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Interview
Job Interview

The Job Interview at the Bookshop

📂 Looking For Work And Changing Direction 🎭 The Small Careful Conversation By Which Strangers Decide To Work Together ⏱ 20–55 min
About this text
🎯 Learning objectives
  • Students can read and follow a short job interview between two speakers.
  • Students can recognise common job interview questions ('why do you want this job', 'tell me about yourself', 'what are your strengths').
  • Students can use professional vocabulary appropriate to a small-business interview.
  • Students can write short answers to standard job interview questions.
  • Students can role-play a short job interview, taking either side.
  • Students can recognise the conventions of the form (greeting, opening question, follow-ups, closing, what happens next).
  • Students can discuss how job interviews work in their own culture and language.
💡 Ideas for using this in a lesson
  • Students read the interview in pairs, taking the roles of Mrs Reeves and Sam. Practise the dialogue.
  • Standard questions: students identify the standard job interview questions in the text. Make a list.
  • Cultural sharing: 'How does a job interview work in your country? What do people wear, how long does it last, what kinds of questions are asked?' Students share in small groups.
  • Vocabulary work: students collect every word and phrase used about work and careers (position, responsibility, team, full-time). Add five more.
  • Writing task: students write their own short job interview for a small business — a café, a small shop, a tutoring service.
  • Pair role-play: students do the interview as a role-play, taking turns to be the applicant and the interviewer.
  • Mock interview: in pairs, students prepare and conduct a short mock job interview for a real or imagined position.
  • Discussion (B1+): 'What is the best way to answer the question Why do you want this job? What is the worst?'
  • Reflective task (B2+): students write about a time they applied for something — a job, a place at a school, a position in a club. What did they say? What did they wish they had said?
  • Compare versions: students compare the A2 and B2 versions and discuss what is added at the higher level — particularly the longer answers and the small awkwardness of the moment of asking about salary.
🏷️ Context
Low ResourcePairworkGroupworkDiscussionDialogue PracticeSpeaking PracticeProfessional EnglishReal World SkillSpeaker Formatted TextWorks Anywhere
📦 Materials needed
Paper And Pen
⚠️ This text describes a small job interview at an independent bookshop. There is nothing distressing in the content. The main thing to be aware of is that job interview conventions vary considerably across cultures: what is normal in one context may feel formal, casual, or even intrusive in another. The interview shown here is a small-scale, friendly, but professional exchange — typical of small independent businesses in many English-speaking countries. The C1 and C2 levels reflect on the small awkwardness of certain interview moments (asking about money, talking about yourself, the careful balance between sounding interested and sounding desperate) without becoming heavy. Some students may be applying for jobs themselves; others may have given interviews; both perspectives are useful. The text is a useful introduction to the form for any student who will at some point need to do an interview in English.
⏱ Duration by level
A1
20 min
A2
25 min
B1
35 min
B2
45 min
C1
50 min
C2
55 min
🎚️ Differentiation tip
For A1 and A2, focus on the basic structure of a small job interview — greeting, the standard questions, simple answers. The text is genuinely useful real-world reading. For B1, work on giving examples in answers ('Tell me about a time when...') and on asking the applicant's own questions at the end. For B2, the focus shifts to the small careful texture of how to answer well — being honest about why you want a change without being negative about a previous job; sounding interested without sounding desperate; handling the question of money. For C1 and C2, the interview becomes the occasion for thinking about the small craft of the job interview from both sides — what the interviewer is actually trying to find out, what the applicant is trying to convey. Throughout, paired role-play is genuinely useful: students at every level will at some point need to be on one side or the other of a similar conversation.
🌍 Cultural note
Job interview conventions vary widely across cultures. In some contexts, interviews are short and informal; in others, they are long, formal, and involve multiple rounds. In some cultures, it is normal to ask directly about salary; in others, this question is considered awkward or taboo. In some cultures, applicants are expected to be confident and self-promoting; in others, modesty is preferred and over-confidence is suspect. In some, employers ask very personal questions; in others, this would be considered intrusive. The interview in this text is set in a small independent bookshop in an English-speaking context — a relatively informal but still professional exchange. This is one of many valid forms. When teaching this text, invite students to share what a job interview looks like in their context. Some students may have direct experience and strong views; others may be approaching the form for the first time. Both responses are useful in the lesson.
Beginner
Intermediate
Advanced
⏱ Duration: 20 min 🎯 Focus: Question forms in interview register; basic professional vocabulary; 'I am', 'I have', 'I can'; days and times
Before You Read / Listen
  • Q1Have you ever had a job interview?
  • Q2Do you work? Where?
  • Q3What kind of job would you like?
  • Q4Are you good at meeting new people?
  • Q5Do you like to read?
The Text
Sam wants a job at a small bookshop. Today is the interview. The owner is Mrs Reeves.
MRS REEVES Hello, Sam. Please sit down.
SAM Hello, Mrs Reeves. Thank you.
MRS REEVES How old are you?
SAM I am 28.
MRS REEVES Where do you work now?
SAM I work at an office. But I am not happy there.
MRS REEVES Why do you want to work in a bookshop?
SAM I love books. And I like to talk to people.
MRS REEVES We work on weekends. Is that OK?
SAM Yes, that is OK.
MRS REEVES Can you start next month?
SAM Yes, I can.
MRS REEVES Good. Thank you. I will call you next week.
Key Vocabulary
job noun
the work you do for money
"Sam wants a job at a small bookshop."
bookshop noun
a shop that sells books
"A small bookshop."
interview noun
a conversation where one person asks questions to learn about another
"Today is the interview."
owner noun
the person who has something (like a shop)
"The owner is Mrs Reeves."
office noun
a room or building where people work, often with desks and computers
"I work at an office."
happy adjective
feeling good
"I am not happy there."
weekend noun
Saturday and Sunday
"We work on weekends."
to start verb
to begin
"Can you start next month?"
Questions
Comprehension
  • What job does Sam want?
    Answer
    A job at a small bookshop.
  • Who is Mrs Reeves?
    Answer
    The owner of the bookshop.
  • How old is Sam?
    Answer
    28.
  • Where does Sam work now?
    Answer
    At an office. But Sam is not happy there.
  • Why does Sam want to work in a bookshop?
    Answer
    Sam loves books and likes talking to people.
  • Does the bookshop work on weekends?
    Answer
    Yes.
  • When can Sam start?
    Answer
    Next month.
Vocabulary
  • What is a 'bookshop'?
    Answer
    A shop that sells books.
  • What is an 'owner'?
    Answer
    The person who has something — for example, a shop.
Discussion
  • What other questions could Mrs Reeves ask?
    Discussion prompts
    Common answers: 'Have you worked in a shop before?'; 'What books do you like?'; 'How many days can you work?'; 'Are you good with people?'. A useful question for practising question-formation.
Personal
  • Have you ever wanted to change jobs?
    Teacher guidance
    Students' own experience. Common answers: 'Yes, I want to change'; 'No, I like my job'; 'I am a student now'; 'I want a part-time job'. All answers are good.
  • What is your favourite kind of shop?
    Teacher guidance
    Students' own answer. Common answers: 'Bookshop', 'Bakery', 'Clothes shop', 'Market'. Help with 'My favourite is ___'.
Writing Task
Prompt
Write 5 short interview exchanges (questions and answers). Use these starts: 'How old ___? Where ___? Why ___? Can you ___? When ___?'
Model Answer

How old are you? I am 22. Where do you live? I live in the city centre. Why do you want this job? I want to learn. Can you work in the evening? Yes, I can. When can you start? Next week.

