2011年ESL之商务英语 12 Recommending Someone for a Job

12 Recommending Someone for a Job

GLOSSARY 1

to put in a good word for (someone) – to say something good about anotherperson; to recommend someone for an opportunity or position

* The committee is going to review my artwork tomorrow. Could you please putin a good word for me?

to stop by – to go somewhere for a short period of time, usually informally

* If you have time tomorrow afternoon, please stop by for a cup of coffee.

interview – a formal meeting where one person asks another person manyquestions to learn about his or her experience and knowledge and determinewhether that person should be offered a certain position or opportunity

* During the interview, they’ll probably ask you to identify your greatest strengthand your greatest weakness.

sharp – precisely 2; exactly; at a specific time

* Blake promised to be there at 8:30 sharp, but he overslept and didn’t arrive untilalmost 10:00.

to stick (one’s) neck out – to take a risk; to give one’s opinion or to dosomething even though it may have negative consequences and other peoplemay not like it

* If I stick out my neck for you by saying that, you’re going to have to dosomething nice for me, too.

to recommend – to say that someone should do (or not do) something based onone’s opinion, knowledge, or experience

* If you want to eat some great pizza, I recommend the new restaurant on 42ndStreet and Taylor Avenue.

to let (someone) down – to disappoint someone; to not meet someone’sexpectations, hopes, or standards

* Darla was supposed to finish the report by Tuesday afternoon, but she let usdown when she didn’t meet the deadline.

to put (one’s) reputation on the line – to put one’s reputation at risk; to do orsay something that might change the way other people think about oneself

* I put my reputation on the line when I recommended that other people invest 3 inyour business. If your business fails, they’ll never respect me again.

a good fit – a match; something that is comfortable and convenient

* Cory has always liked big cities, so living in New York will be a good fit for him.

to afford to – to be able to do something because it does not present anyproblem

* They wanted to wait for Harvey, but ultimately 4 they decided 5 they couldn’t affordto wait anymore and they left without him.

choosy – picky; having very high standards for selecting something; acceptingonly the very best; willing to take or have only things that meet all of one’s highstandards

* Lilian is so choosy! All these sweaters look fine to me, but she’s still searchingfor the perfect one.

to suit (one’s) talents – to make good use of one’s strengths and interests; tobe appropriate for and matching what one is qualified 6 to do

* Sheila has always been good with numbers, so becoming an accountant or anengineer would probably suit her talents.

to mooch off (someone) – to take things for free from another person; to askanother person to provide money, food, shelter, clothing, or other things withoutoffering to pay for them

* Wouldn’t you be embarrassed to be mooching off your parents as a 33-yearold?

nursing home – a facility where elderly people live when they have medicalproblems and can no longer take care of themselves because they need a nurseor doctor to be present

* Gretl took care of her father-in-law 7 for years, but they recently had to move himto a nursing home where he could receive specialized 8 medical care.

insane 9 asylum 10 – a facility or medical institution that houses and treats peoplewith severe mental or psychological 11 problems

* In the old days, people with disabilities were sometimes placed in insaneasylums.

COMPREHENSION QUESTIONS

1. Why doesn’t Judy think the job is a good fit?

a) Because she doesn’t really want to work at the store.

b) Because she doesn’t think it pays enough.

c) Because she doesn’t want to work with Harry 12.

2. Why does Harry want Judy to find a job?

a) Because he thinks she’s wasting her talents.

b) Because he’s tired of paying for everything.

c) Because he thinks she’d be a great store employee.

______________

WHAT ELSE DOES IT MEAN?

to stop by

The phrasal verb “to stop by,” in this podcast, means to go somewhere for ashort period of time, usually informally: “Professor Samuels, may I stop by youroffice tomorrow to ask you some questions about the homework?” The phrase“to stop in” has the same meaning: “Could you please stop in the post office andbuy some stamps on your way home?” The phrase “to stop over” means to havea layover, or to need to spend some time in an airport before getting on anotherairplane: “We have to stop over in Houston before we can fly on to Portland.”

The phrase “to stop up” means to block something so that other things cannotmove through it: “If you put all that food down the sink, you’ll stop up theplumbing.”

sharp

In this podcast, the word “sharp” means precisely, exactly, or at a specific time:

“Breakfast is at 7:30 sharp. If you’re late, they won’t serve you.” The word“sharp” also describes something with a very fine point or edge that can cut otherthings: “This knife is really sharp, so it cuts fruits and vegetables easily, but becareful not to cut your finger.” The word “sharp” can also describe somethingthat bends or turns quickly: “To find our house, make a sharp turn after you passthe stoplight.” Finally, someone who has a “sharp tongue” criticizes 13 people verystrongly, or says bad things about other people: “We don’t like spending time withGrandma Erma because she has a sharp tongue.”

CULTURE NOTE

Acting 14 as an Employment 15 ReferenceMany job applications ask the “applicant 17” (the person asking for a job) to submit 18 alist of three “professional” (related to work, not personal life) “references 19,” orpeople whom they can speak with to learn additional 20 information about theapplicant. If the application reviewer is interested in learning 21 more about aparticular applicant after reviewing the application, he or she may contact one ormore references.

