A Job Interview

经理

你好，请坐。你就是来应聘的阿明先生吧？

Nǐ (third tone, dipping) hǎo, (third tone, dipping) qǐng (third tone, dipping) zuò. (fourth tone, falling) Nǐ (third tone, dipping) jiù (fourth tone, falling) shì (fourth tone, falling) lái (second tone, rising) yìngpìn (fourth tone, falling) de (neutral tone) Ā (neutral tone) Míng (second tone, rising) xiānsheng (first tone, high and level) ba? (neutral tone)

Hello, do sit down. You must be Mr Amine, here about the position?

阿明

是的，您好，谢谢您给我这个机会。

Shì (fourth tone, falling) de, (neutral tone) nín (second tone, rising) hǎo, (third tone, dipping) xièxie (fourth tone, falling) nín (second tone, rising) gěi (third tone, dipping) wǒ (third tone, dipping) zhège (fourth tone, falling) jīhuì. (first tone, high and level)

That is right. Hello, and thank you for the opportunity.

经理

不客气。我看了你的材料，你是学中文的？

Bú (second tone, rising) kèqi. (fourth tone, falling) Wǒ (third tone, dipping) kàn (fourth tone, falling) le (neutral tone) nǐ (third tone, dipping) de (neutral tone) cáiliào, (second tone, rising) nǐ (third tone, dipping) shì (fourth tone, falling) xué (second tone, rising) Zhōngwén (first tone, high and level) de? (neutral tone)

Not at all. I have read your file — you studied Chinese?

阿明

对，我在北京学了四年汉语，上个月刚毕业。

Duì, (fourth tone, falling) wǒ (third tone, dipping) zài (fourth tone, falling) Běijīng (third tone, dipping) xué (second tone, rising) le (neutral tone) sì (fourth tone, falling) nián (second tone, rising) Hànyǔ, (fourth tone, falling) shàng (fourth tone, falling) ge (neutral tone) yuè (fourth tone, falling) gāng (first tone, high and level) bìyè. (fourth tone, falling)

Yes. Four years of Chinese in Beijing — I graduated last month.

经理

你的汉语说得很流利。除了汉语和阿拉伯语，你还会别的语言吗？

Nǐ (third tone, dipping) de (neutral tone) Hànyǔ (fourth tone, falling) shuō (first tone, high and level) de (neutral tone) hěn (third tone, dipping) liúlì. (second tone, rising) Chúle (second tone, rising) Hànyǔ (fourth tone, falling) hé (second tone, rising) Ālābóyǔ, (first tone, high and level) nǐ (third tone, dipping) hái (second tone, rising) huì (fourth tone, falling) bié (second tone, rising) de (neutral tone) yǔyán (third tone, dipping) ma? (neutral tone)

Your Chinese is fluent. Besides Chinese and Arabic, do you speak any other languages?

阿明

我还会法语和一点儿英语。

Wǒ (third tone, dipping) hái (second tone, rising) huì (fourth tone, falling) Fǎyǔ (third tone, dipping) hé (second tone, rising) yìdiǎnr (fourth tone, falling) Yīngyǔ. (first tone, high and level)

I also speak French, and a little English.

经理

我们公司常常跟国外的顾客交流，所以语言很重要。

Wǒmen (third tone, dipping) gōngsī (first tone, high and level) chángcháng (second tone, rising) gēn (first tone, high and level) guówài (second tone, rising) de (neutral tone) gùkè (fourth tone, falling) jiāoliú, (first tone, high and level) suǒyǐ (third tone, dipping) yǔyán (third tone, dipping) hěn (third tone, dipping) zhòngyào. (fourth tone, falling)

Our company deals with clients abroad constantly, so languages matter here.

