Chinese · Intermediate (B1) · Chapter 8 of 12
Work and careers
找工作Zhǎo gōngzuò
Handle a job interview in Chinese: formal phrases like 贵公司, talking about your experience, 为了 (in order to) and 不但…而且… (not only … but also).
In this chapter you'll learn to
- Use formal, polite language in an interview
- Talk about your experience and your interests
- Say why you do something with 为了 (wèile)
- Say “not only … but also …” with 不但…而且…
Listen
In Shanghai, Zhou Ning has a job interview at a coffee company with the manager, Ms Jin. Listen to the whole dialogue first, then line by line.
Ms Jin
周先生，您好，欢迎来面试。请坐，请您先介绍一下自己。
Zhōu xiānsheng, nín hǎo, huānyíng lái miànshì. Qǐng zuò, qǐng nín xiān jièshào yíxià zìjǐ.
Hello, Mr Zhou, thank you for coming to the interview. Please sit down. Could you start by telling us a little about yourself?
Zhou Ning
金经理，您好。我叫周宁，今年二十八岁。我来应聘贵公司市场部的工作。
Jīn jīnglǐ, nín hǎo. Wǒ jiào Zhōu Níng, jīnnián èrshíbā suì. Wǒ lái yìngpìn guì gōngsī shìchǎngbù de gōngzuò.
Hello, Ms Jin. My name is Zhou Ning, I'm twenty-eight. I'm applying for the job in your marketing department.
Ms Jin
我看了您的简历。您现在在哪儿工作？
Wǒ kànle nín de jiǎnlì. Nín xiànzài zài nǎr gōngzuò?
I've read your CV. Where are you working at the moment?
Zhou Ning
我在一家旅行公司的市场部，已经工作了五年了。
Wǒ zài yì jiā lǚxíng gōngsī de shìchǎngbù, yǐjīng gōngzuòle wǔ nián le.
In the marketing department of a travel company. I've been working there for five years.
Ms Jin
您为什么想换工作？
Nín wèishénme xiǎng huàn gōngzuò?
Why do you want to change jobs?
Zhou Ning
我一直对咖啡很感兴趣，也很喜欢贵公司。为了学到更多东西，我想去一家更大的公司。
Wǒ yìzhí duì kāfēi hěn gǎn xìngqù, yě hěn xǐhuan guì gōngsī. Wèile xuédào gèng duō dōngxi, wǒ xiǎng qù yì jiā gèng dà de gōngsī.
I've always been interested in coffee, and I really like your company. I want to join a bigger company so that I can learn more.
Ms Jin
您有带团队的经验吗？
Nín yǒu dài tuánduì de jīngyàn ma?
Do you have experience of leading a team?
Zhou Ning
有。我在那家公司带过一个五个人的团队，带了两年。
Yǒu. Wǒ zài nà jiā gōngsī dàiguo yí ge wǔ ge rén de tuánduì, dàile liǎng nián.
Yes. At that company I led a team of five people for two years.
Ms Jin
您觉得自己有什么优点和缺点？
Nín juéde zìjǐ yǒu shénme yōudiǎn hé quēdiǎn?
What would you say are your strengths and weaknesses?
Zhou Ning
我的优点是很会跟人沟通，不但会说英语，而且会说一点儿日语。缺点是有时候太着急。
Wǒ de yōudiǎn shì hěn huì gēn rén gōutōng, búdàn huì shuō Yīngyǔ, érqiě huì shuō yìdiǎnr Rìyǔ. Quēdiǎn shì yǒushíhou tài zháojí.
My strength is that I'm good at communicating with people. I not only speak English, but also a little Japanese. My weakness is that I'm sometimes too impatient.
Ms Jin
您的经验和能力都很不错。您有什么问题想问我们吗？
Nín de jīngyàn hé nénglì dōu hěn búcuò. Nín yǒu shénme wèntí xiǎng wèn wǒmen ma?
Your experience and skills are both very good. Is there anything you'd like to ask us?
Zhou Ning
有。请问贵公司的待遇怎么样？
Yǒu. Qǐngwèn guì gōngsī de dàiyù zěnmeyàng?
Yes. Could you tell me about the pay and benefits at your company?
Understand
Formal Chinese in an interview
In an interview, both sides use (nín) and polite set phrases. People are addressed by surname + job title: (Jīn jīnglǐ), Manager Jin, or surname + (xiānsheng), Mr, or (nǚshì), Ms.