Activities
  • Read the interview in pairs. One student is Mrs Reeves, the other is Sam. Practise the dialogue.
  • Pair role-play: students take turns being the interviewer and the applicant for an imaginary job.
  • Question word game: students make one question with each word — How? Where? Why? Can? When?
  • Drawing: students draw the bookshop with Sam and Mrs Reeves at a small table.
  • Sequencing: the teacher mixes up the lines. Students put them in order.
  • Class share: each student says one job they would like. 'I would like to work at ___.'
⏱ Duration: 25 min 🎯 Focus: Job interview conventions; standard interview questions; 'tell me about', 'why do you want'; longer answers with reasons; modal verbs ('I can', 'I will'); polite professional register
Before You Read / Listen
  • Q1Have you ever had a job interview? How did it go?
  • Q2Why do people leave one job to take another?
  • Q3What is a 'small business'? Are there many in your area?
  • Q4What questions do interviewers usually ask?
  • Q5What questions can the applicant ask the interviewer?
  • Q6Why is it sometimes hard to talk about yourself?
The Text
Sam is 28 years old and has been working in a small office for the past five years. The job is fine, but Sam wants something different — somewhere quieter, with more people to talk to. Today, Sam has an interview at a small independent bookshop near the town centre. The owner is Mrs Reeves, who has had the shop for fifteen years.
MRS REEVES Hello, Sam. Please sit down. Thank you for coming.
SAM Hello, Mrs Reeves. Thank you for the interview.
MRS REEVES So — tell me a little about yourself.
SAM Well, I am 28. I have been working at a small office for the last five years, but I would like to do something different. I read a lot, and I love being in bookshops. I have always thought I would enjoy working in one.
MRS REEVES Why do you want to work here, particularly?
SAM Because this is a small independent shop, not a big chain. I have been a customer here for years. I like the way you choose the books. I would like to learn from you.
MRS REEVES That is kind of you to say. The job is part-time — three days a week, including Saturdays. Is that OK?
SAM Yes, that works for me. I am happy to work Saturdays.
MRS REEVES Have you worked in a shop before?
SAM I worked in a small café when I was at university, for two years. I served customers, used the till, and helped to open and close the shop. So I have some experience, but not in books.
MRS REEVES That is fine. We can teach you the books. We need someone friendly with customers and reliable on the till.
SAM I think I am both. My friends would say so, anyway.
MRS REEVES Good. Do you have any questions for me?
SAM Yes, two. How many people work here? And when would you like the new person to start?
MRS REEVES There are three of us at the moment — myself and two part-time staff. We are looking for one more. I would like the new person to start in three weeks, if possible.
SAM Three weeks is fine. I can give my notice tomorrow.
MRS REEVES Thank you, Sam. I have one more interview this afternoon. I will let you know by the end of the week.
SAM Thank you for your time, Mrs Reeves.
Key Vocabulary
independent (shop) adjective
(of a shop) not part of a large chain; owned by one person or a small family
"A small independent bookshop."
chain (of shops) noun
a big company that owns many shops with the same name
"Not a big chain."
customer noun
a person who buys things in a shop
"I have been a customer here for years."
part-time adjective
working only some hours of the week, not all of them
"The job is part-time — three days a week."
till noun
(in a shop) the machine that holds the money
"I used the till."
reliable adjective
someone who does what they say they will do
"We need someone reliable."
to give one's notice phrase
(phrase) to tell your employer you are leaving the job, usually some weeks before
"I can give my notice tomorrow."
to let someone know phrase
(phrase) to tell someone something later
"I will let you know by the end of the week."
Questions
Comprehension
  • What does Sam currently do?
    Answer
    Works at a small office. Sam has done this for the past five years.
  • Why does Sam want to leave the office?
    Answer
    Sam wants 'something different — somewhere quieter, with more people to talk to'.
  • How long has Mrs Reeves had the bookshop?
    Answer
    Fifteen years.
  • Why does Sam want to work at this bookshop in particular?
    Answer
    Because it is a small independent shop, not a big chain. Sam has been a customer for years and likes the way Mrs Reeves chooses the books, and would like to learn from her.
  • What hours is the job?
    Answer
    Part-time — three days a week, including Saturdays.
  • What previous experience does Sam have?
    Answer
    Worked in a small café for two years while at university — served customers, used the till, helped to open and close the shop. Some shop experience, but not with books.
  • What does Mrs Reeves say she needs in a new staff member?
    Answer
    Someone friendly with customers and reliable on the till.
  • What two questions does Sam ask?
    Answer
    (1) How many people work here? (2) When would Mrs Reeves like the new person to start?
Vocabulary
  • What is the difference between an 'independent shop' and a 'chain'?
    Answer
    An independent shop is owned by one person or a small family — there is only one (or a few). A chain is a big company that owns many shops with the same name.
  • What does 'to give one's notice' mean?
    Answer
    To tell your employer you are leaving the job, usually a few weeks before you actually leave.
Inference
  • Why does Mrs Reeves say 'That is kind of you to say' when Sam praises the bookshop?
    Suggested interpretation
    Because Sam has just complimented her work — she chooses the books well, the shop has its own character. Saying 'that is kind of you to say' is a polite way to receive a compliment without seeming proud. It is a normal small piece of professional politeness.
  • Why does Sam say 'My friends would say so, anyway' after saying they are friendly and reliable?
    Suggested interpretation
    Because saying 'I am friendly and reliable' alone could sound boastful. Adding 'my friends would say so' is a small piece of careful self-praise — Sam is reporting what others might say rather than only what they think of themselves. It softens the self-promotion.
Discussion
  • Sam mentions liking the bookshop and being a customer for years. Is this a good thing to say in a job interview?
    Discussion prompts
    Multiple positions. YES: it shows real interest in the place, not just any job; it shows knowledge of the shop. NO: it could sound like Sam will be too friendly with customers, or expects special treatment. PROBABLY: it is good if said carefully, as Sam does. A useful question for thinking about how to talk about yourself in interviews.
  • Is Sam's question 'How many people work here?' a good question to ask?
    Discussion prompts
    Common observations: yes — it shows interest in the place; it helps Sam understand who they would be working with. It is also a safe question (not about money, not personal). A useful example of an interview-end question.
Personal
  • If you had to give two strengths in a job interview, what would they be?
    Teacher guidance
    Students' own answer. Common answers: 'I am patient'; 'I am good with people'; 'I work hard'; 'I learn quickly'; 'I am organised'. A useful question for practising self-presentation.
Writing Task
Prompt
Write a short job interview (about 8–10 exchanges) for a small business — a café, a market stall, a small shop, a tutoring service. Use the speaker format. Include: a greeting, 'tell me about yourself', 'why do you want this job', a question about hours or duties, and a closing.
Model Answer

INTERVIEWER: Hello, Maria. Please sit down.
MARIA: Hello. Thank you.
INTERVIEWER: Tell me about yourself.
MARIA: I am 24. I have been working at a small restaurant for two years. I would like to try something different.
INTERVIEWER: Why do you want to work in our café?
MARIA: I like making coffee, and I like the calm of a small place. I have been a customer here many times.
INTERVIEWER: The job is full-time, six days a week. Is that OK?
MARIA: Yes, that is fine.
INTERVIEWER: Have you used a coffee machine before?
MARIA: Yes, at the restaurant. I can also clean and serve customers.
INTERVIEWER: Good. Do you have any questions?
MARIA: When would you like me to start?
INTERVIEWER: Two weeks from today, if possible.
MARIA: Two weeks is fine. Thank you for the interview.
INTERVIEWER: Thank you, Maria. I will let you know by Friday.

