Korean · Intermediate (B1) · Chapter 8 of 12
Work and careers
취업 면접Chwieop myeonjeop
Get through a job interview in Korean: formal 합니다체, humble 저희 and 말씀드리다, purpose (-(으)려고, -기 위해서), -게 되다 and -(으)ㄴ 적이 있다.
In this chapter you'll learn to
- Answer interview questions in formal 합니다체 with humble words
- Say why you do something with -(으)려고 and -기 위해서
- Say how things turned out with -게 되다
- Talk about experience with -(으)ㄴ 적이 있다 / 없다
Listen
In Seoul, Jeon Yejin is interviewed for a marketing job. Mr Hong asks the questions. Listen to the whole dialogue first, then line by line.
Mr Hong
안녕하십니까. 먼저 간단하게 자기소개를 해 주시겠습니까?
Annyeonghasimnikka. Meonjeo gandanhage jagisogaereul hae jusigetseumnikka?
Good afternoon. First, could you briefly introduce yourself?
Yejin
네, 안녕하십니까. 저는 전예진입니다. 대학교에서 경영학을 전공했고, 지금은 화장품 회사에서 마케팅 업무를 담당하고 있습니다.
Ne, annyeonghasimnikka. Jeoneun Jeon Yejinimnida. Daehakgyoeseo gyeongyeonghageul jeongonghaetgo, jigeumeun hwajangpum hoesaeseo maketing eommureul damdanghago itseumnida.
Yes, good afternoon. My name is Jeon Yejin. I studied business at university, and I'm currently responsible for marketing at a cosmetics company.
Mr Hong
경력은 어떻게 되십니까?
Gyeongnyeogeun eotteoke doesimnikka?
How much work experience do you have?
Yejin
삼 년입니다. 처음에는 영업팀에서 일했는데, 이 년 전부터 마케팅팀에서 일하게 됐습니다.
Sam nyeonimnida. Cheoeumeneun yeongeoptimeseo ilhaenneunde, i nyeon jeonbuteo maketingtimeseo ilhage dwaetseumnida.
Three years. At first I worked in the sales team, and two years ago I moved to the marketing team.
Mr Hong
저희 회사에는 왜 지원하셨습니까?
Jeohui hoesaeneun wae jiwonhasyeotseumnikka?
Why did you apply to our company?
Yejin
해외 마케팅을 해 보고 싶어서 지원했습니다. 더 큰 시장에서 일하기 위해서 영어와 중국어도 공부하고 있습니다.
Haeoe maketingeul hae bogo sipeoseo jiwonhaetseumnida. Deo keun sijangeseo ilhagi wihaeseo yeongeowa junggugeodo gongbuhago itseumnida.
I applied because I'd like to do international marketing. I'm also studying English and Chinese, so that I can work in bigger markets.
Mr Hong
해외에서 일한 적이 있습니까?
Haeoeeseo ilhan jeogi itseumnikka?
Have you ever worked abroad?
Yejin
아니요, 없습니다. 하지만 한 가지 말씀드리고 싶은 경험이 있습니다. 작년에 베트남 출장 때 큰 행사를 담당한 적이 있습니다.
Aniyo, eopseumnida. Hajiman han gaji malsseumdeurigo sipeun gyeongheomi itseumnida. Jangnyeone Beteunam chuljang ttae keun haengsareul damdanghan jeogi itseumnida.
No, I haven't. But there's one experience I'd like to tell you about. Last year, on a business trip to Vietnam, I was in charge of a big event.
Mr Hong
좋습니다. 본인의 장점과 단점을 말씀해 주십시오.
Joseumnida. Boninui jangjeomgwa danjeomeul malsseumhae jusipsio.
Good. Please tell us about your strengths and weaknesses.
Yejin
제 장점은 책임감이 강하고 새로운 환경에 빨리 적응하는 것입니다. 단점은 성격이 좀 급한 것입니다. 그래서 중요한 일은 한 번 더 확인하려고 노력합니다.
Je jangjeomeun chaegimgami ganghago saeroun hwangyeonge ppalli jeogeunghaneun geosimnida. Danjeomeun seonggyeogi jom geupan geosimnida. Geuraeseo jungyohan ireun han beon deo hwaginharyeogo noryeokhamnida.
My strengths are a strong sense of responsibility and adapting quickly to new environments. My weakness is that I'm a bit impatient. So with important work, I try to check things twice.
Mr Hong
마지막으로 앞으로의 목표를 말씀해 주십시오.
Majimageuro apeuroui mokpyoreul malsseumhae jusipsio.
Finally, please tell us about your goals for the future.
Yejin
기회를 주신다면 오 년 안에 해외 마케팅 전문가가 되고 싶습니다. 열심히 하겠습니다.
Gihoereul jusindamyeon o nyeon ane haeoe maketing jeonmungaga doego sipseumnida. Yeolsimhi hagetseumnida.
If you give me the opportunity, I'd like to become an expert in international marketing within five years. I'll work hard.
Understand
The interview register
A job interview, (myeonjeop), is one of the most formal situations in Korean life. It usually starts with a short (jagisogae), introducing yourself: (gandanhage), briefly. Both sides speak (hamnidache) from start to finish: statements in -ㅂ니다 / -습니다, questions in -ㅂ니까 / -습니까, requests in -(으)십시오 (, malsseumhae jusipsio, please tell us), and promises in -겠습니다 (, yeolsimhi hagetseumnida, I'll work hard).
