This is the first in a two-part Business English Podcast series on discussing your previous experience in a job interview. It is one of a longer sequence of ESL podcasts that will focus on the complete job interview process.

In this episode, we’ll be examining a bad example of what not to do. Since previous experience usually comes up at the beginning of an interview, we’ll look at the casual discussion that takes place when an interview starts.

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Study Notes	Phrases & Practice	BEP 82 ADV – Previous Experience 1 – Quiz BEP 82 ADV – Previous Experience 1 – Gap-fill BEP 82 ADV – Previous Experience 1 – Dialog & Vocabulary BEP 82 ADV – Previous Experience 1 – Language 1 BEP 82 ADV – Previous Experience 1 – Language 2 BEP 82 ADV – Previous Experience 1 – Language 3 BEP 82 ADV – Previous Experience 1 – Language 4 BEP 82 ADV – Previous Experience 1 – Flashcards

Listening Questions:
1) Is everything Alex says clear and to the point?

No, it isn’t. He responds inappropriately to Michael’s greeting “How are you doing?” with a serious response we might only expect from a good friend. He also seems to mistake the interview for an academic discussion by discussing his Master’s thesis in too much detail.

2) Does he seem overly friendly or informal at times?

Yes, as already indicated, Michael seems to be overly informal, or at least overly talkative. The jokes he makes do not present his skills or personality in the best light. He seems to say anything that comes into his head, which detracts from his professional image.

3) How does Alex account for the gap in his resume?

2) He maintains that his Master’s thesis was the most important thing in the world to him, which may raise his potential employer’s doubts about his dedication to any future job.