(guì) literally means “expensive, precious”. In (guì gōngsī), “your honourable company”, it shows respect for the other person's company. You only use it for their company, never your own. (jiā) is the measure word for companies and shops: (yì jiā lǚxíng gōngsī).
(qǐng nín … yíxià) makes a request polite and light: (qǐng nín jièshào yíxià zìjǐ), please tell us a little about yourself. (zìjǐ) means “yourself, oneself”.
| Everyday | Formal | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| (nǐ) | (nín) | you |
| (nǐmen gōngsī) | (guì gōngsī) | your company |
| (shuōshuo nǐ zìjǐ) | (qǐng nín jièshào yíxià zìjǐ) | tell me about yourself |
| (Qián duō ma?) | (Qǐngwèn dàiyù zěnmeyàng?) | what's the pay like? |
为了: in order to
(wèile) + a goal comes first, and what you do for it comes after: (wèile xuédào gèng duō dōngxi, wǒ xiǎng qù yì jiā gèng dà de gōngsī), in order to learn more, I want to go to a bigger company.
To put the goal at the end, say (… shì wèile …): (wǒ xué Zhōngwén shì wèile zhǎo gōngzuò), I'm learning Chinese in order to find a job. Don't mix it up with (yīnwèi), because, which gives a reason, not a goal.
- 为了早点儿到，他坐了出租车。Wèile zǎo diǎnr dào, tā zuòle chūzūchē.He took a taxi so that he'd get there earlier.
- 为了孩子，他们搬到了上海。Wèile háizi, tāmen bāndàole Shànghǎi.They moved to Shanghai for their children.
Experience and 不但…而且…
Talk about your experience with (yǒu … jīngyàn), have experience of, and your interests with (duì … gǎn xìngqù), be interested in. For something you have done at some time, use (guo): (wǒ dàiguo tuánduì), I have led a team. For something that is still going on, use (le) after the verb and again at the end: (yǐjīng gōngzuòle wǔ nián le), I've been working there for five years (and still am). (yǐjīng) means “already”.
(búdàn … érqiě …) means “not only … but also …”. With one subject, it goes after the subject: (wǒ búdàn huì shuō Yīngyǔ, érqiě huì shuō Rìyǔ).
- 我对市场工作很感兴趣。Wǒ duì shìchǎng gōngzuò hěn gǎn xìngqù.I'm very interested in marketing.
- 这个工作不但工资高，而且离家近。Zhège gōngzuò búdàn gōngzī gāo, érqiě lí jiā jìn.This job not only pays well, it's also close to home.
More in the grammar: Joining sentences: connectors · 过: have you ever…?
New words
- 面试miànshì(job) interview; to interview · (jièshào yíxià zìjǐ), to introduce yourself; (jièshào), to introduce
- 应聘yìngpìnto apply for a job
- 贵公司guì gōngsīyour company (formal, polite)
- 市场shìchǎngmarket; marketing · (shìchǎngbù), marketing department
- 简历jiǎnlìCV, résumé
- 感兴趣gǎn xìngqùto be interested · (duì … gǎn xìngqù), interested in something
- 为了wèilein order to, for (a goal)
- 团队tuánduìteam · (dài tuánduì), to lead a team
- 经验jīngyànexperience · (yǒu jīngyàn), experienced
- 优点yōudiǎnstrength, good point
- 缺点quēdiǎnweakness, shortcoming
- 不但…而且…búdàn … érqiě …not only … but also …
- 能力nénglìability, skills · (gōutōng nénglì), communication skills; (gōutōng), to communicate
- 待遇dàiyùpay and conditions (salary, benefits)
Practise
1.In an interview, you want to say “I really like your company”. Which is best?
2.Put the words in order, starting with (wǒ).
Tap the words below in the right order.I'm very interested in this job.
3.Match the Chinese with the English.
Pick a word on the left, then its meaning on the right.
4.How do you say “In order to find a good job, she studied English”?
5.A restaurant is (cāntīng). What does (zhè jiā cāntīng búdàn piányi, érqiě hǎochī) mean?
0 of 5 exercises done.
Say it out loud
我对这个工作很感兴趣。
Wǒ duì zhège gōngzuò hěn gǎn xìngqù.
I'm very interested in this job.
Listen, then say it out loud, as close to the recording as you can.
Check
Five questions on this chapter. Then mark it as finished to add its words to your review deck.
0 of 5 answered.