Activities
  • Read the interview in pairs. One student is Mrs Reeves, the other is Sam. Practise the dialogue with feeling.
  • The standard questions: students underline the questions Mrs Reeves uses ('Tell me about yourself', 'Why do you want this job', 'Have you done this before', 'Do you have any questions'). Why do interviewers use these?
  • Reverse role-play: in pairs, students take turns being the interviewer and the applicant for a job they invent.
  • Reading the answer back: in pairs, students take Sam's answers and discuss what makes each one good or careful. What might a worse answer have looked like?
  • Cultural sharing: in small groups, students discuss what a job interview is like in their country.
  • Sentence frames: 'Tell me about yourself.' 'I am ___ years old. I have been working at ___ for ___ years.' Each student writes their own answer.
  • Mock interview: in pairs, students prepare for and conduct a short mock interview for a real or imagined position.
  • Compare with A1: students compare the A1 and A2 versions and find three things the A2 version adds.
⏱ Duration: 35 min 🎯 Focus: Job interview register; standard questions and longer answers; giving examples ('a time when...'); careful answers about leaving a previous job; the small framing of an interview scene; modal verbs
Before You Read / Listen
  • Q1What do you usually wear to a job interview?
  • Q2How early should you arrive for an interview?
  • Q3Why do interviewers ask 'Tell me about yourself'?
  • Q4Is it OK to say you are leaving your job because you are unhappy?
  • Q5What kinds of questions are too personal for a job interview?
  • Q6Should an applicant ask about money in the first interview?
The Text
Sam had been working at a small office for the past five years, doing a job that had once seemed reasonable and had gradually become — without anything in particular going wrong — quietly wrong. The work was indoor, repetitive, and lonelier than Sam had expected. So when the small independent bookshop on Hill Street put a small handwritten card in the window saying 'Help wanted, please ask inside', Sam asked. Three days later, Sam was sitting in a back room of the shop, opposite the owner, Mrs Reeves, with a cup of tea on a small wooden table between them.
Sam was 28. The interview had been arranged for half past two on a Thursday, when the shop was usually quiet. Mrs Reeves was about sixty, with grey hair and a kind, slightly tired face. She had run the shop for fifteen years.
MRS REEVES Hello, Sam. Please sit down. Thank you for coming.
SAM Hello, Mrs Reeves. Thank you for the interview.
MRS REEVES So — tell me a little about yourself. Just the basics.
SAM Well, I am 28. I grew up about an hour from here, and moved to this town for university. After university, I started working at a small office — a marketing company — and I have been there for the past five years. The job is fine, but I would like to do something a bit different now. Something with people, and somewhere quieter than an open-plan office.
MRS REEVES Why a bookshop, in particular?
SAM I read a lot, and I have always liked being in bookshops. This one in particular — I have been a customer for years. I like the way you choose the books. I have always thought that if I worked in a shop, I would want to work in one like this.
MRS REEVES That is kind of you to say. The job is part-time — three days a week, including Saturdays. Are you looking for something part-time?
SAM Yes. I have been thinking about leaving full-time work for a while. I have some savings, and I would like the time to do other things — read more, see friends more, maybe do some volunteer work. Three days a week is what I am looking for.
MRS REEVES That is good. Have you worked in a shop before?
SAM I worked in a small café for two years while I was at university. I served customers, used the till, helped with the opening and closing. So I have shop experience, but not with books specifically.
MRS REEVES That is fine. The bookshop side is something we can teach you. We are looking for someone friendly with customers and reliable on the till. Can you give me an example of a time at the café when you handled a difficult customer well?
SAM I think so. There was a customer who came in regularly and was usually quite rude to the staff. He would complain about small things — the music, the temperature, the wait. One day, I asked him quietly if there was something specific I could do that would help. He was a bit surprised, and said no, but after that he was much friendlier with me. He had not been used to being asked properly. I did not solve everything, but the daily relationship became easier.
MRS REEVES That is a good example. Calm and direct, without being defensive. That is what we need.
SAM Thank you.
MRS REEVES Do you have any questions for me?
SAM Yes — two or three. How many people work here at the moment? And what does a typical day at the shop look like?
MRS REEVES There are three of us — myself and two part-time staff — and we are looking for one more. A typical day starts at nine; the shop opens at ten. The first hour is unpacking new stock, putting books out, and checking the email orders. From ten to five, we serve customers, do the till, recommend books, sometimes help with phone orders. After five, we tidy up and leave by half past five. It is not a complicated day, but it is a busy one.
SAM That sounds good. One more question — when would you like the new person to start?
MRS REEVES I would like the new person to start in three weeks, if possible. Could you give your notice in time?
SAM I think so. My current job needs three weeks' notice. I could give it tomorrow.
MRS REEVES Good. I have one more interview this afternoon. I will be in touch by Friday.
SAM Thank you for your time, Mrs Reeves. It was nice to meet you.
MRS REEVES Thank you, Sam. Take a book with you on the way out — there is a small box of damaged ones that we cannot sell. Choose one as a small thank-you for coming in.
Sam walked out of the back room, picked a slightly bent novel from the small box near the door, and left the bookshop with a small feeling of careful hope. The walk back to the office was twenty minutes. By the time Sam arrived at the desk, the feeling had not gone away.
Key Vocabulary
open-plan office phrase
(phrase) an office where many people work in one large room without dividing walls
"Somewhere quieter than an open-plan office."
savings noun (plural)
money you have kept in the bank for the future
"I have some savings."
to handle (a customer) verb
(verb) to manage a situation with a person
"Handled a difficult customer well."
defensive adjective
(of behaviour) acting as if you are protecting yourself from criticism
"Without being defensive."
stock noun
(in a shop) the goods that are for sale
"Unpacking new stock."
to recommend verb
to suggest that something is good, often when asked
"We recommend books."
to give notice phrase
(phrase) to tell your employer you are leaving, in advance
"I could give it tomorrow."
to be in touch phrase
(phrase) to contact someone later
"I will be in touch by Friday."
careful hope phrase
(phrase) hope that is not too strong, in case things do not work out
"A small feeling of careful hope."
Questions
Comprehension
  • How long had Sam been working at the office, and how does the writer describe the work?
    Answer
    Five years. The work 'had once seemed reasonable and had gradually become — without anything in particular going wrong — quietly wrong'. It was 'indoor, repetitive, and lonelier than Sam had expected'.
  • How did Sam find out about the job?
    Answer
    The bookshop had put a small handwritten card in the window saying 'Help wanted, please ask inside'.
  • What does Sam want from a part-time job?
    Answer
    Time to do other things — read more, see friends more, maybe do some volunteer work.
  • What experience does Sam have working with customers?
    Answer
    Two years in a small café during university — serving customers, using the till, helping with opening and closing.
  • Tell me Sam's example of handling a difficult customer.
    Answer
    There was a customer who came in regularly and was usually rude — complaining about the music, temperature, wait. One day Sam quietly asked him if there was something specific that would help. He was surprised, said no, but after that was much friendlier with Sam. He 'had not been used to being asked properly'. Sam adds: 'I did not solve everything, but the daily relationship became easier.'
  • How does Mrs Reeves describe Sam's example?
    Answer
    'Calm and direct, without being defensive. That is what we need.'
  • What does a typical day at the bookshop look like?
    Answer
    Start at nine; shop opens at ten; first hour is unpacking new stock, putting books out, checking email orders. Ten to five — serving customers, on the till, recommending books, helping with phone orders. After five — tidying up, leaving by half past five.
  • When would Mrs Reeves like the new person to start?
    Answer
    In three weeks, if possible. Sam's current job needs three weeks' notice; Sam could give it tomorrow.
  • What does Mrs Reeves give Sam at the end?
    Answer
    A book from a small box of damaged ones that the shop cannot sell, as 'a small thank-you for coming in'.
Vocabulary
  • What is an 'open-plan office'?
    Answer
    An office where many people work in one large room without dividing walls. Sam wants somewhere quieter than this.
  • What does 'careful hope' mean?
    Answer
    Hope that is not too strong, in case things do not work out. Sam left the bookshop with this feeling — hopeful, but not letting hope get too big in case the answer is no. The phrase captures something true about the feeling at the end of an interview.
Inference
  • Why does the writer describe the previous job as 'quietly wrong'?
    Suggested interpretation
    The phrase captures something specific. The job had not become bad in any obvious way — Sam had not been mistreated, the work had not become unbearable. It had simply slowly become wrong for Sam, in a way that built up gradually. 'Quietly wrong' is more accurate than 'bad': nothing dramatic; just the slow accumulation of dissatisfaction.
  • Why does Sam say 'I did not solve everything' at the end of the difficult-customer story?
    Suggested interpretation
    Because Sam is being honest about the limits of what they did. The customer's basic personality did not change; Sam did not transform him. But the daily relationship improved. By saying 'I did not solve everything', Sam shows realistic self-assessment — the answer is more believable because it does not over-claim.
Discussion
  • Sam says the previous job became 'quietly wrong' rather than bad. Why might it be hard to leave a job that is not actively bad?
    Discussion prompts
    Common answers: there is no clear reason; you can't justify it to others; the salary is fine; you wonder if you are being unreasonable; making changes feels harder when nothing is dramatically wrong. A useful question.
  • What makes the customer story Sam tells a good interview answer?
    Discussion prompts
    Common observations: it has a clear situation, action, and result; Sam shows initiative; Sam handled it calmly; Sam is honest about what they did not solve; the answer is specific not generic. The structure (situation–action–result) is a useful one for many interview answers.
Personal
  • Have you ever wanted to leave a job, course, or activity that was not actively bad? How did you decide?
    Teacher guidance
    Students' own experience. Common answers: 'Yes, I left a job that was fine but boring'; 'I changed my course at university'; 'I stopped going to a club where I had been for years'. Be warm. The experience of leaving something 'quietly wrong' is widely felt.
Writing Task
Prompt
Write a short job interview (200–250 words) for a small business. Include a brief introduction (who the applicant is and why they are leaving their previous job); 6–8 questions and answers; one example-based question ('Tell me about a time when...'); the applicant's own questions; a closing.
Model Answer

