B1-35 / CEFR B1 / EPISODE 35

Job Reference Call

Giving a concise, specific reference

SceneA hiring manager is calling Frank for a reference. The candidate is an engineer he trained himself. Frank has notes ready.

Frank making notes during an office phone call.
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STORY English with optional Japanese translations

Narrator

A hiring manager is calling Frank for a reference. The candidate is an engineer he trained himself. Frank has notes ready.

採用担当者が、照会のためフランクに電話している。候補者は、彼自身が指導したエンジニアだ。フランクはメモを用意してある。

Hiring01

Could you describe the candidate you supervised last year?

去年ご担当だった候補者について、教えていただけますか?

Frank02

Ana. I trained her myself. I also prepared examples — how much time do you have?

アナですね。私が直接指導しました。実例も用意してあります——お時間はどれくらい?

Hiring03

Two minutes.

2分で。

Frank04

Then one example. During a client demo, the building lost power. She finished on a whiteboard, by the light of her phone. The client signed.

では実例を一つ。顧客デモの最中に、ビルが停電しました。彼女はホワイトボードとスマホのライトでやり切りました。顧客は契約しました。

Hiring05

Impressive. Would you hire her again today?

すごい。今でも、もう一度採用したいと思いますか?

Frank06

If I had an opening, she'd be my first choice. I checked for an opening this morning. There isn't one.

空きがあれば、彼女が第一候補です。今朝も空きを確認しました。ありませんでした。

Hiring07

Good for us. Any weaknesses we should know about?

それはうちには朗報だ。知っておくべき弱点は?

Frank08

She used to take on extra work whenever colleagues asked, even when she was busy.

以前は、忙しくても同僚に頼まれると追加の仕事を引き受けていました。

Hiring09

How did you handle that?

どう対処されました?

Frank10

I taught her to check her schedule before saying yes.

引き受けると返事をする前に、予定を確認するよう教えました。

Frank11

Now she checks her deadlines and tells people when she can actually help.

今では締め切りを確認して、実際にいつなら手伝えるかを伝えています。

Hiring12

That's helpful. Could we arrange another call about a different candidate you worked with?

参考になります。一緒に働いたことのある別の候補者についても、改めてお電話で相談できますか?

Frank13

Of course. ...Actually, let me check my schedule first.

もちろんです。……いえ、先に予定を確認させてください。

WORDS & CONTEXT

Words & context

“If I had an opening”

In hiring, an opening is a vacant position. If I had an opening is hypothetical: Frank immediately explains that he checked that morning and no vacancy existed.

“take on extra work”

Take on something means to accept work or responsibility. Here Frank accepted extra work whenever asked, even when his own schedule was full.