【一起听英语】稀奇古怪的工作面试（在线收听）

 稀奇古怪的工作面试，你经历过多少？

Rob: Welcome to 6 Minute English with me Rob.

Finn: And me, Finn.

Rob: Finn, I'd like to start by asking you: How many job interviews have you

had?

Finn: That's difficult. Maybe ten interviews in my life.

Rob: Ten. That's quite a few – and do you enjoy going to job interviews?

Finn: I absolutely adore them! No, I'm joking! Who does? Nobody does.

Rob: Well, for me, they are torture! I hate being grilled by a panel – or group

– of people. I know I can do the job but I hate having to convince them!

Today, we'll be discussing some odd job interviews and looking at some

related vocabulary. So Finn, are you ready for your first interview

question?

Finn: Yes Rob, I am raring to go!

Rob: Good to hear. Well, it's important to know what type of job you are being

interviewed for. Some job titles are a bit exaggerated. So, what type of

job has been named a 'Field Nourishment Consultant'? Is it:

a) A waitress

b) A school dinner lady

c) A petrol station assistant

Finn: I think that it's b) a school dinner lady.

Rob: An interesting choice. I'll let you know if you are wrong or right later on.

Let's talk more about job interviews. A traditional interview usually

involves being asked a list of questions, and sometimes you have to give a

short presentation.

Finn: Yes, questions like: "Why do you want this job?" or, "Where do you see

yourself in five years' time?"

Rob: Yeah, that's a tricky one to answer! But some interviewers – the people

who ask the questions – go a bit further and ask the interviewees – the

people being interviewed – to do some inappropriate things. 

6 Minute English ©British Broadcasting Corporation 2014

Page 2 of 4

bbclearningenglish.com

Finn: You mean they are asked do things are not really relevant to the job.

Such as Alan Bacon, a university graduate, who last year was asked to do

a dance as part of his interview.

Rob: Well, maybe the position – or job – was for a dancer or a children's

entertainer?

Finn: No – it was actually for a job as a sales assistant in an electronics shop;

so, someone who works on the shop floor, giving advice to customers

about what to buy. There's no dancing involved.

Rob: Let's hear from him now. What did he do at the interview to look positive?

And how did he really feel about doing a dance?

Alan Bacon, university graduate:

We all wanted the job, some of us are desperate, like myself, and the idea is just to

keep smiling and go for it. On the surface I had to look positive, I was smiling, I was

laughing along with it, but inside I felt degraded and humiliated especially.

Finn: Oh poor Alan. He felt degraded – so he lost respect from other people –

and he felt humiliated – so he felt embarrassed and ashamed.

Rob: So that's how he felt on the inside but he wanted the job so he put on a

brave face – a positive attitude and a smile on his face; he even laughed.

Finn: Well, later on, he did complain and he got an apology.

Rob: But experts say there are now too many candidates chasing too few jobs

so companies are trying unorthodox – non-traditional ways of recruiting

people - to see who stands out.

Finn: Yes, well, in any job interview it's good to leave a lasting impression –

that means to get noticed and make people remember you. I suppose

doing a dance is a good way of breaking the ice – making people feel

relaxed – but being asked to do something outside your comfort zone also

seems a bit unfair to me.

Rob: Yes, but I guess if you want that job, you'll do anything.

Finn: Well, almost!

Rob: I've heard about people who have had to sing at an interview and also,

role playing – pretending to be someone else and acting out a situation.

Finn: I find just being asked odd or random questions in an interview can make

me feel uncomfortable. And a US employment website carried out a

survey about this and discovered some strange questions…

Rob: Yes they did, such as: "How would you cure world hunger?" and: "If you

were a computer programme, which one would you be?" Here's one for

you Finn: "If you were a word in the English language, which word would

you be?"

6 Minute English ©British Broadcasting Corporation 2014

Page 3 of 4

bbclearningenglish.com

Finn: Which word would you be? Oh, come on, that's unfair. Just asking like

that – that's outside my comfort zone Rob!

Rob: Indeed, but I'm trying to break the ice here Finn! Never mind, I'll give you

the job anyway! Seriously, there's no perfect way to interview someone

for a job. If you are having a job interview, my advice would be to keep

calm, think before you speak and if you are asked to do something

inappropriate, tell them how you feel about it!

Finn: And if all else fails you could use a bribe? What do you think? No?!

Rob: Not recommended. However you can bribe me to get the answer to

today's question?

Finn: I don't think I need to. I think I've got the answer right.

Rob: OK, let's find out. Earlier I asked you if you knew what a 'Field

Nourishment Consultant' really is.

Finn: I said b) a school dinner lady – but it could be a man. Is it right?

Rob: It has something to do with food but it's not school dinners. It's actually a

waitress – or waiter. I wonder how we could describe our jobs – maybe we

could be 'Educational Dissemination Executives'?

Finn: Oh yes, very grand. I like that!

Rob: We hope you've enjoyed today's 6 Minute English. Please join us again

soon for another programme.

Both: Bye.