Maria had been working at a busy supermarket for three years. The work was fine, but she was on her feet all day and rarely had time to talk to customers properly. When she saw an advert for a part-time job at a small flower shop near her flat, she applied. Today is the interview.

The owner is Mr Patel, a man in his late fifties who has run the shop for twenty years.

MR PATEL: Hello, Maria. Thank you for coming. Please sit down.
MARIA: Thank you, Mr Patel.
MR PATEL: Tell me a little about yourself.
MARIA: I am 25. I have been working at the supermarket for three years, on the till and in the produce section. I would like a quieter job where I can spend more time with each customer.
MR PATEL: Why a flower shop?
MARIA: I have always loved flowers. My grandmother had a small garden and I helped her every weekend.
MR PATEL: Tell me about a time when you had to handle a difficult customer.
MARIA: A man complained about prices loudly at the till once. I called the manager but stayed calm and explained the prices clearly. The man calmed down. I think being patient helped.
MR PATEL: Good. Do you have any questions?
MARIA: When would you like the new person to start, and what would my hours be?
MR PATEL: In two weeks, three days a week, including Saturdays.
MARIA: That sounds good.
MR PATEL: I will let you know on Friday.

Activities
  • Reading aloud in pairs: students take the roles of Mrs Reeves and Sam. Practise the dialogue.
  • Standard questions: students identify and list every standard interview question Mrs Reeves uses.
  • The 'tell me about a time' answer: in pairs, students examine Sam's customer story. What makes it a good example? What is the structure?
  • Mock interview: in pairs, students conduct a mock interview for a job one of them invents. The interviewer asks at least one 'tell me about a time' question.
  • Cultural sharing: in groups, students discuss what is similar and different about job interviews in their country.
  • Sentence frames: 'Tell me about yourself.' / 'Why do you want this job?' / 'Tell me about a time when ___'. Each student writes their own answers.
  • Compare with A2: students compare the A2 and B1 versions and identify three places where the B1 adds depth (the framing of why Sam is leaving the previous job; the 'tell me about a time' question; the closing book gift).
  • Discussion: in pairs, students discuss what Sam said well in this interview, and what could have been said even better.
⏱ Duration: 45 min 🎯 Focus: Sustained job interview with developed answers; the small craft of how to leave a previous job in writing without being negative; giving examples; the careful balance of confidence and modesty; the small awkwardness of asking about money
Before You Read / Listen
  • Q1What is the hardest part of a job interview, in your view?
  • Q2How do you talk about a job you want to leave without being negative about it?
  • Q3Why are interviewers careful about asking direct personal questions?
  • Q4Is it better to seem confident or modest in an interview?
  • Q5When in an interview should the question of money come up?
  • Q6What does the applicant gain from asking the interviewer questions?
  • Q7Should an applicant always tell the interviewer about other applications they have made?
The Text
Sam had been working at a small marketing office for the past five years, doing a job that had once seemed reasonable and had gradually become — without anything in particular going wrong — quietly wrong. The work was indoor, repetitive, and lonelier than Sam had expected. The salary was fair; the colleagues were pleasant enough; the office had decent windows. None of these things, Sam had come to realise, were enough on their own. So when the small independent bookshop on Hill Street put a small handwritten card in the window saying 'Help wanted — please ask inside', Sam asked.
Three days later, Sam was sitting in the back room of the shop on a Thursday afternoon, opposite the owner, Mrs Reeves, with a cup of tea on a small wooden table between them. The shop was quiet at half past two on a weekday. Mrs Reeves was about sixty — grey-haired, with a kind, slightly tired face — and had run the shop for fifteen years. She had clearly done many of these interviews and had the small efficiency of a person who knows how long they have for a particular conversation.
MRS REEVES Hello, Sam. Please sit down. Thank you for coming in on a Thursday — I find weekday interviews easier than weekend ones.
SAM Hello, Mrs Reeves. Thank you for the interview. The shop seems calmer than I had expected for a Thursday afternoon.
MRS REEVES It usually is. Thursday is our quietest day. So — tell me a little about yourself. Just the basics; we can fill in details as we go.
SAM Of course. I am 28. I grew up about an hour from here and moved to this town for university. After university, I started at a small marketing company — Anderson Marketing, on Mill Street — and I have been there for five years. The work is fine; the colleagues are decent. But I have been thinking, for some time, that I would like to do something different — somewhere with more people, and somewhere with a different kind of pace. I have always liked bookshops, and when I saw your card in the window, I thought I would ask.
MRS REEVES Why a different pace, do you think?
SAM Honestly, the work I do at the moment is mostly on a screen, in a quiet office, on tasks that don't change much from week to week. I find I do better when there is more contact with people during the day. I was not sure of that when I started; I am clearer about it now.
MRS REEVES That is a fair answer. People often try to leave a job for negative reasons, and that does not, in my experience, lead to the best changes. You sound like you have thought about it for a while.
SAM I have, yes. I did not want to leave one job before I knew what I was looking for in the next.
MRS REEVES Good. The job is part-time — three days a week, including Saturdays, with the option of additional hours during busy periods like Christmas. The pay is at the small-business standard for retail work in this town — it is not generous, but it is fair, and there is a small staff discount. Are you looking for something part-time, and are those terms broadly acceptable?
SAM Yes. I have been planning a part-time move for a while. I have some savings, and I want time for some other things I have been putting off. The hours sound right. The pay — I do not have specific expectations. As long as it is a reasonable wage for the work, I am not coming in expecting to negotiate hard.
MRS REEVES I appreciate that. Have you worked in a shop before?
SAM Yes — at a small independent café during university, for two years. I served customers, used the till, helped with opening and closing, learned the menu. So I have small-shop experience, but not with books specifically.
MRS REEVES That is fine. The bookshop side is something we can teach you. What we cannot teach is how to be reliably friendly with customers under pressure. Can you give me an example of a time at the café when you handled a difficult customer well?
SAM Yes. There was a regular customer who came in two or three times a week and was usually quite difficult — he would complain about the music, the wait, the price of small things. The other staff had begun to dread his visits. One Wednesday morning, when the café was quiet, I asked him directly but gently if there was something specific we could do that would help. I expected him to be irritated, but he was, in fact, surprised and slightly embarrassed. He said no — that he was not really complaining; that the café was fine. After that, he was much easier with all of us. He had been used to people responding defensively to his complaints, and being asked properly seemed to undo something. I did not transform him; he was still demanding sometimes. But the daily relationship became calmer.
MRS REEVES That is a good answer. Calm, direct, no theatrics, and you notice the limits of what you achieved. In retail you will meet that customer often, in different forms. Do you have any questions for me?
SAM Yes — three or four. How many people work here? What is a typical day like? Is there a probation period? And — although I do not want to ask about money in too pointed a way — could you give me a rough sense of the wage so I can plan?
MRS REEVES All good questions. There are three of us — myself and two part-time staff — and we want a fourth. A typical day starts at nine, with the shop opening at ten; we spend the first hour unpacking, sorting stock, and checking online orders. Between ten and five we are on the floor — serving customers, recommending books, taking phone orders. After five we tidy up and lock up by half past five. There is a three-month probation period for any new member of staff, mostly so we can both decide whether the fit is right. As for the wage — I would prefer to put it in the offer letter rather than negotiate it across the table, but I can tell you broadly that it is in line with similar small bookshops in the area. It will not be a surprise.
SAM Thank you for being clear about that. That is what I needed to know.
MRS REEVES Of course. One more question on my side. You said you have been planning the move for a while, but the card has only been in the window for a fortnight. What about this particular shop made you ask?
