got the skills, personality, and qualifications. They also want to know that you’re a good fit, and that they are a good fit for you.

One important question you need to be ready for in an interview in English is “why are you leaving your current position?” This question makes a lot of people squirm. But it’s actually an opportunity to talk about growth and change. Nobody stays at the same job their entire life. And this question isn’t necessarily fishing for problems in your past.

Lesson Resources: Lesson Module | Quiz & Vocab | PDF Transcript

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Skills 360 – English Interview Tips 2: Questions and Answers

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Welcome back to Skills 360 for today’s lesson on tips for succeeding in a job interview in English.

In our last lesson, we talked about preparation for introducing yourself and questions about strengths and weaknesses. That’s all about you as a person, or your character. In this lesson, I’d like to home in on what you’ve done, or your actions and behavior.

The first big question you’ll get about what you have done pertains to achievements. As in, “what achievements are you most proud of?” Or “tell us about a recent achievement?”

Now, when you think back on your accomplishments, what should you choose to discuss? Well, rather than boasting about purely individual accomplishments, think of something that connects to the bigger picture. Or state why your accomplishment helped the company.

Lesson Resources: Lesson Module | Quiz & Vocab | PDF Transcript

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Skills 360 – English Interview Tips 1: Preparing for an Interview

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Welcome back to Skills 360 for today’s lesson on how to look at how to prepare for an interview in English.

When I say “prepare,” I’m not talking about making an appointment at the hair salon or picking out a clean shirt. I’m talking about doing some research, anticipating what you’ll be asked, and practicing how to respond. Yeah, I know I’m always going on about preparation, but this time it’s not just a suggestion, it’s essential. If you do it right, you’ll be able to head into the interview feeling relaxed and confident. And that will increase your chances of landing the job.

Now here’s the thing: most interviews cover the same basic territory. Sure, you might get a couple of curveballs, but for the most part you can predict what questions you’ll be asked. And that means you can plan your answers. I don’t mean script your answers. It’s pretty tough to appear authentic and natural while delivering a memorized response. But you can outline your answers and practice your delivery.

So how do we go about doing that? Well, let’s start by talking about how to introduce yourself in an job interview in English. The old “tell me about yourself” question. It’s amazing how many people are thrown by this question, or fumble through an awkward response as they wait for the real interview questions. But first impressions are important! And you need a good answer for “tell me about yourself.”

Lesson Resources: Lesson Module | Quiz & Vocab | PDF Transcript

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