In this Business English Pod episode, we’ll be completing our discussion of charts and graphs by studying language for making predictions and for supporting your predictions with analysis. We’ll also look at a couple of advanced ways to rhetorically emphasize a point. Rhetorical means using words effectively to get your message across. Today’s listening continues [...]

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In this episode from our e-Book on presenting in English, we’ll look at how to describe the trends show by a chart or graph. To get the background to the presentation and to review language for introducing visuals, you can refer back to BEP 103 - Charts and Trends 1. A trend is the general direction [...]

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Today’s podcast continues our series on business vocabulary, with a special focus on collocations or word partnerships. By focusing on words that are commonly used together you can improve your vocabulary and also your ability to understand your English-speaking colleagues. When you think of “office administration”, what are the first things that come to mind? They [...]

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As part of our series on job interviews, in this Business English Pod episode we’ll be taking a closer look at the process from the HR perspective. Specifically, we’ll be studying the language of reaching a decision about whom to hire. A Brazilian business unit of fast moving consumer goods company Fun Beverages has recently interviewed [...]

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Congratulations! You were successful in your first job round interview, and you have been called back for a second interview. What should you expect? The key word is more - there will be more questions, more pressure - and, of course, more likelihood that you will get the job. An important function of second-round job [...]

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This is part of an ongoing series on negotiations. In this Business English Podcast episode, we’ll study how to open a traditional commercial negotiation between buyer and seller. We’ll focus on creating goodwill, starting off, setting ground rules, suggesting an agenda and exploring possibilities. We’ll be listening to a telephone conversation between Tony, a supplier [...]

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This Business English Podcast episode on relationship building is part of an ongoing series on negotiation skills. In negotiation, establishing a good relationship based on trust makes it possible to jointly search for creative solutions, to overcome blockage and even to turn conflict into a productive force. Both Peter and Maxine are owners of local telecommunication services [...]

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This is a preview of our new Business English e-book on job interviews: Successful Job Interviews for ESL. Successful Interviews takes you through each stage of the interview process: from discussing your previous experience and accomplishments, to handling tougher questions on your weaknesses and on to the second round interview and salary negotiations. In each lesson [...]

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As we’ve discussed in other episodes on job interviews, one goal of the person conducting the interview is to get you to “let your guard down.” Often, after a series of “warm-up questions,” the interviewer will give you a tough question. This will likely come “out of the blue,” that is, unexpectedly. We call these [...]

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You’ve had your first and second interviews, you’ve performed well, and you’ve been selected. You’re one of the lucky few - you?ve succeeded: You’ve got a job offer in hand. But now comes one of the hardest parts of the whole process - negotiating your salary. If you make a mistake here, all of your [...]

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This is the second in a two-part advanced business English lesson on negotiation strategy. It is part of a longer series of podcasts on the language and skills of negotiating in English. In the first episode, management consultant Bryan Fields discussed the basics of making a deal. We learned how to avoid some top common [...]

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This is the beginning of a new Business English Podcast series on the skills and language of negotiating in English for ESL. We'll explore the topic of negotiations in a series of podcasts that examine several typical business negotiations and the language used in each stage of the process.

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This is the second episode of our new ESL video podcast series: Email Tune-up. In today's video we examine a very common type of email - a request for feedback on a document. Each video lesson features a review of a real-life email from one of our members. After reviewing the background and contents of the email, we'll then see what improvements we can make by analyzing the writing according to 3 main criteria: mechanics, style and tone.

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In this Business English Podcast lesson, we'll be studying some phrases and vocabulary that you can use to discuss the economy and economic issues, including voicing and reassuring concerns.

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In most parts of the world, having lunch or dinner together is an important part of doing business. In places such as North America, eating meals is a way of building a relationship or celebrating a partnership. And in other cultures, such as China, much of the real work of making deals actually often gets [...]

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This is the second in a two-part Business English Podcast lesson on resolving conflict, in which we?ve been focusing on solving everyday disagreements in the office. Ben, a new training specialist at a manufacturing company, feels that he is doing an unfair share (that is, too much) of the work in his department. Gerry, Ben’s [...]

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People do not always get along, so dealing with conflict is part of any job. And as often as not, work disagreements get resolved as much as in informal discussions in the hallway, as they do in the conference room. So, in this two-part series on resolving conflict, we?ll be studying useful language for discussing [...]

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Today, we’re launching a new video podcast series: Email Tune-up Each video will feature a review of a real-life email from one of our members. After reviewing the background and contents of the email, we’ll then see what improvements we can make by analyzing the writing according to 3 main criteria: 1. Mechanics - the grammar, punctuation, [...]