SAM A few things. I have been a customer here for years — since university. I like the way you choose the books, and I like the fact that the shop is small enough that you can talk to the same staff over time. The card in the window also seemed unhurried — handwritten, small, nothing pressured about it. I thought, if you wanted help in that way, the shop would probably be a calm place to work in.
MRS REEVES That is generous of you to say.
SAM It is honest, I think.
MRS REEVES Right. Sam, thank you. I have one more interview this afternoon, and I will let both of you know by Friday afternoon.
SAM Thank you for your time, Mrs Reeves. It was a pleasure.
MRS REEVES Thank you. Take a book on your way out — there is a small box of slightly damaged copies near the door that we cannot sell. Choose one. A small thank-you for coming.
Sam picked a slightly bent paperback from the box, said goodbye, and walked out into the cool afternoon. The walk back to the office took twenty minutes, and by the time Sam arrived at the desk, the small careful hope from the interview had not gone away. Mrs Reeves's call came on Friday afternoon at twenty past four. The answer was yes.
Key Vocabulary
quietly wrong phrase
(phrase) wrong in a way that has built up slowly, without anything dramatic happening
"Had gradually become quietly wrong."
to fill in details phrase
(phrase) to add more specific information later
"We can fill in details as we go."
small efficiency phrase
(phrase) the calm professional manner of someone who has done something many times
"The small efficiency of a person who knows how long they have for a particular conversation."
to dread verb
to feel strong fear or worry about something that is going to happen
"The other staff had begun to dread his visits."
theatrics noun (plural)
(noun, plural) dramatic, attention-seeking behaviour
"No theatrics."
probation period phrase
(phrase) a fixed period at the start of a new job during which both employer and employee can decide if the job is right
"Is there a probation period?"
in too pointed a way phrase
(phrase) too directly; in a way that puts pressure on the listener
"Although I do not want to ask about money in too pointed a way."
in line with phrase
(phrase) at about the same level as
"In line with similar small bookshops in the area."
the fit noun
(noun, in employment) how well a person matches a job and a workplace
"Whether the fit is right."
unhurried adjective
without rush; calm in pace
"The card in the window also seemed unhurried."
Questions
Comprehension
  • How does the writer describe Sam's previous job at Anderson Marketing?
    Answer
    It 'had once seemed reasonable and had gradually become — without anything in particular going wrong — quietly wrong'. Indoor, repetitive, lonelier than expected. The salary was fair, colleagues pleasant enough, the office had decent windows. 'None of these things, Sam had come to realise, were enough on their own.'
  • How does the writer describe Mrs Reeves's manner at the start?
    Answer
    She 'had clearly done many of these interviews and had the small efficiency of a person who knows how long they have for a particular conversation'.
  • How does Sam answer 'Why a different pace?'
    Answer
    'The work I do at the moment is mostly on a screen, in a quiet office, on tasks that don't change much from week to week. I find I do better when there is more contact with people during the day. I was not sure of that when I started; I am clearer about it now.'
  • What does Mrs Reeves say about people who try to leave a job for negative reasons?
    Answer
    'That does not, in my experience, lead to the best changes.' She thinks Sam sounds like someone who has thought about it for a while.
  • How does Sam handle the question of money?
    Answer
    'I do not have specific expectations. As long as it is a reasonable wage for the work, I am not coming in expecting to negotiate hard.' Later, when asking the question more directly, Sam says: 'although I do not want to ask about money in too pointed a way — could you give me a rough sense of the wage so I can plan?'
  • How does Mrs Reeves describe Sam's customer-handling answer?
    Answer
    'Calm, direct, no theatrics, and you notice the limits of what you achieved. In retail you will meet that customer often, in different forms.'
  • What are the four questions Sam asks?
    Answer
    (1) How many people work here? (2) What is a typical day like? (3) Is there a probation period? (4) Could you give me a rough sense of the wage?
  • How does Mrs Reeves handle the wage question?
    Answer
    'I would prefer to put it in the offer letter rather than negotiate it across the table, but I can tell you broadly that it is in line with similar small bookshops in the area. It will not be a surprise.'
  • What did Sam say about the card in the window?
    Answer
    'The card in the window also seemed unhurried — handwritten, small, nothing pressured about it. I thought, if you wanted help in that way, the shop would probably be a calm place to work in.'
  • What is the outcome at the end?
    Answer
    Mrs Reeves's call came on Friday afternoon at twenty past four. 'The answer was yes.'
Vocabulary
  • What does 'quietly wrong' mean?
    Answer
    Wrong in a way that has built up slowly, without anything dramatic happening. The phrase captures the experience of a job that becomes unsuitable over time even though nothing has gone obviously wrong. It is more accurate than 'bad' for this kind of slow accumulating wrongness.
  • What does 'in too pointed a way' mean?
    Answer
    Too directly, in a way that puts pressure on the listener. Sam wants to ask about money but does not want to ask aggressively or in a way that makes the question feel like a demand. The phrase signals that Sam is being careful with a sensitive topic.
Inference
  • Why does the writer specifically mention that Mrs Reeves has 'the small efficiency of a person who knows how long they have for a particular conversation'?
    Suggested interpretation
    Because it tells us about how the interview will go. Mrs Reeves is professional, kind, but not someone who will let the conversation wander indefinitely. She has experience and a sense of pacing. The detail prepares us for an interview that is friendly but contained — neither hurried nor extended.
  • Why does Sam say 'I was not sure of that when I started; I am clearer about it now' about wanting more contact with people?
    Suggested interpretation
    Because it shows mature self-knowledge. Sam is not pretending to have always known what they wanted; they are admitting that the realisation has come slowly. This is honest, and it implicitly answers the unspoken interviewer question — is this person making a thoughtful change, or running away from something? The answer suggests thought rather than impulse.
  • Why does Sam handle the money question carefully, with the qualifier 'although I do not want to ask about money in too pointed a way'?
    Suggested interpretation
    Because asking about money in a first interview is socially delicate in many cultures. Sam is acknowledging the awkwardness directly rather than pretending it isn't there. By doing so, Sam handles it gracefully — Mrs Reeves can answer without feeling cornered. The phrasing is a small piece of professional politeness that experienced job applicants learn over time.
  • Why does the writer mention that Mrs Reeves's call came at 'twenty past four' on Friday?
    Suggested interpretation
    The specific time grounds the moment in real life. It is also the kind of detail one remembers from significant phone calls — the exact minute. The closing line, with its precision, gives weight to the brief outcome. By being specific, the writer makes the moment matter.
Discussion
  • Mrs Reeves prefers not to discuss the wage 'across the table'. Is that fair, or should she be more direct?
    Discussion prompts
    Multiple positions. FAIR: written offer letters give both sides time to consider; in-person negotiation can favour the more confident applicant. UNFAIR: applicants need to know if the wage is acceptable before progressing; asking later wastes everyone's time. PROBABLY: depends on the workplace; in small businesses with standard pay, Mrs Reeves's approach is common and reasonable. A useful question.
  • Sam says they have been planning the move for a while but only applied when a card appeared in a window. What does this say about how people actually change jobs?
    Discussion prompts
    Common observations: the change had been brewing internally before any external opportunity appeared; many real career changes happen this way; the right opportunity often appears when one has already done the inner work. A useful question for thinking about how careers actually move.
Personal
  • Have you had to leave something — a job, a course, a place — for a reason that was hard to explain because it was not 'bad'?
    Teacher guidance
    Students' own experience. A reflective question. Common answers: 'Yes, a course that was fine but not for me'; 'A job that was decent but boring'; 'A relationship that was not bad but was not right'. Be warm. The experience of 'quietly wrong' is widely felt.
Writing Task
Prompt
Write a job interview (300–400 words) for a small business. Use the speaker format. Include: a brief introduction (the applicant's situation and why they are interviewing); a clear set of standard questions and answers; one 'tell me about a time' answer with a specific example; the applicant's own questions, including (handled carefully) one about money; the interviewer's response to it; and a brief closing.
Model Answer

