Dear Readers,

This week I’d like to present a top 10 list of free business English podcasts. I am aware that in the modern business world, most language learning happens on-the-go and . This is the main reason we fit our texts in Business English Magazine with mini-dictionaries, MP3s and QR codes to assist you on your way.

Now, let’s get to the point. There are many great resources out there that can help you improve your business English as you walk, drive or jog. Check out my list of  top 10 podcasts:

1. BBC Business Daily [iTunes link]- perhaps one of the most interesting business resources on the web, updated daily. Examining the big issues facing the global economy, Business Daily demystifies the world of money. From giant industries like aviation and automotive to the smallest scale start-up, Business Daily asks the big questions about free trade, technology and investment. There is also analysis of management and marketing trends, and what business jargon really means – together with reports on business news from around the world via the BBC’s global network of reporters.

2. The Economist Audio / Video – very good online streaming audio and video resource. Also available to go on your mobile and as an iTunes podcast

3. Harvard Business Idea Cast [iTunes link] – weekly audio podcast, usually features great ideas and commentaries from some of the top players in business and management. The HBR IdeaCast, from the publishers of Harvard Business Review, Harvard Business Press, and hbr.org, features breakthrough ideas and commentary from the leading thinkers in business and management.

4. Manager Tools [iTunes link] – a weekly podcast focused on helping you become more effective as a manager. Each week they talk about new tools and easy techniques you can use to achieve your career objectives.

5. A Virtual Perception – a virtual assistant podcast that provides business resources to virtual and home-based entrepreneurs. Darlene Victoria, the show’s host and producer, provides insightful, friendly and inspiring advice and business resources to the show’s listeners. Done in a talk format, the highlight of A Virtual Perception is the interviews with business professionals who are in all stages of their business development and come from many different business backgrounds and industries.

6. NPR Planet Money – great podcast, many different guests with diverse backgrounds. Often featuring everyday people as well as brainy economists and high rollers. Often touching upon the history of business.

7. Money Girl – entertaining podcast featuring useful tips on money, credits and loans, insurance, investing etc. Money Girl provides short and friendly personal finance, real estate, and investing tips to help you live a richer life. Whether you’re just starting out or are already a savvy investor, Money Girl’s advice will point you in the right direction. 

8. The Disciplined Investor [iTunes link]- Host, Andrew Horowitz brings you specific market advice for profitable investing. Along with industry experts, this is one podcast to subscribe to that will get you on the road to becoming a disciplined investor.

9. The Engaging Brand Blog Podcast [iTunes link]- great business interviews on marketing, social media and leadership.

10. Down to Business English Podcast [iTunes link]- A podcast for people who use English as a Second Language (ESL) in their work environment and want to improve their overall language skills. In each episode, hosts Dez Morgan and Skip Montreux discuss business news making headlines around the world. Through their discussions, Skip & Dez introduce English vocabulary & phrases related to business, review English grammar, and identify cultural differences found in International business situations. An excellent way to improve your English listening skills, keep up with business trends, and advance your career.

BZ

VOCABULARY:

1. aware – having knowledge of a situation – świadomy

2. demystify – make easier to understand – odkrywać dajemnice

3. breakthrough – sudden, dramatic, important – przełomowy

4. insightful – having deep understanding – wnikliwy

5. savvy – shrewd, clever – zmyślny

Do you have a favourite business English podcast? Feel free to share your links and ideas below:

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Dear Readers,

In my professional career I’ve met many people whose lives were completely focused on their work. Don’t get me wrong – I do believe that everyone should approach their job with utmost dedication, but not in a destructive way. It is hard to come up with a viable explanation why we let our lives get out of control. You would not believe how many work-life balance consulting firms exist in the world, making money on desperate executives who suddenly wake up in their 40s, discovering that they have no friends or interests left and the only thing they have improved in themselves is their job title.

image source: blog.emergenceconsulting.net/

I believe that we are all inherently programmed by our culture and education to think of work as the fundamental priority in our lives. Consequently, we naturally steer our careers towards jobs with the most financial gain in sight, treating our social and family lives as a way to ‚recharge the batteries’ for another hard day at the office.

