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Conversation Starters & Greetings

How are you getting on? just another way of saying how are you? You doing OK? asked when the person has had some tough experience recently and you want to ask politely if theyre OK. Hi, ! Whats new? this is a very informal way of greeting a close friend or anyone who you see on a regular basis and you want to ask has anything happened since you last met. Hi, ! Whats up? the same as above with a difference that youre probably not that interested in what news the other person might have. Hi, ! Long time no see! used when you havent seen the person for a long period of time and you want to state that fact in the greeting. Hi, ! Have you been keeping busy? just a standard enquiry with little or no direct meaning. Do you mind me asking? a typical way of asking something that might be a slightly personal question. OK, heres the thing a very handy way to start making your point if youre not sure how to begin the sentence.

Typical Responses
Thanks, Ive been keeping busy just a standard response to a standard greeting with little or no direct meaning. Thanks for asking, Im fine, how are you? a typical response and counter-question to a greeting phrase how are you?

Hi, how youre doing! Its good to see you! a typical response to a greeting from someone you havent seen for a while. Cant complain a response to a standard greeting like How are you? Its not as exciting phrase as Thanks, Im great! but it doesnt mean youre having some problems in your life. Can you say it again, please? a request to repeat the question if you didnt understand what was said. This can also be used when the native speaking person speaks a bit too fast they should get the hint and slow down a bit. But if they dont, you can ask a more direct question: Can you slow it down a bit, please? And how about you? a typical response when youre not sure what to ask next so youre asking the other person the same think they asked you. You can respond with this counter-greeting on nearly all standard greetings. To the best of my knowledge when youre 99% sure about the statement youre making. Also a good start of a response you want to take a bit more time to consider what youre going to say. As far as I know the same as above. Good for you! a response to someone telling you about their success in something or some good news that theyre happy about. Cant argue with that used when you agree with the statement of the other person. How do you know? a counter-question you can ask when someone surprises you with a question about something theyre not really expected to know. Thats a good one! a surprise response to funny or surprising news from your chat partner. Really? Tell me more about it! used when you want your chat partner to tell me about what he/she just said. Frankly speaking, just a way to start your response. It indicates that youre about to open up and be very honest with your chat partner. A great way of establishing an immediate trust. Well, to be honest with you, the same as above. No problem a typical response to a small request youre happy to do. This one is especially used when responding to superiors requests and it sounds more enthusiastic than if you simply say sure or OK. Never mind, its fine! - this phrase is used when the person offers to do a favour for you but its not really necessary. Never mind, forget what I just said this phrase is to be used when you said something that wasnt important at all but your chat partner wants you to repeat it. You can also use this phrase if you

feel that he/she might be slightly annoyed or offended by your question or comment so you want to end it there. You got me there this can be said instead of I dont know it will sound more casual and not as defensive as the old I dont know! Youve got to be kidding me! said when someone tells you something that borders on the unbelievable and you want to express your surprise. Thats a good question. a phrase used when you want to take your time to think over the question. This is an ideal phrase to use when youre stuck but instead of remaining silent you can start your response with this phrase. Well, how to put it in the right words . the same as above. That would be great! a response to an offer that youre really happy about. you know what I mean? this is quite an overused phrase but you can definitely use it at the end of a sentence if you want to emphasize what you just said. You see, the thing is that this is how you begin a sentence when youre asked to explain something.

Departure Phrases
Id better be going followed by a simple phrase like its too late, or have lots to do and indicator youd like to walk off and finish the conversation. OK, Im sorry but I have to leave now! used when your chat partner has clear intentions of continuing the conversation but you just need to go so youre making it clear that you need to go. See you later! used when you know that youll be seeing each other again sometime. See you around! the same as above Keep in touch! a good-bye phrase meaning you want the other person to get in touch with you every now and then and that youve the same intentions. It was nice seeing you, take care! a good-bye phrase used when you know that you wont see the person for a while. Its been good talking to you! the same as above phrase. Hope to see you again! you can use this phrase when finishing a conversation with someone youve just met. Say hello to ! a short and handy way of saying to remind someone from you.