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In this Business English Pod episode, we’ll be focusing on the language of taking an order and discussing standard terms, such as delivery time, payment method, and so on. The listening takes us back to the Foxtrot showroom in Las Vegas. As you’ll recall, Foxtrot is the American distributor for Viva, an Italian clothing, or [...]

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In this Business English Podcast lesson, we're going to look at the "classic sales" approach to selling products and services using the FAB technique. FAB stands for features, attributes and benefits and is a commonly used approach to presenting and selling tangible objects such as clothes and household items. The FAB presentation technique is especially useful for people working in the manufacturing and retail trade - anyone who has to present products to potential customers. In the lesson, we'll look at how this approach can be applied in the Merchandizing business. Merchandizing is the trade name for businesses involved in the design and manufacture of clothing and household items.

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There is one question that you will definitely be asked in any job interview, a question for which you should always prepare a response. That is: “Do you have any questions for me?” In this Business English Podcast lesson, we will focus on how to deal with this question. We’ll talk about what interviewers expect from [...]

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In this advanced Business English Podcast we continue to look at the language and skills of interviewing for jobs in English. So far in this series, we’ve examined two common question themes that you will likely be asked in almost any interview. They were, “Tell me about your previous experience?”, and “What is your most [...]

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In the second part of our new ESL podcast series on business vocabulary, we continue with the topic of human resources (HR) by looking at useful language and collocations to describe the role and responsibilities of a training manager. In this fast-changing global world, everything is moving. To make a successful business, it’s not enough just [...]

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In this new series of podcasts, we're going to look at useful vocabulary for describing different jobs and industries. In the first business vocabulary podcast we are going to listen to Greg, an HR manager, describe his role as a human resources manager. In particular, we'll practice a number of common collocations associated with HR and human resources. Collocations, or word partnerships, are words that are commonly used together.

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In this Business ESL Podcast lesson we're going to look at useful language for making arrangements by telephone. In particular, we'll practice language for handling the practical details of a business visit, such as airport pickup and restaurant or hotel booking. And we'll also practice ways to create and maintain goodwill by demonstrating flexibility and responding politely on the phone.

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In this intermediate ESL Business English Podcast, we will practice useful vocabulary and language for making airplane and hotel arrangements on the telephone.

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In this Business English Podcast episode, we examine another good response to the question about previous experience and describing your accomplishments in job interviews. We'll be looking at someone with a little more work experience: Yala Santos is an HR specialist who is working in a manufacturing company. She now has an opportunity to interview for an HR manager position in a business unit of a fast moving consumer goods company, Fun Beverages International. Let's listen to how Yala deals with talking about her greatest achievement.

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In this Business English Podcast episode, we'll be listening to a bad and good version of a recent graduate discussing his greatest accomplishment. We?ll focus on language for providing examples of the positive personal characteristics that our previous success demonstrates. As you're very likely to be asked this question in an interview, you should be ready with a reply. Interviewers want to hear about something important that you handled. Choose an achievement that is significant to you and that is rich in detail. These two qualities will make it easy to provide examples, which is the main theme of this series.

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In today's Business English Podcast, we explore the language of presenting your products and services to potential customers in informal situations. In many countries, informal occasions - such as a friendly meal or a game of a golf - are more important to the sales process than a formal presentation. So in this podcast, we'll be studying language for presenting our products in such informal situations. In particular, we'll see how you can sell your products in relation to your customers' needs with a few soft-sell techniques.

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There are many different kinds of sites. We often speak of construction sites, a site where something is being built - such as buildings, roads, bridges, airports, and so on. But a site can also be a completed structure, like a factory or even sometimes an office. In a site visit, visitors come on site [...]

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This is the second in a two-part Business English Podcast series on discussing previous experience in workplace English job interviews. It is one of an ongoing sequence of ESL podcasts that covers the whole job interview process. In Part 2 today, we listen to a better interview performance by someone who has prepared to talk about their previous experience more effectively. In this good example, Sherry Shen, from Hong Kong, is interviewing with a multinational accounting company for her first job after graduating with a Master?s in finance.

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This is the first in a two-part series on talking about your previous experience in a job interview for ESL. It is one of a longer sequence of podcasts that will focus on the complete job interview process. In this Business English Podcast 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 also look at the casual discussion that takes place when an interview starts. Then, in the next episode, we?ll hear a good example, and we'll focus more closely on further language for describing your experience.

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Meeting Essentials is the Business ESL study guide to the language and skills you need to participate effectively and confidently in business meetings in English. Learn on the go with MP3 audio lessons, review key language and techniques with the detailed PDF study guide, including a full transcript of each lesson, and practice useful [...]

