EPISODE 1

Match the words and phrases in the table to their definitions.

Degree - HR - interpersonal skills - IT peripheral - last quarter - let someone go – master -

performance review - pull one’s weight - team player - the last straw - track record - trade press -
vision

1. a computer device, such as a CD-ROM drive or printer that is attached to the main computer

2. the final three months of the financial year

3. also known as an employee appraisal, is a method by which the job performance of an

employee is evaluated

4. the final irritation that stretches your patience beyond the limit

5. this is an informal expression to mean fire or sack somebody from their job

6. the personnel department of an organization, dealing with the recruitment, administration,

management and training of employees; abbreviation of Human Resources

7. do the work that one is obligated to

8. an award conferred by a college, university, or other post secondary educational institution as

official recognition for the successful completion of a program of studies

9. An advanced degree, past your first degree, but before PhD

10. someone's past performances viewed as a whole

11. someone who works well as part of a team

12. the ability to relate well to other people

13. a term used to describe an image of the future; in business terms it is a clear, detailed picture
of what can be achieved

14. magazines and newspapers that are written for a particular sector of an industry

Choose the correct answer to each question.

1. Phillip Hart is angry at Brian because

a. Brian had some personal problems

b. Brian is joking

c. Brian lost an important contract

2. Phillip rings Marcia to ask her to

a. help him fire Brian

b. help him decide on a replacement for Brian

c. ask him a good question

3. The new employee will need

a. a higher degree only

b. a higher degree and five years’ experience

c. a higher degree and five years’ international experience

4. Which skills and experience are not essential for the new employee?

a. sales

b. languages

c. teamwork

5. Where is Marcia going to place an advertisement?

a. in the specialist media

b. online

c. online and in specialist media

Vocabulary

In this episode WebWare’s CEO Philip Hart sacks his Sales Director for underperforming. Philip
uses two expressions to do this. The first is I’m going to have to let you go which is quite a gentle
way of expressing the fact. The second is You’re fired, which is a little more direct.

There are even more ways to express this in English. Dismiss and discharge are both quite formal:

He was dismissed for turning up late on a regular basis.

The director was discharged of his duties.

Other less formal, but more colourful ways of saying the same thing are:

give someone the axe

give someone their cards

give someone the boot

Audioscript:

Philip Hart: You what? What do you mean? You’ve lost the DollarMart contract? Oh Brian, tell me
you’re joking! That’s our biggest contract! And you’ve lost it! Ok...ok...yes, I know you’ve had some
personal problems recently...yes, sure...yes, I know our competitors have improved their
offer...but, really Brian, these are just excuses... Oh Brian, come on – you failed to meet agreed
targets for the entire last quarter. We talked about this at your last performance review and I told
you then it had to improve and to be quite honest – it hasn’t. Losing the DollarMart contract is the
last straw... No, I’m sorry Brian that’s it, that’s your last chance. I’m going to have to let you go. Let
you go. Yes. That’s what it means Brian. You’re fired.

Hi Jess, can you put me through to Marcia in HR please? Hi Marcia. It’s Philip here. Listen, I’ve had
to let Brian go. He lost us the DollarMart account. Yeah, but it had been going on for a while, he
just wasn’t pulling his weight anymore. He’d been warned – his last performance review was really
bad. He knew it was coming... So - we’ll be looking for someone new and we’ll need to decide on
who that is... Who are we looking for? Good question...I was hoping you might be able to help me
with that! Here’s what I’m thinking and let me know if you agree. Well, obviously, they’ll need to
have a first degree, doesn’t matter what subject, and then a masters or an MBA, I’d say.
Experience? At least five years relevant experience, in an international company – I want
somebody with a proven track record. Oh they have to be a team player – Brian never was – so
strong interpersonal skills. Oh and I want someone with vision...yes, “vision” – I know it’s difficult
to define, but what I mean is, someone who knows we’re in a rapidly changing market, and they
can use it to our advantage. Experience with online sales, perhaps – but yes, I’d be interested in
that. Oh, language skills – I can’t emphasise that enough – not necessarily a native speaker, but
they must be very good at English, and another language as well, Spanish, or Mandarin is best.
Does that sound ok to you? Great! Ok can you get an ad out on the website as soon as possible,
and the trade press, as well? Ok great thanks Marcia I want a new sales director by the end of the
month!
EPISODE 2

Match the words and phrases in the table to their definitions.

application - candidate - comicbook font - CV - discard - educational background - multinational

sales - profile - short-list - standard interview format - whittle down

1. a brief description that summarizes the characteristics of somebody or something

2. a summary of somebody's educational and work experience, for the information of possible
future

employers, also known as a resume – abbreviation of Curriculum Vitae

3. a typeface used in comics. This kind of typeface would be unsuitable for a CV.