阿明

我很喜欢跟不同国家的人交流。

Wǒ (third tone, dipping) hěn (third tone, dipping) xǐhuan (third tone, dipping) gēn (first tone, high and level) bù (fourth tone, falling) tóng (second tone, rising) guójiā (second tone, rising) de (neutral tone) rén (second tone, rising) jiāoliú. (first tone, high and level)

I enjoy dealing with people from different countries.

经理

你以前有工作经验吗？

Nǐ (third tone, dipping) yǐqián (third tone, dipping) yǒu (third tone, dipping) gōngzuò (first tone, high and level) jīngyàn (first tone, high and level) ma? (neutral tone)

Do you have any work experience?

阿明

有一些。我在学校的时候，给一个旅游公司做过两年的翻译。

Yǒu (third tone, dipping) yìxiē. (fourth tone, falling) Wǒ (third tone, dipping) zài (fourth tone, falling) xuéxiào (second tone, rising) de (neutral tone) shíhou, (second tone, rising) gěi (third tone, dipping) yí (second tone, rising) ge (neutral tone) lǚyóu (third tone, dipping) gōngsī (first tone, high and level) zuò (fourth tone, falling) guo (neutral tone) liǎng (third tone, dipping) nián (second tone, rising) de (neutral tone) fānyì. (first tone, high and level)

Some. While I was studying I interpreted for a travel company for two years.

经理

那时候你做什么？

Nà (fourth tone, falling) shíhou (second tone, rising) nǐ (third tone, dipping) zuò (fourth tone, falling) shénme? (second tone, rising)

What did that involve?

阿明

客人来北京的时候，我带他们参观，也帮他们跟饭馆和宾馆说话。

Kèrén (fourth tone, falling) lái (second tone, rising) Běijīng (third tone, dipping) de (neutral tone) shíhou, (second tone, rising) wǒ (third tone, dipping) dài (fourth tone, falling) tāmen (first tone, high and level) cānguān, (first tone, high and level) yě (third tone, dipping) bāng (first tone, high and level) tāmen (first tone, high and level) gēn (first tone, high and level) fànguǎn (fourth tone, falling) hé (second tone, rising) bīnguǎn (first tone, high and level) shuōhuà. (first tone, high and level)

When clients came to Beijing I showed them round and spoke to restaurants and hotels for them.

经理

你觉得自己最大的优点是什么？

Nǐ (third tone, dipping) juéde (second tone, rising) zìjǐ (fourth tone, falling) zuì (fourth tone, falling) dà (fourth tone, falling) de (neutral tone) yōudiǎn (first tone, high and level) shì (fourth tone, falling) shénme? (second tone, rising)

What would you say is your greatest strength?

阿明

我做事很认真，也不怕问问题。

Wǒ (third tone, dipping) zuò (fourth tone, falling) shì (fourth tone, falling) hěn (third tone, dipping) rènzhēn, (fourth tone, falling) yě (third tone, dipping) bú (second tone, rising) pà (fourth tone, falling) wèn (fourth tone, falling) wèntí. (fourth tone, falling)

I am conscientious, and I am not afraid to ask questions.

经理

那缺点呢？

Nà (fourth tone, falling) quēdiǎn (first tone, high and level) ne? (neutral tone)

And your weakness?

阿明

我说话有时候太直接，不过我现在会先想一想再说。

Wǒ (third tone, dipping) shuōhuà (first tone, high and level) yǒu (third tone, dipping) shíhou (second tone, rising) tài (fourth tone, falling) zhíjiē, (second tone, rising) búguò (second tone, rising) wǒ (third tone, dipping) xiànzài (fourth tone, falling) huì (fourth tone, falling) xiān (first tone, high and level) xiǎng (third tone, dipping) yi (neutral tone) xiǎng (third tone, dipping) zài (fourth tone, falling) shuō. (first tone, high and level)

I can be too blunt, though these days I think before I speak.