I may be exaggerating, but I do believe that there are many people out there who need help restoring their lives to a balanced state. The question is: are YOU one of them? Or better yet: am I one of them?

It was only recently that I came across Nigel Marsh, a guy who seemed to have all the answers:

Nigel Marsh is the bestselling author of „Fat, Forty and Fired” and „Overworked and Underlaid” as well as the Regional Group CEO of Young and Rubicam Brands for Australia & New Zealand. He clearly states that finding the balance between work and life is an ongoing battle.

Let’s to go through the main points of his presentation at TED:

1. If societies want to address the work-life balance issue, we need an honest debate.

Let’s get real. While many people fall victim to the corporate propaganda of flexi-time, dress-down Fridays or paternity leaves, we seem to be missing the core issue: certain job and career choices are fundamentally incompatible with having a young family. And there is no way that going to work on Friday in jeans and T-shirt can change that.

2. Governments and corporations are not going to solve this issue for us.

Stop looking outside. Nowadays, having a job which you don’t hate seems to be a rare privilege. It is up to us to take control and responsibility for the type of life you want to lead. As Marsh puts it: If you do not design your life, someone else will design it for you – and you may not like their idea of „balance”. You must never put the quality of your life in the hands of a commercial corporation.

3. Be realistic when setting the time frame upon which you’ll judge your work-life balance.

Take your time. Elongate the time frame in which you want to achieve the desired balance. Do not try to do everything at once! Many corporate warriors subscribe to the „I’ll have a life whenI retire” philosophy, at the same time completely forgetting that their families will not be waiting forever for the dad/mum to come back home from the office.

4. Small things matter.

Do not start with a revolution. Being balanced doesn’t necessarily mean a dramatic upheaval in your life. Small differences matter most and you should learn how to find pleasure in them. While we seem to be living in a society celebrating the idea that the person with the most money when he dies wins, it is sometimes enough to finish your work one hour earlier and take your kids for a pizza.

Ok, so how do you get started?

It’s actually quite simple. Remember that there’s so much more to life than your regular nine-to-five. I’m not saying that you should immediately cut your working hours, run to the church, call your parents on the and start reading up on philosophy. It is enough to make small changes to dramatically improve your work-life balance and consequently – your life quality:

– Draw a graph, identify all those areas of your life which you’ve been neglecting.

– Set boundaries and time frames, use your weekly calendar more effectively to allow some time for the small things.

– Plan your ideal day and include all those aspects of your life you’ve missed so far.

– Multitask and use modern technologies to assist you with your daily routine. There are hundreds of Podcasts that can keep you up-to-date with news, politics, religion and philosophy.

– Smile a lot and enjoy yourself.

BZ

VOCABULARY

1. to approach – to come near or nearer to – podchodzić do

2. utmost – of the greatest or highest degree, quantity- nadzwyczajny

3. dedication – being committed to a task or purpose – oddanie

4. to come up with – to produce something – wymyślić

5. executive – a person having administrative orsupervisory authority in an organisation – kierownik, dyrektor

6. job title – an official position in an organizational hierarchy  – stanowisko pracy

7. inherently – by nature, existing in something as an unseparable element – nieodłącznie, nierozłącznie

8. to fall victim to – to be the aim of the attack – paść ofiarą

9. flexi-time – no fixed working hours – elastyczny czas pracy

10. dress-down Friday – casual Friday

11. paternity leaves – maternity leave for fathers – urlop tacierzyński

12. privilege – a right, immunity or benefit – przywilej

13. to elongate – to make longer – wydłuż, rozciągnij w czasie

14.consequently – as a result – w rezultacie

15. to neglect – fo forget about, not to pay attention to – zaniedbywać

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Dear Readers,

I don’t know about you, but whenever I start a new project I just have to have a good game plan. Now, what if the problem is so complex that even the most logically structured to-do lists and step-by-step plans don’t seem to be able to get the job done?