Daniel had been working at a busy delivery company for four years. The work paid well, but the schedule was hard and Daniel rarely saw daylight. When a small independent bakery on Park Lane put a notice in the window for a part-time baker's assistant, Daniel applied.

The owner, Mr Ito, met Daniel at three o'clock on a quiet Wednesday afternoon.

MR ITO: Hello, Daniel. Please sit down.
DANIEL: Hello, Mr Ito. Thank you for the interview.
MR ITO: Tell me a little about yourself.
DANIEL: I am 31. I have worked at a delivery company for four years. The pay is reasonable, but I have realised I want a job with more daylight, more contact with people, and a clearer end to the day. I have always loved bread.
MR ITO: Why this bakery?
DANIEL: I have been a customer for two years. I like that you have only six items each day and that they all sell out. It feels like a place that makes things carefully.
MR ITO: We do try. Can you give me an example of a time you handled an awkward situation calmly?
DANIEL: Once on a delivery, I had to tell a customer their parcel was damaged. They were upset. I did not argue. I said I was sorry, asked what would help, and stayed at the door until they had calmed down. They later thanked me.
MR ITO: Good. Do you have questions?
DANIEL: Three. What are the hours? Is there a probation period? And — without wanting to push too hard — could you give me a rough sense of the pay?
MR ITO: Hours are five to twelve, four days a week. Three-month probation. Pay is broadly in line with small bakeries in the area; I prefer to put exact figures in an offer letter rather than discuss them now.
DANIEL: That works for me.
MR ITO: Thank you, Daniel. I will be in touch by Saturday.
DANIEL: Thank you, Mr Ito.

The call came on Saturday morning. The answer was yes.