4. an applicant or suitable person for a job

5. an official request for something, usually in writing

6. selling things in different countries

7. the normal way of interviewing somebody

8. to put somebody or something on a final list of candidates for a job or award

9. to reduce or diminish something gradually by taking away a little of it at a time

10. to throw away

11. your experience of school, university, etc.

True or false.

1. Phillip is surprised at the number of applications they received.

2. Marcia wants to interview all applicants who sent a CV.

3. Marcia has the final decision on the twelve interview candidates.

4. All the potential candidates have all the basic requirements for the job.

5. Marcia and Phillip want the candidates to do a presentation about the company’s future.

Audioscript:

Philip Hart: So, how many applications did we get, Marcia?

Marcia Boardman: Well...overall we’ve got over two hundred...
PH: That many!?
MB: Yes, but...most of which we can discard right away...people who don’t have the right
experience, qualifications that kind of thing...
PH: Of course...
MB: ...and then we get the people who submit ten-page long CVs, or CVs in comicbook font, or
green ink, or they attach a photo of themselves disco dancing...you know the kind of thing!
So, I whittled down the serious candidates to a short-list of twelve people.
PH: And we’ll interview all of them?
MB: I think we should – but obviously I’ll let you have a look first.
PH: Great...so, who have we got then?
MB: Well, I think we’ve got some pretty strong candidates, two in particular...
PH: They have the right kind of profile?
MB: I’d certainly say so – a strong educational background, experience in multinational sales,
language skills...
PH: Good, I look forward to meeting them.
MB: So I’d say we do for the standard interview format..
PH: Sure..
MB: A few general questions, then onto specifics...
PH: Yes, exactly – I want to hear specific details of when they’ve solved problems...
MB: Yes and then something about “vision”, as you put it...
PH: Yes...what do you think about a brief presentation?
MB: I think that’s a good idea – we could ask them to give a short presentation on where they
see the company going – and how they see themselves taking us there.
PH: Great! You know something? I’m really looking forward to this!
EPISODE 3

Match the words and phrases in the table to their definitions.

data projector – flipchart - personal statement - reimburse - travel expenses

1. a brief and focused essay about one's career or research goals, frequently required for job

applications

2. a projector which projects an image onto a screen, usually attached to a computer

3. a visual aid consisting of a large pad of paper mounted on an easel, used to present information

4. meals, lodging and transportation expenses while away from home in the pursuit of a trade or

business

5. to pay somebody back money spent for an official or approved reason

Put the stages of the interview process in the order they are mentioned.

1. Discuss high points of career up to the present

2. Short talk on the company’s future

3. Refund cost of getting to interview

4. Arrival & Meeting

5. Questions to Phillip and Marcia about the company

6. Questions on qualifications and job history

Audioscript:

MB: Hi, I'm Marcia Boardman, I'm calling from WebWare.

DW: Oh hi Marcia. Great to hear from you.
MB: You'll already have been told you've been shortlisted for interview...
ST: Oh...yes...great...hello? Can you hear me?
MB: Yes...Is it ok if I call you now? Would you like me to call you back
later?
ST: Erm, no, no, no, that's ok...
MB: Good - well we're very excited about meeting you. Ok, I just want to
talk you through the procedure for the day. Someone will meet you when you
arrive, reimburse you for any travel expenses you may have, and then bring
you up to meet myself and Philip Hart, the CEO.
DW: Ok sounds good. So will you be the only members of the interview panel
there then?
MB: Yes, it'll be just me and Philip who will talk to you. The interview
will be in three parts - first of all we'll ask you some general questions
about yourself and your educational and professional background, then we'll
move on to specifics.
ST: Oh, er, specifics? Well er, what kind of questions will you be asking?
MB: Well, it'll be very similar to the personal statement you submitted with
your CV - we'll be expecting you to to give actual examples of problems
you've faced and solved, and of what you feel are the major successes in
your career so far.
DW: Ok well yeah, that sounds great - can't wait!
MB: Then there'll be a chance for you to ask us any questions - about the
job itself, or WebWare in general...
ST: Oh, erm, ok...I'll think of something!
MB: After that, we'd like you to give a short presentation on how you see
WebWare as a company progressing, and how you see yourself taking us there.
DW: Ok so will I be expected to give like a formal style presentation?
MB: It can be as formal or informal as you like. There'll be a flipchart and
a data projector there available. If you need anything else, just let us
know.
ST: Oh, erm ok, a presentation! I'll think of something. I haven't done one
of those in a while...
MB: Is that all clear? Great, so, Daniel, I'll see you at 11am, a week
tomorrow.
DW: Ok great I look forward to meeting you! Thanks, bye.
MB: Ok, so, Sarah, we'll be seeing you at 1pm, a week tomorrow. Best of
luck!
ST: Oh, thanks...I'll need it...