Draw a mind map.

‚A mind map is a diagram used to represent words, ideas, tasks, or other items linked to and arranged around a central key word or idea. Mind maps are used to generate, visualise, structure, and classify ideas, and as an aid to studying and organising information, solving problems, making decisions, and writing.’ (source: Wikipedia)

image source: www.buzan.com.au

While many people do have a good idea what mind maps are and how to use them, most of us find it hard to benefit from them in our everyday lives. Most traditional ways of task management and planning require some sort of visual aid to keep those great ideas flowing and I am sure that in your professional lives you’ve drawn your share of mind maps.

As described here (litemind.com), creating a mind map is as simple as 1-2-3:

• Start in the middle of a blank page, writing or drawing the idea you intend to develop. I would suggest that you use the page in landscape orientation.
• Develop the related subtopics around this central topic, connecting each of them to the centre with a line.
• Repeat the same process for the subtopics, generating lower-level subtopics as you see fit, connecting each of those to the corresponding subtopic.

When the drawing starts taking its shape, apply colours, drawings and symbols. Be as visual as you can, and your brain will thank you. Remember to keep the topics labels as short as possible, preferably a single word or a picture. Try to vary text size, colour and alignment and provide as many visual symbols as you can to emphasise the most important points.

Having an overview mind map helps you to learn faster and easier, as it provides the brain with a framework and structure. According to this source, many scientists believe that the left hemisphere of the brain and right hemisphere of the brain are largely responsible for different functions. The left side governs the logical, structured, ordered thinking and the right side governs the artistic, creative, imaginative side. Just add a dash of technology and you’ll get a really powerful tool that fully utilises your brainpower. Let’s have a look at some useful pieces of software:

1. MindMeister (my personal favourite): free, online, collaborative. Available on iPhone and Androind mobiles.

2. FreeMind : amazing project, completely free, growing number of fucntionalities.

3. Inspiration : popular desktop tool, especially with students.

4. Bubbl.us : another amazing online mind mapping software.

5. MindJet : commercial desktop tool.

Creating a map that is both structured and graphical seems like the ideal tool to get any complex project done. It is also a great idea to use them to learn new vocabulary, plan your shopping, brainstorming for ideas, outlining reports and note taking.

As my final piece of advice today, I’d like to leave you with a beautiful MindMeister map in mind:

1. to-do list – lista rzeczy do zrobienia
2. mind map – mapa myśli
3. task – zadanie
4. aid – pomagać
5. visual aid – pomoc wizualna
6. blank page – czysta strona
7. landscape orientation – poziomy układ strony
8. corresponding – odpowiadający
9. take shape – nabierać kształtu
10. label – etykieta
11. preferably – najlepiej
12. overview – poglądowy
13. hemisphere – półkula
14. a dash of technology – szczypta technologii

BZ

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Dear Readers,

Are you ready for that all-important job interview? I’m sure that if you’re reading this you must be thinking about applying for a job abroad or in an international corporation. Most interviews are designed not only to check if you’re fit for the job, but also examine your command of spoken English. BEM Blog’s list of top 10 killer interview questions will help you prepare to get the job you’ve dreamed about.

image source: mensite.pl

1. First, tell me about yourself.

It may seem like an easy open-ended question anyone can answer correctly without much effort.

Actually, you can’t be more wrong. ‚Tell me about yourself’ does not mean ‚tell me everything’. What the hiring panel really wants to hear is a brief account of who you are and why you are the best candidate for this particular job.

Talk about what you’ve done to prepare yourself for the position and use a recent example to back it up. Ideally, you should go on for about 2-3 minutes and then ask if they would like to hear some more details. If they do, keep using examples to prove how your background and experience were useful in real-life business situations.

2. What is your long-term objective?

Be honest. Focus on your most achievable goal and how are you going to reach it. It is vital to have a clear vision of how your career should look like in the next 5 years or so and how to make this vision come true, for example:

Within the next five years, I would like to become the best team leader your company has ever hired. I want to work toward becoming the expert in managing others. I am confident that I’ll be fully prepared to take on any future responsibilities which might be presented  to me in the long run. For example, here is what I’m presently doing to prepare myself for a managing position… (and  go on to describe what you are already doing to reach your goals and objectives).