Activities
  • Reading aloud in pairs: students take the roles of Mrs Reeves and Sam.
  • The 'quietly wrong' framing: in groups, students discuss the writer's description of Sam's previous job. Why is this framing useful?
  • The money question: students examine how Sam handles the wage question and how Mrs Reeves handles it. Discuss whether this is good practice in their context.
  • The 'tell me about a time' answer: students examine Sam's customer-handling story and identify what makes it effective.
  • Cultural sharing: in groups, students discuss how the question of money would be handled in a job interview in their country.
  • Mock interview: in pairs, students prepare and conduct a mock interview that includes the money question, handled carefully.
  • Sentence frames: 'I have been planning a change for a while.' / 'I have realised I want ___.' / 'Without wanting to ask in too pointed a way ___.' Each student writes their own versions.
  • Compare with B1: students compare the B1 and B2 versions and identify three things the B2 adds (the 'small efficiency' description; the money-question handling; the question about why this particular shop).
⏱ Duration: 50 min 🎯 Focus: Sustained job-interview piece in warm, sophisticated, normal prose; layered description of the moment; both sides of the interview given careful attention; the small craft of the well-handled job interview; clear unobtrusive narrative voice
Before You Read / Listen
  • Q1What does a really well-handled job interview look like, from the applicant's side?
  • Q2How do you tell, as an interviewer, whether someone is right for a job?
  • Q3Why is the question about leaving a previous job often the most difficult one in an interview?
  • Q4What is the difference between a good answer and a true answer in a job interview?
  • Q5Why might a small handwritten card in a window attract a different kind of applicant from an online posting?
  • Q6Is the small awkwardness around the money question always present, or is it specific to certain cultures?
  • Q7What does it tell us about a workplace that the interviewer offers a damaged book at the end?
The Text
Sam had been working at a small marketing office for the past five years, doing a job that had once seemed reasonable and had gradually become — without anything in particular going wrong — quietly wrong. The work was indoor, repetitive, and lonelier than Sam had expected. The salary was fair. The colleagues were pleasant enough. The office had decent windows. None of these things, Sam had come to realise over the course of a slow second year, were enough on their own.
When the small independent bookshop on Hill Street put a small handwritten card in the window saying 'Help wanted — please ask inside', Sam asked. Three days later, Sam was sitting in the back room of the shop on a Thursday afternoon, opposite the owner, Mrs Reeves, with a cup of tea on a small wooden table between them. Mrs Reeves was about sixty, grey-haired, with a kind, slightly tired face. She had run the shop for fifteen years. She had clearly done many of these interviews and had the small efficiency of a person who knew, broadly, how long they had for a particular conversation and how they wanted it to go.
I should mention here that I have changed Sam's name and a few small details, but the interview itself happened more or less as described, and Sam — who has now been at the bookshop for eight months — has been generous enough to let me write it up.
MRS REEVES Hello, Sam. Please sit down. Thank you for coming in on a Thursday — I find weekday interviews easier than weekend ones.
SAM Hello, Mrs Reeves. Thank you for the interview. The shop seems calmer than I had expected for a Thursday afternoon.
MRS REEVES It usually is. Thursday is our quietest day, between the weekend rush and the Friday shop. So — tell me a little about yourself. Just the basics; we can fill in details as we go.
SAM Of course. I am 28. I grew up about an hour from here and moved to this town for university. After university, I started at a small marketing company — Anderson Marketing, on Mill Street — and I have been there for five years. The work is fine; the colleagues are decent. But I have been thinking, for a while, that I would like to do something different — somewhere with more people, and somewhere with a different pace. I have always liked bookshops. When I saw your card in the window, I thought I would ask.
MRS REEVES Why a different pace, do you think?
SAM Honestly, the work I do at the moment is mostly on a screen, in a quiet office, on tasks that don't change much from week to week. I find I do better when there is more contact with people during the day. I was not sure of that when I started; I am clearer about it now.
MRS REEVES That is a fair answer. People often try to leave a job for negative reasons, and that does not, in my experience, lead to the best changes. You sound like someone who has been thinking about this.
SAM I have been. I did not want to leave one job before I knew what I was looking for in the next.
MRS REEVES Good. The job is part-time — three days a week, including Saturdays, with the option of a few additional hours during busy periods like Christmas. The pay is at the small-business standard for retail work in this town; it is not generous, but it is fair, and there is a small staff discount on books. Are you looking for part-time, and are those terms broadly acceptable?
SAM Yes. I have been planning a part-time move for a while. I have some savings. I want time for some other things I have been putting off. The hours sound right. The pay — I do not have specific expectations. As long as it is a reasonable wage for the work, I am not coming in expecting to negotiate hard.
MRS REEVES I appreciate that. Have you worked in a shop before?
SAM Yes — at a small independent café during university, for two years. I served customers, used the till, helped with opening and closing, learned the menu. So I have small-shop experience, but not with books specifically.
MRS REEVES That is fine. The bookshop side is something we can teach you. What we can't teach is how to be reliably friendly with customers under pressure. Can you give me an example of a time at the café when you handled a difficult customer well?
SAM Yes. There was a regular customer who came in two or three times a week and was usually quite difficult — he would complain about the music, the wait, the price of small things. The other staff had begun to dread his visits. One Wednesday morning, when the café was quiet, I asked him directly but gently if there was something specific we could do that would help. I expected him to be irritated, but he was, in fact, surprised and slightly embarrassed. He said no — that he was not really complaining; that the café was fine. After that, he was much easier with all of us. He had been used to people responding defensively to his complaints, and being asked properly seemed to undo something. I did not transform him; he was still demanding sometimes. But the daily relationship became calmer.
MRS REEVES That is a good answer. Calm, direct, no theatrics, and you notice the limits of what you achieved. In retail you will meet that customer often, in different forms.
SAM Thank you.
MRS REEVES Do you have any questions for me?
SAM Yes — three or four. How many people work here? What is a typical day like? Is there a probation period? And — although I do not want to ask about money in too pointed a way — could you give me a rough sense of the wage so I can plan?
MRS REEVES All good questions. There are three of us — myself and two part-time staff — and we want a fourth. A typical day starts at nine, with the shop opening at ten; we spend the first hour unpacking, sorting stock, and checking online orders. Between ten and five we are on the floor — serving customers, recommending books, taking phone orders. After five we tidy up and lock the shop by half past five. There is a three-month probation period for any new member of staff, mostly so we can both decide whether the fit is right. As for the wage — I would prefer to put it in the offer letter rather than negotiate it across the table, but I can tell you broadly that it is in line with similar small bookshops in the area. It will not be a surprise.
SAM Thank you for being clear about that. That is what I needed to know.
MRS REEVES Of course. One more question on my side. You said you have been planning the move for a while, but the card has only been in the window for a fortnight. What about this particular shop made you ask?
SAM A few things. I have been a customer here for years — since university. I like the way you choose the books, and I like the fact that the shop is small enough that you can talk to the same staff over time. The card in the window also seemed unhurried — handwritten, small, nothing pressured about it. I thought, if you wanted help in that way, the shop would probably be a calm place to work in.
MRS REEVES That is generous of you to say.
SAM It is honest, I think.
MRS REEVES Right. Sam, thank you. I have one more interview this afternoon, and I will let both of you know by Friday afternoon.
SAM Thank you for your time, Mrs Reeves. It was a pleasure.
MRS REEVES Thank you. Take a book on your way out — there is a small box of slightly damaged copies near the door that we cannot sell. Choose one. A small thank-you for coming.
Sam picked a slightly bent paperback from the box, said goodbye, and walked out into the cool afternoon. The walk back to the office took twenty minutes. By the time Sam arrived at the desk, the small careful hope from the interview had not gone away.
Mrs Reeves's call came on Friday afternoon at twenty past four. The answer was yes. Sam gave notice at Anderson Marketing the following Monday and started at the bookshop three weeks later. Eight months on, both Sam and Mrs Reeves agree, on separate occasions when I asked them, that it has been one of the better small decisions either of them has made. The bookshop is still a calm place to work in. The new card in the window — they put another one up last month, looking for occasional Saturday cover — is, again, handwritten, small, and unhurried. They tell me it has already produced two enquiries.
Key Vocabulary
to fill in details phrase
(phrase) to add more specific information later
"We can fill in details as we go."
small efficiency phrase
(phrase) the calm professional manner of someone who has done something many times
"The small efficiency of a person who knew how long they had."
to undo (something figurative) verb (figurative)
(figurative) to reverse or release a hardened pattern
"Being asked properly seemed to undo something."
theatrics noun (plural)
(noun, plural) dramatic, attention-seeking behaviour
"No theatrics."
in too pointed a way phrase
(phrase) too directly; in a way that puts pressure on the listener
"Although I do not want to ask about money in too pointed a way."
the fit noun
(noun, in employment) how well a person matches a job and a workplace
"Whether the fit is right."
in line with phrase
(phrase) at about the same level as
"In line with similar small bookshops in the area."
to give notice phrase
(phrase) to tell your employer you are leaving the job, in advance
"Sam gave notice at Anderson Marketing."
Saturday cover phrase
(phrase) someone to do the work on Saturdays
"Looking for occasional Saturday cover."
to produce enquiries phrase
(phrase) to result in people asking for more information
"It has already produced two enquiries."
Questions
Comprehension
  • How does the writer describe Sam's previous job?
    Answer
    It 'had once seemed reasonable and had gradually become — without anything in particular going wrong — quietly wrong'. Indoor, repetitive, lonelier than expected. Salary fair, colleagues pleasant, office had decent windows. 'None of these things... were enough on their own.'
  • What note does the writer add at the start about how the piece was put together?
    Answer
    'I have changed Sam's name and a few small details, but the interview itself happened more or less as described, and Sam — who has now been at the bookshop for eight months — has been generous enough to let me write it up.'
  • How does Mrs Reeves explain her view about people leaving jobs for negative reasons?
    Answer
    'People often try to leave a job for negative reasons, and that does not, in my experience, lead to the best changes.' She says Sam sounds like someone who has been thinking about this.
  • How does Sam frame the customer's surprise at being asked properly?
    Answer
    'He had been used to people responding defensively to his complaints, and being asked properly seemed to undo something.'
  • What does Mrs Reeves say is the part of customer-facing work that 'cannot be taught'?
    Answer
    How to be 'reliably friendly with customers under pressure'.
  • What does Sam ask, and how does Sam frame the money question?
    Answer
    How many people work here, what a typical day is like, whether there is a probation period, and 'although I do not want to ask about money in too pointed a way — could you give me a rough sense of the wage so I can plan?'
  • Why does Mrs Reeves prefer to put the wage in an offer letter?
    Answer
    She would prefer 'to put it in the offer letter rather than negotiate it across the table'. She tells Sam broadly that it is 'in line with similar small bookshops in the area' and 'will not be a surprise'.
  • What did Sam say about the card in the window?
    Answer
    'The card in the window also seemed unhurried — handwritten, small, nothing pressured about it. I thought, if you wanted help in that way, the shop would probably be a calm place to work in.'
  • What does the writer tell us about what happened after the interview?
    Answer
    Mrs Reeves's call came on Friday afternoon at twenty past four; the answer was yes. Sam gave notice the following Monday and started three weeks later. Eight months on, both agree it has been 'one of the better small decisions either of them has made'.
  • What does the writer mention about the bookshop's most recent card in the window?
    Answer
    They put a new one up last month, looking for occasional Saturday cover. It is 'again, handwritten, small, and unhurried'. It has already produced two enquiries.
Vocabulary
  • What does 'quietly wrong' mean?
    Answer
    Wrong in a way that has built up slowly, without anything dramatic happening. The phrase is precise about a particular kind of slow misfit between a person and a job — nothing bad, just gradually less right.
  • What is 'the fit', in employment?
    Answer
    How well a person matches a job and a workplace. The probation period exists, Mrs Reeves says, 'so we can both decide whether the fit is right' — recognising that fit goes both ways.
Inference
  • Why does the writer add the note that they have 'changed Sam's name and a few small details'?
    Suggested interpretation
    Because the writer wants to be honest with the reader about the form of the piece. The acknowledgement signals that this is a written-up version of a real conversation, not a verbatim transcript or pure invention. It also subtly reassures the reader that the piece has been done with the subject's permission. This is normal practice in good profile writing.
  • Why does Sam answer the question about wage by saying 'I am not coming in expecting to negotiate hard'?
    Suggested interpretation
    Because Sam wants to signal good faith: the wage discussion will not be a contest. By saying so explicitly, Sam removes one source of awkwardness for Mrs Reeves and signals that the discussion can be straightforward. It is a small piece of the careful balance that good interview answers maintain — being clear about your position without pushing too hard.
  • Why does Mrs Reeves ask Sam, near the end, what about this particular shop made them apply?
    Suggested interpretation
    Because the question separates a thoughtful applicant from a generic one. Anyone can want a job; only someone who has paid attention to this specific shop can answer the question well. Mrs Reeves is testing whether Sam's interest is real or generic — and Sam's answer (the books, the staff continuity, the unhurried card) shows it is real.
  • Why does the writer end with the new card in the window producing 'two enquiries'?
    Suggested interpretation
    The closing detail confirms what the interview suggested — the bookshop's quiet, unhurried way of looking for staff continues to work. The new card has produced enquiries, just as the original one produced Sam. The closing also gives the piece a small forward motion: the shop continues; small careful processes keep working. It is a generous, undramatic ending.
Discussion
  • Mrs Reeves says people who leave jobs for negative reasons rarely make the best changes. Is she right?
    Discussion prompts
    Multiple positions. RIGHT: leaving towards something is usually more sustainable than leaving away from something; you carry your dissatisfaction with you if you have not addressed it. NOT QUITE RIGHT: sometimes a bad job is genuinely bad and leaving for negative reasons is correct; the distinction can be over-applied. PROBABLY: the principle is broadly true but should not be used to make people stay in jobs that are actually wrong. A useful question.
  • Is the small awkwardness around the wage question something to manage carefully, as Sam does, or to push past directly?
    Discussion prompts
    Multiple positions. MANAGE CAREFULLY: in many professional contexts, careful framing is appropriate; pushing past awkwardness can make interviewers uncomfortable. PUSH PAST: applicants need clear information about pay before progressing; carefulness can be a way of letting employers underpay. PROBABLY: depends on the workplace and the relationship. In a small shop with standard pay, Sam's approach works. In other contexts, more direct questioning may be needed.
Personal
  • Have you, like Sam, ever had a job that became 'quietly wrong' rather than bad? How did you decide what to do?
    Teacher guidance
    Students' own experience. Common answers: 'Yes, I changed jobs after three years of feeling something was off'; 'I knew but couldn't explain to anyone'; 'I waited too long'. Be warm. Many students will recognise this. The story names something widely felt.
Writing Task
Prompt
Write a job interview write-up (350–450 words) for a small business — real or imagined. Use the speaker format. Include: a brief introduction explaining the applicant's situation; a short note about how the piece was assembled; the interview itself with at least 6 substantive exchanges, including a 'tell me about a time' answer and a careful question about money; a brief closing scene; a short final paragraph telling the reader what happened next.
Model Answer

