businessenglishpod.comTheBusinessEnglishpodcastforprofessionalsonthemove©2008Allrightsreserved:businessenglishpod.com1BEP91-JobInterviews:AskingtheInterviewerQuestionsThereisonequestionthatyouwilldefinitelybeaskedinanyinterview,aquestionforwhichyoushouldalwayspreparearesponse.Thatis:“Doyouhaveanyquestionsforme?”Inthisepisode,wewillfocusonhowtodealwiththisquestion.We’lltalkaboutwhatinterviewersexpectfromyouandwe’llemphasizetheimportanceofpreparation.We’llalsostudyhowyoucanusethisopportunityto“interviewtheinterviewer”–thatis,tofindoutwhetherthecompanyisagoodfitforyou.Meanwhile,we’lltalkabouthow,fortheinterviewer,thisisachancetoputyourcompanyinthebestpossiblelight.Inthelistening,wewillreturntoYalaSantos’interview.Remember,sheisanHRspecialistatamanufacturingcompanywhoisinterviewingforanHRmanagerpositioninabusinessunitofafastmovingconsumergoodscompany,FunBeveragesInternational.ListeningQuestions1)WhatisYala’sfirstquestionfortheinterviewer?2)Howdoestheinterviewerrespond?3)Yala’ssecondquestionisalittletougher–whatdoessheask?VocabularyCulturaldifferences:Thesearedifferentwaysofdoingorseeingthingsbetweencultures.“Alotofmisunderstandingsininternationalbusinesscomefromculturaldifferencesratherthanrealdifferencesofinterest.”Genuinecommitment:Genuinemeansrealorsincere.Acommitmentisapromise.“Alotofpeopletalkabout‘mutualbenefits,’butFrankisnotfakingit–hehasagenuinecommitmenttowin-winsolutionsinhisnegotiations.”Long-termdevelopment:Thisdescribesnotjustshortrangebutalsolongrange(longtime)growth.“Inthelongrun,successfulcompaniestendtobethosethatrecruitandkeepexcellentpeopleoveralongtimebypayingattentiontotheirlong-termdevelopment.”Toreachone’sfullpotential:Potentialdescribesone’snot-yet-realizedability–theabilityonehasthatonehasnotdevelopedyet.Toreachone’sfullpotential,then,istodevelopone’sfullhiddenability.“It’simportanttousthateveryemployeehasopportunitiestoreachtheirfullpotential.”Long-termcontribution:Contributionmeanswhatyougivetoanorganizationoraperson,eitherintermsofmoneyortalentoraccomplishments,etc.“Throughouthiscareer,Franzmadeahugecontributiontothecompany.”Budgetaryandleadershipsupport:Budgetarymeanshavingtodowithmoneyandleadershiphavetodowithmanagement.Sobudgetaryandleadershipsupportisbothfiscal(money)andmanagementsupport.“Budgetaryandleadershipsupportarenecessarytocreateanyrealchangeinanorganization.”Merger:Thecombiningoftwoorganizationsas,forexample,whenonebuysanother.“Mergersoftencreateavarietyofchallenges,includingculturaldifferences,thatmustbeovercome.”Matrix-stylemanagement:Thisdescribesanorganizationalstructureisflat;insteadofatop-downcommandandcontrolstructure,everyemployeehasseveralfunctionalmanagersandtheyallcooperateflexiblyinteamsbasedontheproject.“Matrix-stylemanagementcreatesasituationinwhichpeoplecooperatewithlooseteamsthatmaybeseparatedgeographicallybylargedistances.”BEP91ADV–JobInterviews:AskingtheInterviewerQuestions©2007Allrightsreserved:businessenglishpod.com2DialogInterviewer:[Fadein,laughing]Yes,Icanseewhatyoumeanaboutculturaldifferences.Itsoundsprettychallenging…Yala:Definitely,butyouknow,itwasreallygoodexperience.IfeelthatI’mmuchstrongerbecauseofit.Interviewer:Great,well,Ithinkthat’sjustabouteverythingI’dliketogetthroughtoday.Doyouhaveanyquestionforme?Yala:Yes,actually,Idohaveacouple.Interviewer:Great!Yala:Okay.First,Iwaswondering….Whatwouldyousayisthebestthingaboutworkingforthiscompany?Interviewer:Hmm…Letmethinkaboutthat…That’sanexcellentquestion.Ithinkwhattrulysetsusapartisagenuinecommitmenttolong-termdevelopment.Yala:Uhhuh.Interviewer:There’sastrongdedicationheretohelpingpeoplereachtheirfullpotential.Yala:Well,asIsaid,I’mdefinitelylookingforaplacewhereIcangrowandmakealong-termcontribution.Interviewer:Thosearequalitiesweobviouslyreallyvalueinemployees.Yala:Okay…Well,anotherquestionImighthaveisabouthowthehumanresourcesdepartmentisviewedinthecompany….Interviewer:Youmeanintermsof…Yala:Well,wouldyousayyougetadequatebudgetaryandleadershipsupportfromuppermanagement?Interviewer:Isee.Yes,well,especiallysincewewenttoamorematrix-stylemanagementsystemafterthemerger,we’veseentheexecutiveteamtakeakeeninterestinsettingupstrongHRsystems[fadeout…]inindividualbusinessunits…BEP91ADV–JobInterviews:AskingtheInterviewerQuestions©2007Allrightsreserved:businessenglishpod.com3DebriefAsthedialogbegins,Yalaandtheinterviewerhavejustfinishedtalkingaboutanothertopic.Thentheintervieweraskswhattypicallyisthelastquestioninanyinterview–“Doyouhaveanyquestionsforme?”Let’slookfromtheHRperspectiveatacouplemorewaystoaskthis.IthinkthatjustaboutcoverseverythingIwantedtogetto.Howaboutyou?Doyouhaveanythingyou’dliketoaskbeforewefinishtheinterview?We’dliketoturnitovertoyoubeforewefinish–doyouhaveanyquestionsyou’dliketoaskusaboutthecompany?Asaninterviewee,howshouldyourespondtothisquestion?Thisisaboutinterviewingtheinterviewer–findingagoodmatch.Infact,insomecasestheinterviewerislisteningtowhatyouaskordon’task.Theywanttosee,forexample,thatyouaregenuinelyinterestedintheposition.Thebestwayyoucandothisistodoyourresearchbeforehandandpr