3. What is the most difficult situation you have had to face and how did you tackle it?

Have an example at hand. Select a difficult work situation (which was not caused by you and which can be quickly explained in a few sentences). When choosing the problem, focus on how YOU worked towards the solution. Focus on the skills required on the position you are applying for that helped you face the situation. Describe the results and tell them how the company benefitted from your actions.

Have in mind that the purpose of this question is to find out what your definition of ‚difficult’ is and to determine whether you can show a logical approach to problem solving. Explain how you defined the problem, what the other options were, why you selected the one you did and what the outcome was. Always end on a positive note.

4. What are your strengths?

Prepare a list of your proficiencies and choose three or four that are the most relevant to the job you are applying for. Concentrate on discussing your main strengths. Avoid popular clichés, such as:

1. I am a good team player…
2. I am a good negotiator…
3. I work very hard…

Focus on your more dynamic skills, such as:

1. I learn quickly.
2. I have a strong determination to succeed.
3. I have a positive attitude.
4. I can relate to people and achieve a common goal.
5. I make friends easily.

Remember that you may very likely be asked to give examples of the above, so be prepared.

5. What is your greatest weakness?

Do not say you have none – this will not sound very credible and might, in fact, make your interviewer  believe you are being over-confident. Another rookie mistake is trying to disguise one of your strengths as a weakness, for example:

Well, I’m such a hard worker. Sometimes I really work too hard. I should probably spend more time with my family, because all I do is work… Did I mention I work hard? hmmm… That’s because all I do is work, work, work…

You have two alternatives:

1. Use a professed weakness such as a lack of experience (not ability) on your part in an area that is not vital for the job.
2. Describe a personal or professional weakness that you’ve been working on improving. Focus on the steps you have taken to combat it, for example:
   I know the people from my team think I’m too demanding. I sometimes tend to drive them pretty hard but I’ve started reading on the subject some time ago and I’m getting much better at managing them by setting objectives.

6. Why do you want to leave your current employer?

Whatever your reasons for leaving were, do not think about them in negative terms. It is not appropriate to mention financial conditions as your primary reason for leaving. Focus on the working environment and state how you are looking for a new challenge, more responsibility, experience and a change of surroundings.

7. Why have you applied for this particular job?

By asking this question, your future employer is looking for evidence that the job suits you and involves doing things you enjoy. On the other hand, it gives him or her a chance to test your knowledge about the industry as well as the whole organisation. Make sure you have a good understanding of the role and the place you’re going to take in the company. Prove to them that your job goes in line with your character and passion.

8. How has your education prepared you for your career?

This is a broad question and you need to focus on the specific examples in your educational background which have given you the proficiency to do this particular job. If applying for a job in a technical field, be sure to mention any relevant achievements in that particular field and your passion for the subject.

9.What experience do you have in this field?

Never say ‚none’. If you’re applying for a job in a field totally unknown to you, think of any experience you’ve gained in learning new skills. Try to look for similarities between your previous jobs and the prospect one and come up with some examples of how you adjusted to the new situation, for example:

I’ve never worked in cosmetics before, but in my previous job I’ve learned a lot about sales and marketing and I’m confident I’ll be quick to learn the ropes of your industry very quickly.

10. What kind of salary do you need?

A question that can catch anyone off guard. Unless you have done some research and know precisely what your expectations are,try to avoid being the first to put the figure on the table. The best way to do this is by stating that your salary expectancy depends on the amount of responsibilities you’d have to take on. Do not have a specific amount in mind and do not be afraid to ask for more than the average industry wage. It is much better to provide your interviewer with a wide range rather than a specific sum, for example:

I’ve asked around and I know that a marketing manager doing a similar job in Berlin earns about EUR 3700 a month. Given that my job would also require organising three training seminars a month, I’d expect my salary to range between EUR 4000 and EUR 4500.

