One of the most difficult parts of a job interview is talking about the salary or money of the job/position and what other things you will get as part of the job (e.g. days of holiday). Although interviewers know that the interviewee wants to ask about how much they will earn, they generally don't want to offer a job to somebody who seems to be only motivated by money.
The best advice for an interviewee is to wait until the interviewer(s) introduces the topic of salary. If they don't, then it is better to ask about the salary either at the end of the job interview or when you have been offered the job. It is also advisable to not demand/ask for too much money.
In this first part of two online exercises on job salary and conditions, you'll learn and remember the English vocabulary that is used when talking about salaries and money for a job. Although the focus here is on job interviews, this vocabulary can also be used outside of them.
Click here to see more of our free online exercises on CVs/resumes and job interviews
Read the following conversation between an interviewer and interviewee about the salary of a job in a job interview.
From the context, try to guess what the meaning of the words/phrases in bold are. Then do the quiz at the end to check if you are right.
Interviewer:'Does this job seem like something that you would be interested in?'
Interviewee:'From what I have heard, it is something that I would like to do.'
Interviewer:'Excellent. Do you mind me asking how much money you are making in your current job?'
Interviewee:'Not at all. My overall salary depends on my performance during the year. So it changes.'
Interviewer:'I understand that. Do you have a figure for what you made last year? Or if you don't know the exact amount, could you tell us an estimate?'
Interviewee:'I could not tell you it off the top of my head. But I will check it after the interview and send you the actual figure. Is that ok?'
Interviewer:'No problem.'
Interviewee:'Talking about the salary, what would be the salary for this type of job?'
Interviewer:'I could not give you an exact figure, but normally the salary ranges from $45,000 to $60,000.'
Interviewee:'I see. Is that the net salary, after taxes have been removed?'
Interviewer:'No, that is the gross salary, before any taxes have been removed. But that is the basic salary. In addition to that, you will also get paid commission. So, for each sale you make, we will pay you extra money. The commission is a percentage of the value of how much you have sold. So, that will increase your overall salary.'
Interviewee:'How much is that?'
Interviewer:'It's 7.5 per cent of each sale that you make. On top of that, at the end of each financial year you will receive a performance-related bonus. The bonus is calculated on the overall sales of both you and the team. There is also an annual pay rise which is based on the level of inflation. So how do you feel about what is being offered?'
Interviewee:'It sounds very reasonable. Do you mind if I ask you about overtime? Do you pay for any extra hours that I would work?'
Interviewer:'I am afraid that you would not receive payments for overtime. But, if you have to work on a weekend to meet a client or do something important, then we would give you time off in lieu. So, you use the extra hours that you worked as additional days of holiday.'
Match the words/phrases in bold from the above text to each of the definitions/descriptions below. Click on the "Check" button at the bottom of the quiz to check your answers.
When the answer is correct, two icons will appear below the answer. The "" icon contains extra information on the word/phrase. In the "" icon, you can listen to the pronunciation of the word/phrase.
Now that you understand the meaning of the words/phrases and when to use them, practise using them by creating your own sentences with them in English. Also click on the "" icon under each correct answer and listen how each is pronounced correctly.
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