Usually, the reviewer calls the reference 16 or sends him or her an email message.

First, the reviewer wants to “confirm” (make sure; verify) that the reference knowthe applicant and is familiar with his or her work. The reviewer may ask a fewbasic questions to confirm whether the information in the application is truthful 22.

For example, the reviewer may ask the reference where the applicant studied tosee whether the reference’s “response” (answer; reply) “matches” (is the sameas) the information on the application.

Then, the reviewer typically asks questions about the applicant’s quality of work.

The reviewer might ask whether the reference has been “pleased” (satisfied) withthe applicant’s work in the past. Then the reviewer might ask the reference tocomment on the applicants 23 “strengths” (the things one does well) and“weaknesses” (the things one does not do well). References typically “commenton” (say something about; provide an opinion on) the applicant’s ability to workwell with others as part of a team, or ability to work “independently” (without verymuch supervision).

The conversation usually ends with the reviewer asking whether the referencewould recommend the applicant for the new job, as well as whether there isanything else the reviewer should know about the applicant.

______________

Comprehension Questions Correct Answers: 1 – a; 2 – b

COMPLETE TRANSCRIPT 24

Welcome to English as a Second Language Podcast number 692:

Recommending Someone for a Job.

This is English as a Second Language Podcast episode 25 692. I’m your host, Dr.

Jeff McQuillan, coming to you from the Center for Educational Development inbeautiful Los Angeles, California.

Visit our website at eslpod.com. Download the Learning Guide for this episodeto help you improve your English faster than ever.

This episode is called “Recommending Someone for a Job.” It’s a dialoguebetween Harry and Judy. Let’s get started.

[start of dialogue]

Harry: I’ve put in a good word for you with my boss. He said to stop by the storeat 4:00 today and he’ll interview you for the job.

Judy: Okay, I think I can make it around 4:00.

Harry: Not around 4:00. You need to be there at 4:00 sharp, got that? I’msticking my neck out for you by recommending you for this job, so don’t let medown.

Judy: All right, I’ll be there. It’s not like it’s my idea to get a job at your store. Ididn’t ask you to put your reputation on the line. I don’t think that job is a good fitfor me.

Harry: You can’t afford to be choosy. You need a job and you need it right now.

Judy: I’m not in a hurry. I want to find a job that really suits my talents.

Harry: I’m sick of you sleeping on my couch 26 and mooching off me. By the timeyou find a job that suits your talents, I’ll be in a nursing home – or an insaneasylum!

[end of dialogue]

Our dialogue begins with Harry saying, “I’ve put in a good word for you with myboss.” The expression “to put in a good word for (someone)” means to say something good about another person to a possible employer 27 or someone whoyou are looking for a favor from or to get something from. More generally, itmeans to recommend someone for an opportunity or a position – “to put in agood word for someone.” “I will put in a good word for you with Dr. Lucy Tse,and maybe in our Café we’ll answer your question.” “I’ll put in a good word foryou.” Harry says that his boss had to stop by the store at 4:00 today and he’llinterview you for the job. “To stop by” is a phrasal verb meaning to gosomewhere for a short period of time. “Tomorrow, I will stop by your house andhave a cup of coffee,” I won’t be there for hours and hours, just a short amount oftime. Harry’s boss is going to stop by the store – we guess that Harry and Judywork in a store, or that at least Harry does – and the boss will “interview” Judy.

He will have a formal meeting where he will ask questions to see if she is a goodperson for this job.

Judy says, “Okay, I think I can make it around 4:00.” When someone says“around 4:00” they mean approximately; maybe a few minutes before, maybe afew minutes after. Harry says, however, “Not around 4:00. You need to be hereat 4:00 sharp, got that?” “Sharp” is here used to mean exactly, precisely, at aspecific time. So when we’re talking about time, and you want to give someonean exact time, you might say, “I want you to leave at 8:45 sharp.” That meansexactly at 8:45, not before, not after. Another way of saying this would be “on thedot.” “I want you here by 8:00 on the dot.” That’s exactly at 8:00.

Harry says, “I’m sticking my neck out for you.” “To stick your neck out for(someone)” means to take a risk, to perhaps say something or do something thatcould hurt you but it could also help you or, in this case, help someone else. “I’mgoing to stick my neck out for my brother and say that he will be here at 8:00.” Ifhe isn’t here at 8:00 I might be in trouble, but I am going to take a risk; I’m goingto stick my neck out for him. In general, you can use the expression not for“him,” but for yourself; you can just say, “I’m going to stick my neck and say thatthe capital of Spain is Madrid.” You’re saying I might be wrong; I’m taking a risk.

If I’m wrong, I’m sure several thousand Spaniards will email me, so I’m stickingmy neck out. Actually, I’m pretty sure Madrid is the capital of Spain!