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Describing Your Profile

Im a wide profile sales/marketing/customer support professional this is a general phrase used to describe industry/-ies youre been working in. If you say wide profile instead of just Ive been working in , it will sound smarter and more professional! I perform well under pressure is a phrase you can use to describe that youre an employee very well capable of working when theres a lot of pressure and youll do your best to get things done. Im used to working in a busy environment similar to the previous one, and you can use it interchangeably with I perform well under pressure during an interview so that you dont constantly repeat yourself. Customer-orientated means you value customers and youll be polite and efficient when dealing with them. Remember customers are life-blood of every business, so this is what every potential employer will want to hear from you! Meeting targets is a professional way of saying getting things done in time. In terms of work and professional environment, targets is the word thats used to describe tasks and assignments, so you should use it to sound like a true professional. Handle stress easily this phrase is especially relevant in customer support and other industries when dealing directly with customers starting with catering and ending with direct sales. Team player if youre a likeable person who gets along well with others while at the same time being able to maintain professional relationship instead of filling your workplace with gossip then youre a team player! Can-do attitude means you dont accept defeat and you dont get confused the moment situation gets difficult and complicated at work. You just get things done, you cheer others up in your workplace and youre the right person for the job youre going for! Drive to succeed is one of characteristics of a typical career person, and you definitely want to mention that during the interview or in your CV. Your future employer will look for someone whos naturally driven by success, so make sure to describe yourself as such a person. Results driven this phrase is somewhat similar to the previous one with emphasis on results. Success is a more general term; results imply youre good at meeting targets, too. Eager to learn use this English collocation to stress the fact that youre always taking opportunities to acquire new knowledge. Its going to send a message to your interviewer that youre not afraid of new duties and responsibilities! Good at multitasking use this phrase to convince your future employer that youre not easy to give into despair when things are getting hectic and you have to juggle a lot of responsibilities at the same time.

Describing Previous Experience and Your Current Position

I have years experience in the field this phrase allows you to describe your experience precisely while using professional lingo at the same time.

Proven track record when you say, for example I have a proven track record in telecommunication it means youve been working in the sector and you have an official employment history and related references. Work against the clock this is a perfect way of describing a fast-paced work environment in your previous or current job. Another good job-seeking related word combination to go with this one is to meet deadlines We often have to work against the clock to meet deadlines during the busy season. SLA (Service Level Agreement) is a standard term used across industries whenever two parties have agreed on certain targets in terms of performance. Its especially relevant for customer support based positions where every individual has to work towards meeting Service Level Agreements such as responding on e-mails within a certain period of time, logging phone calls properly and ensuring timely resolution of customer problems. So if youve been having similar responsibilities in your current/previous job but you didnt know its called meeting SLAs make sure you use this smart phrase in your CV and job interview! Liaise with other departments its a fancy way of saying to communicate with other departments. If youre willing to get the job though, you may as well learn the word liaise. When it comes to speaking about your communication between departments in your company, youll know exactly what phrase to use!

Explaining Why You Want This Job

This question comes up during every job interview, and oftentimes interviewees arent quite sure how to respond to it. Its essential therefore that you learn a few phrases you can use exactly for this purpose!

Also remember never speak ill of your previous/current jobs or employers! Even if youre going for a new job because you hate your boss, never admit to it during an interview. Thats when the following phrases come in handy: I want to further my career in sales/marketing its a perfect way of saying that there arent any promotional opportunities in your current job without admitting to it directly. In line with my qualifications if you tell your future boss that you want to get this job because its in line with your qualifications, its going to send a message that youre a person fully aware of what your expertize is. And I dont think theyll keep probing you during the interview until they get you to confess that youre just unhappy with your current job. Theyll take this answer as a satisfactory response and be happy with it! I want to take on more responsibility a totally valid phrase you can use when aiming for a slightly higher position. Just like when using the first phrase in this section you can use this sentence, highlight the fact that youre an ambitious professional but dont say directly Nobody will promote me in my current company

The Tricky Part of Any Interview Salary

In 9 situations out of 10 youre looking for a better pay when going for a new job, arent you? But what if the advertised position doesnt have a price-tag attached to it? The problem is you cant just tell your potential employer right upfront I want to get paid 12$/h!