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It's the end of a meeting, and everyone wants to go, but wait! We have one last thing to do: Action points. That means: Tell everyone who is going to do what, and when. Having no clear action points is a number one reason meetings are unproductive. So in this episode, we'll study language we can use to assign work to people, and also some phrases to finish off the meeting. As you listen, pay attention to how the boss, Lisa, gives action points to her team, that is, reminds them of what they need to do.

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Checking in to hotels is another important part of travel, whether it's for business or for pleasure. This episode follows on from BEP 79 Travel: Reserving a Hotel Room, in which Sarah Johnson called to reserve a room at the Majestic Hotel in New York. Sarah has now arrived, and she is ready to begin her stay. In this Business English Podcast lesson, we will focus on phrases and vocabulary - both for checking in and for enquiring about hotel services whilst checking in.

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Today's Business English Podcast lesson is on making a hotel reservation. It's something all of us need to do: Whether it's for a company business trip, or for personal travel - we all need to, at some time or another, call a hotel to reserve a room. Of course, making reservations is not only useful for hotels but also for all sorts of situations - conferences, restaurants, airplane travel, and any other type of event that requires us to book in advance. That is the skill that we will be practicing in this episode - making reservations. Along the way, we'll also be learning vocabulary for staying in hotels.

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They say there's one rule of conversation that you should always follow in business - don't talk about politics, sex or religion. Actually, however, it seems like 90% of casual conversations are about just those things - politics, sex and religion. So in this episode, we'll be focusing on one of these topics ? politics. We?ll be learning some language that will help you cope with this difficult topic.

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These are the study notes and online language review exercises for BEP 106e: Using your Voice. Presenting for Success is the first in a series of audio /e-books covering essential language and phrases for key business English skills for the workplace.

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In this Business English Podcast lesson we'll be studying how to speak naturally and how to emphasize, or highlight, key language and ideas. In addition, we'll be looking at a few expressions and phrases you can use to add extra emphasis to your presentation.

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This Business English Podcast lesson looks at the language of socialising with your work colleagues. Whether you drink alcohol or not, in many places around the world you will likely be invited to the bar or pub with colleagues. It?s important to know how to offer to buy drinks for others and how to make polite excuses when you?ve had enough or when it?s time to go. The same skills are also useful for other types of after-work social activities.

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This is the second in a two-part Business English Pod lesson on job performance appraisals. In the first lesson, we covered giving feedback. In this podcast, we will discuss setting goals.

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Performance appraisals - sometimes called job performance evaluations or reviews - are a powerful way to develop staff's potential. These skills are important not just for HR (Human Resources) professionals, but for any manager or supervisor who has responsibilities over other staff. So this is the first in a two-part Business English Podcast lesson that focuses on structure, skill and diplomacy in performance appraisals. In this podcast, we will deal with giving feedback. In the second, we will handle setting goals.

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This is the second in a two-part Business English Pod series on war idioms. Everywhere you look in business, you will find the language of war: We often think ? and talk ? about business competition in terms of attacking and defending, gaining and losing ground.

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Business and war. War and business. It?s no accident that many business strategies and management techniques were first developed in the military. Actually, it?s quite natural that we think about business competition in terms of war. Companies fight each other for market share. We strategize about how to win the battle. You try to attack my market position, and I defend it. Business is full of such war idioms. Though it?s not the only way we think about business, it is certainly the main way we talk about it. Therefore, to communicate effectively in a business environment, we need to learn these war idioms. That?s what we?ll be doing in this two-part Business English Podcast lesson.

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Have you ever started to leave a message on someone?s voicemail, then when you heard the ?beep? sound, you didn?t know what to say? When you?re speaking a foreign language, talking without preparation can be challenging, especially when you cannot see or hear the person you?re talking to. But with a little practice, you?ll be a voicemail pro. That?s what we?ll be studying in this Business English lesson ? standard phrases and language for voicemail messages, so that next time you here that ?beep? you?ll know exactly what to say.

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This is the second in a two-part Business English Podcast lesson that follows some of the internal discussions that take place in a company going through a merger. Today?s episode focuses on casual office conversation and gossip. Office gossip is a type of informal conversation in which we tell secrets or rumors about other people or other departments. Gossip is often called water cooler chitchat, since the water cooler is where colleagues meet by chance and discuss things that are happening in the office. You might also want to review some of our previous shows on socializing for more language to use in these types of conversations.

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This is the first in a three-part Business English Pod lesson that explores the use of many different language techniques in the context of a merger. Today?s lesson focuses on vague, diplomatic language and probing questions. Vague and diplomatic language was introduced in podcasts BEP 24 and BEP 32.

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