Every year in June, there are 2 days that are dead silent in Chinese cities when the most important exam in Chinese teenagers’ life is taking place - the college entrance exam.
In this Chillchat episode, Karen and Baiwei compared education and examination systems in Mainland China and the U.S..

Chillchat (Learn Chinese and Chill)

The Most Important Exam in China?! Education and Examination Systems

Let's talk about small talk - you all hate it - it's one of the biggest topics that my Italki students ask me for help on.

But don't worry - a few simple tips and techniques and you will soon see that there is nothing to worry about.

It needs practice, of course, but let's listen to a few simple principle and ideas to get you started!

#businessenglish #culture #smalltalk #corporate

How to create an awesome job application strategy: Advice on careers, CVs, cover letters, interview planning

Small Talk - we all HATE it: Some super simple tips on how to cope!

We all have had negative experiences at work - a bad boss, a boring role, horrible colleagues - and that's why we want to leave asap!!  But what do you say in an interview when asked this questions - listen to this brief podcast for some tips!

"Why are you leaving your current job?" - I hate this question! Help me!

Interviews are all about demonstrating how your skills and experiences MATCH the job description. To be effective at this you need to do the RIGHT preparation. Answers must be concise, personal, structured. In this podcast I highlight some key tips for answering typical questions. If you want more detailed coaching - get in touch with me directly!

#interviews #jobs #career

Interview Preparation - key tips from a Finance Director

Having a concise, relevant and customized CV / resume is crucial for a successful job application strategy. Take a look at my top tips on how to do one. And please get in touch if you need more help!

#jobapplication #resume #interview

Creating an awesome Resume / CV

Cover letters do not need to be painful or difficult to write. They are the first impression you will give a company - so keep it simple and authentic!

Writing a Cover Letter - Top Tips from a Finance Director!

So you have answered the SIX KEY QUESTIONS from episode 2. Well done. Now do this.

In this episode I talk about the importance of thinking about key situations and activities from your adult life and how most people simply don't consider them to be important or relevant to their job search.

In many aspects of life (school, university, charity work, work experience and sports clubs) we have found ourselves in situations where we have used key skills which are useful in the workplace.

I talk about categorizing these experiences into People, Project and Profit. And I suggest lots of questions to ask yourself to get you thinking about these situations and how important they are.



Episode 3: Too many people do NOT do this simple piece of planning before looking for new jobs

Writing your CV and cover letter is NOT the first stage of your job application process. Yet this is where most people start...and fail!

This podcast explains a very early, key stage of your planning...and the 6 important questions your must answer to get started!

It's all about me - 6 powerful questions you must ask before applying for a job

This is a short introduction podcast sumamrising what the full series of podcasts will cover:

If you ever googled "How to create a resume" or "How to write a covering letter" or "What are the top 10 most common interview questions" then you are not alone. We have all done it. And what do we learn from these searches? That there are no right answers, there are just thousands and thousands of different questions, resume formats and tips on covering letters. And you end up not knowing where to start!

Now add to this problem the fact that English might not be your first language and the role you are applying for requires you to communicate in English every day, then it is no surprise that this entire process is daunting.

I will help you change the way you think about the application process - to simplify it and to personalise it; to understand that it is a matching process where you are looking for a job that matches your ambitions and skills, and where the company in looking for people that match their role requirements.

I'll teach you a few simple techniques that will prepare you to answer almost any question in a clear and effective way. We will take you through the application process starting with the most important aspect: you, your skills, your goals; and then we will move on to how to create a brilliant resume and covering letter and how to prepare for and deliver an authentic and confident interview.

I will also give you the key phrases and grammar you need to be successful in each of those steps.