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Welcome back to Business English Pod for today’s lesson on doing an online interview in English. Today, we’re going to look at how to talk about a gap in your resume or employment history.

It’s actually not that unusual to have a gap in your resume. Many people get laid off and then spend several months trying to find a new position. Other people have a gap because of family or health issues. And others require time to find a job after relocating.

While a gap in employment isn’t unusual, many job-seekers feel it looks bad and is hard to explain. But it doesn’t have to be. And it doesn’t have to become the only focus of an interview. So how can you ensure a gap doesn’t overshadow your upsides?

For one thing, it’s good to explain a job loss concisely. Secondly, it’s a good idea to show how you developed yourself while you were unemployed. If you can do these things, then you can move on to other aspects of the interview. That might include explaining why you like the company where you’re applying, and asking diplomatically about work flexibility. It may also mean asking for clarification when you don’t understand a question clearly.

In today’s dialog, we’ll continue listening to an online interview with Rachel, who’s applying for an operations manager position at a property management company. In this part of the interview, she has to explain a gap in her employment. Let’s hear how she answers questions and asks some good ones of her own.

Listening Questions

1. What is the basic reason Rachel lost her previous job?
2. How did Rachel develop her skills while unemployed?
3. What two things does Rachel like about the company where she’s applying?

Download: Podcast MP3

Welcome back to Business English Pod for today’s lesson on doing an online job interview in English. Today, we’re going to look at some tips for online interviews, especially how to relate your experience to a new field of work.

Just a few years ago, you might have been surprised if a prospective employer requested an online interview. After all, we often think of interviews as a good chance to meet face to face. But these days, in many sectors, online interviews are completely normal. In fact, with the move toward remote work, many newly hired people have never met their colleagues or boss face to face.

This is part of a shake-up in the world of work brought on by the COVID-19 pandemic. Early in the pandemic, millions of people lost their jobs. Now, more and more of those people are getting hired for new positions, often in different industries. And to get those jobs, they likely had to talk about how they would transfer their experience to a different line of work.

One of the things you’ll have to deal with in an online interview is, of course, possible technical issues. It’s a good idea to be able to deal with such problems calmly and confidently. Another important skill in any interview is talking about how you added value in your previous position.

When it comes to transferring experience, you’ll need to consider how to discuss similarities between the industry you’re leaving and the one you’re hoping to find work in. And given the uncertainty of the pandemic, it’s a good idea to talk about how you’ve adapted to change and demonstrated learning.

In today’s dialog, we’ll listen to part of an online interview for the job of operations manager at a property management company. Rachel is applying for the job after working for many years in operations at a hotel chain. Let’s hear how she answers the interviewer’s questions, deals with technical issues, and talks about transferring her experience.

Listening Questions

1. What accomplishment does Rachel feel demonstrates her value at her last job?
2. What did Rachel focus on during the transition to remote work?
3. What kinds of learning did Rachel focus on in her last job?

Download: Podcast MP3