Career in Manufacturing (English for Job Interviews)

CAREER IN MANUFACTURING (ENGLISH FOR JOB INTERVIEWS). An activity meant for B2/C1 level students. Some of the vocabulary in this interview includes KEEP TRACK OF OVERHEAD – EMERGENCY DRILL – RSI (Repetitive Strain Injury) – SETTLE A CONFLICT – DISPLAY – COME UP WITH – STRICT GUIDELINES – EASE

I – CAREER IN MANUFACTURING (LISTENING INPUT)

Click the link below to listen to the job interview Career in Manufacturing

II – LANGUAGE CHECK – EXERCISE
Listen to the interview again and try to find words or expressions that mean the same as:

a. Think of ways; find ways: ____________
b. A group of people who work for an organization: _______
c. Severe policy or conduct: _______________________
d. The main building or offices used by an organization: ______
e. An occasion when people practice what they should do in a dangerous situation: ____
f. Working in an adequate or appropriate manner: ______
g. Bring a conflict to an end: _____________________
h. Able to understand other people’s feelings and problems: ______
i. Relieve from distress; to lessen the tension of; to make easier: ____
j. An interruption; a short period of rest: ______
k. Repetitive Strain Injury: _______________
l. Maintaining a record of general business expenses: ______

III – KEY TO EXERCISE

a. Come up with ways b. Staff c. Strict Guidelines d. Headquarters e. Emergency Drill
f. Running properly g. Settle a conflict h. Empathetic i. Ease j. Break k. RSI l. Keeping track of overhead

IV – INTERVIEW SCRIPT

Career in manufacturing

Interviewer: You’ve been working in maintenance as a coordinator I see. What have you liked about the job?
Interviewee: I like the challenges the most. I work with the director to come up with ways to motivate and use the machines to their best capacity.
Interviewer: Have you had any big challenges at your last job that can display your leadership and communication skills?
Interviewee: My director created a new program for saving energy. For these changes to happen, I would have to train the staff to learn how to observe any energy loss the machines might have and how to be autonomous with their job.
Interviewer: Can you expand regarding your staff being autonomous please?
Interviewee: What my director and I decided to do was to train each machine operator to learn how to repair any problems that might happen to their machine. We also gave them new guidelines on how to better preserve energy. This was important because if the workers could repair their own machines, it would save a lot of time for me and my director.
Interviewer: Can you tell me how you handled an emergency situation, if you had one before. If not, how did you prepare for a possible crisis?
Interviewee: My director and I were given strict guidelines from our corporate headquarters on what do to. It was our job to train our staff. We would have emergency drills every two months. We also had monthly checks on the machines to make sure they were running properly.
Interviewer: Have you ever had to settle a conflict between two workers?
Interviewee: Never a strong conflict. But I have had disagreements and arguments that have happened. I believe in open communication and my door is always open. I would bring in one at a time to get their story and then both together after talking to them privately. I believe in listening and being empathetic. It always worked.
Interviewer: Manufacturing can be quite repetitive and stressful. Did you have any methods to help ease this with your staff?
Interviewee: Yes. I had a room that was called the “time-out room”. This was where they could play cards, music or relax on a sofa during their break. They seemed to like this because it showed that we cared enough about them.
Interviewer: I see. The “time-out room” seems to be also a good place for employees complaining of repetitive strain injury!
Interviewee: Definitely!
Interviewer: And what are your strengths in your opinion?
Interviewee: I am a strong communicator and motivator. I expect a lot from my workers, but I give a lot back as a leader. I am quite organized and have a systematic way of keeping track of overhead and maintenance problems.

“English for Job Interviews” – Authors: José Roberto A. Igreja and Robert C. Young / Disal Editora.

José Roberto A. Igreja is the author and co-author of several ELT books, including:

LET´S TALK ABOUT IT! – The Ultimate ELT Conversation Book, now available on the Amazon stores of the following countries:

AUSTRALIA BRAZIL CANADA FRANCE GERMANY INDIA ITALY JAPAN MEXICO NETHERLANDS SPAIN UK US

If you´re based in Brazil the paperback is available at a discount price on UICLAP!
240 pages – 31 QR-CODES for the audio tracks (dialogues) “even the paperback comes with built-in technology”

A BRAND-NEW ELT BOOK!