Both sides also show respect. The interviewer uses the honorific -(으)시- for the candidate (, jiwonhasyeotseumnikka?, did you apply?). The candidate lowers herself with humble words: (jeo) for I, (jeohui) for we and our, and (malsseumdeurida), to tell you. (malsseumhada) is the honorific for what the other person says. The interviewer, too, says (jeohui hoesa), our company, to be modest in front of the candidate, and calls the candidate (bonin), yourself.
| Everyday | Interview | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| (uri hoesa) | (jeohui hoesa) | our company (humble) |
| (malhalgeyo) | (malsseumdeurigetseumnida) | I'll tell you |
| (malhae juseyo) | (malsseumhae jusipsio) | please tell us |
| (yeolsimhi halgeyo) | (yeolsimhi hagetseumnida) | I'll work hard |
| (Gyeongnyeogi eolmana dwaeyo?) | (Gyeongnyeogeun eotteoke doesimnikka?) | how much experience do you have? |
In order to: -(으)려고 and -기 위해서
-(으)려고 gives the purpose of an action: -려고 after a vowel or ㄹ, -으려고 after other consonants. (baeuryeogo jiwonhaesseoyo), I applied (in order) to learn. With (noryeokhada), to make an effort, or (hada) it means “try to”: (hwaginharyeogo noryeokhamnida), I try to check. It can't come before an order or a suggestion.
-기 위해서 (or -기 위해) means the same but sounds more formal and deliberate, so it's common in interviews, speeches and writing: (ilhagi wihaeseo gongbuhago itseumnida), I'm studying in order to work. After a noun, use 을 / 를 위해서: (gajogeul wihaeseo), for my family.
- 한국 회사에서 일하려고 한국어를 배워요.Hanguk hoesaeseo ilharyeogo hangugeoreul baewoyo.I'm learning Korean to work at a Korean company.
- 가족을 위해서 열심히 일해요.Gajogeul wihaeseo yeolsimhi ilhaeyo.I work hard for my family.
- 한국어를 배우기 위해서 한국에 왔습니다.Hangugeoreul baeugi wihaeseo hanguge watseumnida.I came to Korea in order to learn Korean.
How things turned out: -게 되다; have you ever…: -(으)ㄴ 적이 있다
-게 되다 after a verb says that a situation came about, often through circumstances rather than your own plan: (maketingtimeseo ilhage dwaetseumnida), I came to work in the marketing team; (hanguge salge dwaesseoyo), I ended up living in Korea. It sounds modest, which is why it's popular in interviews.
-(으)ㄴ 적이 있다 (the past modifier + , time, + ) means “have (ever) done”: (haeoeeseo ilhan jeogi itseumnikka?), have you ever worked abroad? The answer is (isseoyo) or (eopseoyo). For trying new things, -아 / -어 본 적이 있다 is very common: (gimchireul mandeureo bon jeogi isseoyo?), have you ever made kimchi?
| Korean | Meaning |
|---|---|
| (Seoullo isahage dwaesseoyo.) | I ended up moving to Seoul. |
| (Gachi ilhage dwaeseo gippeoyo.) | I'm glad we'll be working together. |
| (Haeoeeseo san jeogi isseoyo.) | I've lived abroad. |
| (Jejudoe ga bon jeogi eopseoyo.) | I've never been to Jeju. |
More in the grammar: Honorifics: -(으)시-, 께서, 드리다 · -게 되다 and -아/어지다: how things turn out · Describing nouns: -는, -(으)ㄴ, -(으)ㄹ, -던
New words
- 업무eommuwork, duties, tasks (at a job) · (eommu sigan), working hours; (maketing eommu), marketing work
- 담당하다damdanghadato be in charge of, to be responsible for · (hwajangpum hoesaeseo maketingeul damdanghaeyo), I'm in charge of marketing at a cosmetics (, hwajangpum) company; (damdangja), the person in charge
- 경력gyeongnyeokwork experience, career · Yejin's major () was (gyeongyeonghak), business studies; she started in the (yeongeoptim), sales team.
- 지원하다jiwonhadato apply (for a job, a school) · (hoesae jiwonhada), to apply to a company; (chwieop), getting a job; (myeonjeop), interview
- 해외haeoeabroad, overseas · (haeoeeseo ilhada), to work abroad; (haeoe maketing), international marketing
- 말씀드리다malsseumdeuridato tell (you), to say (humble) · The honorific for someone else speaking is (malsseumhada).
- 출장chuljangbusiness trip · (Beteunam chuljang ttae haengsareul damdanghaesseoyo), on a business trip to Vietnam I was in charge of an event (, haengsa)
- 장점jangjeomstrength, strong point, advantage
- 단점danjeomweakness, weak point, drawback
- 책임감chaegimgamsense of responsibility · (chaegimgami ganghaeyo), I'm very responsible
- 적응하다jeogeunghadato adapt, to get used to · (saeroun hwangyeonge jeogeunghada), to adapt to a new (, saeropda) environment (, hwangyeong); (saenghwal), daily life
- 성격seonggyeokpersonality, character · (seonggyeogi geupaeyo), I'm impatient
- 목표mokpyogoal, aim · (majimageuro), finally; (apeuroui mokpyo), your goal for the future (, from now on); (jeonmunga), expert
- 기회gihoeopportunity, chance · (gihoereul jusyeoseo gamsahamnida), thank you for the opportunity
Practise
1.How do you say “I have worked abroad” in an interview?
2.How do you say “I'm learning Chinese in order to work in China”?
3.Yejin talks about her career. Put the words in order.
Tap the words below in the right order.Two years ago I came to work in the marketing team.
4.Match the Korean with the English.
Pick a word on the left, then its meaning on the right.
5.In the interview, you want to say “Let me tell you about my experience.” Which verb do you use?
6.What does (hangugeseo ilhage dwaesseoyo) mean?
0 of 6 exercises done.
Say it out loud
기회를 주셔서 감사합니다.
Gihoereul jusyeoseo gamsahamnida.
Thank you for the opportunity.
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.