So, Harry is sticking his neck out for Judy. How is he doing that? Byrecommending her for the job. “To recommend,” of course, means to saysomething that someone should do or not do based on or coming from your ownopinions, knowledge, or experiences. Harry is sticking his neck out for Judy byrecommending her for the job. “So,” he says, “don’t let me down.” “To let(someone) down,” or “to let down (someone),” is another phrasal verb meaningto disappoint someone, not to meet someone’s expectations.

Judy says, “All right, I’ll be there. It’s not like it’s my idea to get a job at yourstore.” Notice that she introduces this sentence by saying “It’s not like.” Thatmeans that what you are saying is the opposite of what you think is true or youknow to be true. “It’s not like it’s my idea to get a job at your store” means it isnot Judy’s idea to get a job at Harry’s store. She says, “I didn’t ask you to putyour reputation on the line.” “To put your reputation on the line” means to putyour reputation at risk, to do something or say something that might change theway people think about you. “Reputation” is what other people think about you,their opinions of you. Judy says that she didn’t ask Harry to put his reputation onthe line by recommending her. She says, in fact, “I don’t think that job is a goodfit for me.” “To be a good fit” (fit) means to be a good match, when something iscomfortable or convenient, when two people or a person and a situation seem tobe matched for each other. “I like big cities, so living in Los Angeles is a good fitfor me,” meaning I will be comfortable or happy because I like big cities, and LosAngeles is a big city.

Harry says to Judy, “You can’t afford to be choosy.” “To afford (afford) to do(something)” means to be able to do something because it does not present anyproblems for you. It could also mean to have enough money to do something: “Ican’t afford to go to Las Vegas this weekend; I don’t have any money to lose.”

“To afford to” can also mean something without money, and that’s the case inthis example. Harry says to Judy, “You can’t afford to be choosy (choosy).” “Tobe choosy” means to be willing to take or have only the things that meet yourvery high standards or high expectations. Another word for this is “picky” (picky).

Someone who is “choosy” doesn’t take the first thing they see, they wait untilthey get the best thing – the “best fit,” you could say, for their situation. Somemen and women don’t get married as early as they used to nowadays; somepeople say that’s because they’re being too choosy – too picky, waiting for theperfect man or the perfect woman rather than someone they could grow to love.

That’s some people’s opinion; not mine necessarily 28.

Harry says that Judy can’t afford to be choosy. “You need a job and you need itright now.” Judy says, “I’m not in a hurry. I want to find a job that really suits mytalents.” “To suit (suit) your talents” means to make good use of your strengthsand interests, to be something that matches your qualifications, what you areable to do.

Harry says, “I’m sick of you sleeping on my couch and mooching off me.” Nowwe understand why Harry wants Judy to get a job. Judy is staying at Harry’sapartment, and he says she is mooching off him. “To mooch (mooch) off(someone)” is an informal expression meaning to take things for free fromanother person, especially money, food, clothing, and not offering to pay them anything. Judy is mooching off Harry by staying at his apartment and not payingany money.

He says, “By the time you find a job that suits your talents, I’ll be in a nursinghome – or an insane asylum!” Harry is saying that Judy is taking a long time tofind a job, and if she waits until she finds the perfect job, one that suits hertalents, Harry will be in a nursing home. A “nursing home” is a place wheretypically old people go because they have medical problems and they need a lotof extra care and help from doctors and nurses. It’s not a hospital; it’s a placewhere people live for a long time when they need extra help, especially medicalhelp. An “insane asylum” is also called a “mental institution.” It’s a place wherepeople who have mental problems or psychological problems go; it’s where crazypeople go, to put it another way. There are lots of informal ways of talking aboutan insane asylum. Harry is suggesting that he will go crazy if he waits for Judy tofind a job that suits her talents. So, he is pressuring her; he is trying to make herget a job so she can go somewhere else to live. I don’t blame Harry!

Now let’s listen to the dialogue, this time at a normal speed.

[start of dialogue]

Harry: I’ve put in a good word for you with my boss. He said to stop by the storeat 4:00 today and he’ll interview you for the job.

Judy: Okay, I think I can make it around 4:00.

Harry: Not around 4:00. You need to be there at 4:00 sharp, got that? I’msticking my neck out for you by recommending you for this job, so don’t let medown.

Judy: All right, I’ll be there. It’s not like it’s my idea to get a job at your store. Ididn’t ask you to put your reputation on the line. I don’t think that job is a good fitfor me.

Harry: You can’t afford to be choosy. You need a job and you need it right now.

Judy: I’m not in a hurry. I want to find a job that really suits my talents.

Harry: I’m sick of you sleeping on my couch and mooching off me. By the timeyou find a job that suits your talents, I’ll be in a nursing home – or an insaneasylum!

[end of dialogue]

Our scriptwriter never lets us down; that’s because it’s the one, the only, Dr. LucyTse.

From Los Angeles, California, I’m Jeff McQuillan. Thank you for listening. Comeback and listen to us again here on ESL Podcast.

English as a Second Language Podcast is written and produced by Dr. Lucy Tse,hosted by Dr. Jeff McQuillan, copyright 29 2011 by the Center for EducationalDevelopment.