Thats when you have to be smart and use the right phrases to send a message to the interviewer that youre aware of what your experience and skills are worth.

Competitive salary you cant go wrong with this one if you say that youre expecting a competitive salary, it means you know what the industry average is and youd like to get at least that amount of hourly wage. My remuneration was adequate if you dont want to reveal how much you earned in your previous company, this is the phrase to use! I expect experience based remuneration as I already told you mentioning numbers during a job interview speaks of bad manners, so if youre quite an experienced professional in a certain field, its safe to say that you expect your experience to reflect on your remuneration package. My salary expectations are in line with my qualifications and education same thing as the previous phrase but with an emphasis on your qualifications and education. This is a good way of emphasizing your educational background and its role in your career of course, if you have something really relevant to bring to the table. If you expect your bachelors diploma to work as a salary-boosting factor when applying for a catering position better think twice!

What Sets You Apart From Other Candidates?

Its another one of those questions that can make or break your job interview. The thing is while both you and your future employer know that youre probably not a unique person among other jobseekers out there, youve just got to sell yourself as the best person possible for the position! And of course dont forget that being a foreign English speaker, you have to sell your spoken English skills as well, so thats when the following phrases come in handy: Im self-motivated this phrase is kind of overused, but if you really mean it, it says a lot about you as a worker. It means you dont have to be constantly supervised and youre mature enough to take on responsibility! I take pride in my work this a great phrase and I bet your future boss wants to employ someone who takes pride in his/her job and is enthusiastic enough to make sure day-to-day tasks are run effectively. Im very attentive to detail heres a quality that can really set you apart from others. I know from my own experience that small mistakes can lead to big expenses down the road for your employer, so having someone on board whos going to be meticulous when it comes data entry and similar tasks is very important! Im 100% involved while performing work-related duties means youre really dedicated and your future boss wont have problems with you not completing your tasks and assignments. Im good at resolving problem situations dont forget to mention a difficult situation from your past which you resolved successfully. Typically it involves dealing with a difficult customer, but it can also include resolving other problems delivery issues, technical problems and whatnot.

Language Skills
Its of the utmost importance for you as a foreign English speaker to describe your English and other language skills so that those descriptions properly portray your capability of using the respective languages. Heres how to describe your English skills other than just fluent:

I have effective communication skills in English both verbally and in writing. Its a perfect way of elaborating on the matter in your CV because it also explains that youre good both at writing and speaking. Fluent is a term that can be stretched; this phrase, however, leaves very few questions to be asked! Ive been speaking English for the last years you can use this sentence to alleviate any doubts that your English mightnt be good enough for the job. Ive been working in an English speaking environment for the last years same as the previous one, with a slight emphasis on your work-related spoken English skills. Its going to send a strong message to your future employer that you wont have any problems communicating with your fellow employees and supervisors! My English is competent for this industry its a way of admitting that your English mightnt be 100% fluent yet you can deliver 100% results in the respective industry. Youre probably better off avoiding this phrase unless you run into some English fluency issues during the interview and then this might be your last chance to salvage the situation. As we all know, in times of stress your spoken English may suddenly sound quite bad, and Ive written about dealing with such and similar problems extensively. Here are a few articles you should definitely read:

Native English Speakers Dont Always Spot Your Mistakes! How to Achieve Complete English Fluency in 4 Easy Steps Put On a Show Every Time You Speak in English

The biggest problem you may be facing is the following your English is quite fluent, but stress is getting the better of you during the interview which in turn results in a lot of spoken English mistakes. Now, in your CV youve indicated that your English is fluent, but if thats the case why youre sounding like a beginner English learner? Therefore its best to prep up for the interview well in advance to avoid such situations, and if youve memorized at least a dozen smart phrases like the ones in this article, your chances of sounding like a fluent English speaker are much bigger! Robby P.S. Would you like to find out why Im highlighting some of the text in red? Read this article and youll learn why its so important to learn idiomatic expressions and how it will help you to improve your spoken English! P.S.S. Are you serious about your spoken English improvement? Check out my English Harmony System HERE!