BZ

What are your experiences with tough job interviews? What was the hardest question you’ve been asked? Feel free to comment below.

VOCABULARY:

1. open-ended question – otwarte pytanie
2. panel – grupa, komitet
3. brief – krótki
4. achievable – osiągalny
5. approach – podejście
6. on a positive note – w pozytywny sposób
7. proficiency – zdolność
8. cliché – banał
9. credible – wiarygodny
10. rookie mistake – błąd początkującego
11. to read on the subject – czytać na jakiś temat
12. to to learn the ropes – poznać się na rzeczy
13. to catch sb off guard – zaskoczyć kogoś

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Dear readers,

On May 17, the whole gaming world was buzzing about the latest release by CD Projekt – The Witcher 2: Assassins of Kings. The game received extensive coverage and has also seen one of the game’s main female characters on the cover of Polish Playboy Magazine. With such media hype around the new Witcher, CD Projekt made sure you’d have to live in a cave not to know the game was coming out.

image source: wikipedia

According to this infographic, it took an enormous amount of work to create the one of the most anticipated games in the history of Polish digital entertainment. Over 3 years of development work, 100 employees, 130 000 words in the script, and 24 kg of coffee may seem like impressive figures, but was it enough to shake the worldwide market?

At this point, it is hard to say. According to DI BRE analysts, the game is estimated to bring CD Projekt an operating profit of PLN 150m. Rumour has it that the sales figure for the first three years of the game’s worldwide distribution may even be as high as PLN 195m – a hefty sum for a Polish-made computer game. Some sources are even more optimistic and set the sales forecast at no less than PLN 200m.

With little competition on the domestic market, the title may not be very well prepared to face the harsh international conditions. Although many game reviewers agree that The Withcher 2 is an exceptional game, it has been proven many times that having a good product is simply not enough. CD Projekt’s board may have underestimated the power of the gaming console market, and with the ‚coming soon’ badge on its Xbox 360 version of The Witcher, the company may be missing out on a golden opportunity as the time is slowly running out. It is not like computer games have expiry dates on them, but marketing and PR budgets will not last forever, and sooner or later, some other computer game character will find itself on the Playboy cover.

Another stingy issue is the game’s demanding system requirements. Many gamers will have to upgrade their PCs in order to enjoy the true beauty of the game rather than a 10 frame /sec.  slideshow. It is as if the game that was purpose-made for the graphic processors of gaming consoles has somehow found its way to the exclusive next-generation PC market. Although powerful personal computers are quite popular in Poland, their numbers worldwide are slowly diminishing in favour of console systems.Was releasing The Witcher 2 as a game aimed mainly at PC users an appalling marketing mistake?

Not necessarily. So far, the title is selling like hotcakes. In an interview for Parkiet (a Polish weekly) quoted here, Optimus CEO Adam Kicinski, expects The Witcher 2 to continue to produce high revenue in 2012. He points out that if marketed properly, role-playing games can sell well for many years. „We have already come up with a programme aiming to keep the interest in The Witcher 2 alive,” he declares, adding that from the very start the game was designed as a saga that would have many sequels.

Polish video game market is expected to grow in value from USD 333m  to USD 383m over the next two and half years and everybody seems to want a piece of action. Aside from CD Projekt, Optimus’s other businesses, such as digital distribution of video games are finally beginning to bring in the long-awaited profits. International success of The Witcher 2: Assassins of Kings is only going to help the domestic computer game market gain the necessary momentum to expand internationally and compete with such giants as Electronic Arts or Activision Blizzard. The first step has already been made.

BZ

VOCABULARY:

1. buzz about – brzęczeć o czymś
2. media hype – zawierucha medialna
3. anticipated – oczekiwany
4. rumour has it – mówi się, że
5. hefty – duży
6. sales forecast – prognoza sprzedaży
7. domestic – krajowy
8. expiry date – data ważności / przydatności do spożycia
9. sell like hotcakes – sprzedawać się jak ciepłe bułeczki
10. a piece of action – udział

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