经理

这个工作有时候要加班，也要出差，你可以吗？

Zhège (fourth tone, falling) gōngzuò (first tone, high and level) yǒu (third tone, dipping) shíhou (second tone, rising) yào (fourth tone, falling) jiābān, (first tone, high and level) yě (third tone, dipping) yào (fourth tone, falling) chūchāi, (first tone, high and level) nǐ (third tone, dipping) kěyǐ (third tone, dipping) ma? (neutral tone)

The job sometimes means overtime, and business trips. Is that all right with you?

阿明

可以。我还年轻，也没有孩子，出差对我来说没有问题。

Kěyǐ. (third tone, dipping) Wǒ (third tone, dipping) hái (second tone, rising) niánqīng, (second tone, rising) yě (third tone, dipping) méiyǒu (second tone, rising) háizi, (second tone, rising) chūchāi (first tone, high and level) duì (fourth tone, falling) wǒ (third tone, dipping) lái (second tone, rising) shuō (first tone, high and level) méiyǒu (second tone, rising) wèntí. (fourth tone, falling)

It is. I am young and have no children — travelling is no problem for me.

经理

我们提供的工资是一个月一万块，你觉得怎么样？

Wǒmen (third tone, dipping) tígōng (second tone, rising) de (neutral tone) gōngzī (first tone, high and level) shì (fourth tone, falling) yí (second tone, rising) ge (neutral tone) yuè (fourth tone, falling) yíwàn (second tone, rising) kuài, (fourth tone, falling) nǐ (third tone, dipping) juéde (second tone, rising) zěnmeyàng? (third tone, dipping)

The salary we offer is ten thousand yuan a month. How does that sound?

阿明

我觉得合适。请问，我什么时候可以知道结果？

Wǒ (third tone, dipping) juéde (second tone, rising) héshì. (second tone, rising) Qǐngwèn, (third tone, dipping) wǒ (third tone, dipping) shénme (second tone, rising) shíhou (second tone, rising) kěyǐ (third tone, dipping) zhīdào (first tone, high and level) jiéguǒ? (second tone, rising)

That seems fair. May I ask when I will hear the outcome?

经理

我们这个星期还要见几个人，下个星期五以前会通知你。

Wǒmen (third tone, dipping) zhège (fourth tone, falling) xīngqī (first tone, high and level) hái (second tone, rising) yào (fourth tone, falling) jiàn (fourth tone, falling) jǐ (third tone, dipping) ge (neutral tone) rén, (second tone, rising) xià (fourth tone, falling) ge (neutral tone) xīngqīwǔ (first tone, high and level) yǐqián (third tone, dipping) huì (fourth tone, falling) tōngzhī (first tone, high and level) nǐ. (third tone, dipping)

We are seeing several other people this week; you will hear from us before next Friday.

阿明

好的。这是我的电话和电子邮件。

Hǎo (third tone, dipping) de. (neutral tone) Zhè (fourth tone, falling) shì (fourth tone, falling) wǒ (third tone, dipping) de (neutral tone) diànhuà (fourth tone, falling) hé (second tone, rising) diànzǐ (fourth tone, falling) yóujiàn. (second tone, rising)

Very good. Here are my telephone number and my email address.

经理

谢谢。你今天回答得很好，别太紧张。

Xièxie. (fourth tone, falling) Nǐ (third tone, dipping) jīntiān (first tone, high and level) huídá (second tone, rising) de (neutral tone) hěn (third tone, dipping) hǎo, (third tone, dipping) bié (second tone, rising) tài (fourth tone, falling) jǐnzhāng. (third tone, dipping)

Thank you. You answered well today — do not worry too much.

阿明

谢谢您！那我等您的通知，再见。

Xièxie (fourth tone, falling) nín! (second tone, rising) Nà (fourth tone, falling) wǒ (third tone, dipping) děng (third tone, dipping) nín (second tone, rising) de (neutral tone) tōngzhī, (first tone, high and level) zàijiàn. (fourth tone, falling)

Thank you! I will wait to hear from you. Goodbye.