Lina had been working as an accountant at a large firm for six years. The pay was good but the days were long, and she had begun to find herself dreading Mondays in a way she had not dreaded them before. When she saw an advert for a part-time bookkeeper at a local theatre, she applied — partly because the hours were better, partly because the theatre was a place she had loved since childhood.

The interview was on a Thursday afternoon with the theatre's manager, Mr Adesina. (I have changed names and small details, but Lina has agreed to let me write the piece up.)

MR ADESINA: Hello, Lina. Please sit down. Tell me about yourself.
LINA: I am 31. I have been an accountant at Whitehouse and Partners for six years. The work is fine, but I would like fewer hours and a place where I can see the work I am supporting actually happen.
MR ADESINA: Why a theatre?
LINA: My grandfather brought me here as a child. I have been a regular for years. I would like to do my work in a place I already care about.
MR ADESINA: Tell me about a time when you spotted a problem before anyone else did.
LINA: At Whitehouse, I noticed last year that a small client's invoices did not match their order book. It was a quiet error, but I flagged it. The investigation found a long-running mistake that had cost the client about ten thousand pounds. They got most of it back.
MR ADESINA: Good. Do you have questions?
LINA: Three. What are the hours? Is there a probation period? And — without wanting to push — could you give me a rough sense of the pay?
MR ADESINA: Three days a week. Six-month probation. Pay is in line with similar arts organisations; I prefer to put exact figures in an offer letter, but I can tell you it will not be a shock.
LINA: That works for me.
MR ADESINA: Thank you, Lina. I will be in touch by Friday.

The call came on Friday at three. Lina gave notice the following week. Eight months on, she works three days at the theatre and one day a week as a part-time accountant for two long-standing clients she did not want to lose. She tells me she is the most rested she has been in a decade, and that she has watched four productions from beginning to end since she started.

Activities
  • Reading aloud in pairs: students take the roles of Mrs Reeves and Sam. Practise the dialogue.
  • The 'quietly wrong' framing: in groups, students discuss the writer's framing of Sam's previous job. Where else does this kind of slow misfit happen?
  • The note about how the piece was assembled: students examine the writer's brief note explaining the changes made. Why is this transparency useful?
  • The money question: students examine carefully how Sam handles the wage question and how Mrs Reeves handles it. Discuss what would have gone wrong with worse phrasing.
  • The closing detail: in pairs, students discuss why the writer ends with the new card in the window. What does this small detail do?
  • Cultural sharing: in groups, students discuss how a small-business job interview works in their culture.
  • Mock interview: in pairs, students prepare and conduct a mock interview applying the principles in the text — clear self-presentation, a 'tell me about a time' answer, a carefully framed money question.
  • Compare with B2: students compare the B2 and C1 versions and identify three things the C1 adds (the writer's note about changes; the closing eight-months-on update; the new card in the window).
⏱ Duration: 55 min 🎯 Focus: A sustained job-interview write-up in warm, direct, sophisticated prose; both sides of the interview given careful attention; the small craft of the well-handled exchange; clear unobtrusive narrative voice; an extended closing that follows the consequences of the interview months later
Before You Read / Listen
  • Q1What does it tell you about a workplace that the interviewer offers a damaged book at the end of an interview?
  • Q2Why is the question 'why are you leaving your current job' often the most important moment in an interview?
  • Q3How can you tell, eight months later, whether a job change was the right one?
  • Q4Is there a small craft in writing up a real interview as a piece for others to read from?
  • Q5Why might a small bookshop's hiring practices say something interesting about the bookshop itself?
  • Q6Why is the moment of giving notice at a previous job often more difficult than people expect?
  • Q7What does it mean for a job change to be 'one of the better small decisions' someone has made?
  • Q8Why is the awkwardness around money in interviews remarkably persistent across cultures?
The Text
Sam had been working at a small marketing office for the past five years, doing a job that had once seemed reasonable and had gradually become — without anything in particular going wrong — quietly wrong. The work was indoor, repetitive, and lonelier than Sam had expected. The salary was fair. The colleagues were pleasant enough. The office had decent windows. None of these things, Sam had come to realise over the course of a slow second year, were enough on their own.
When the small independent bookshop on Hill Street put a small handwritten card in the window saying 'Help wanted — please ask inside', Sam asked. Three days later, Sam was sitting in the back room of the shop on a Thursday afternoon, opposite the owner, Mrs Reeves, with a cup of tea on a small wooden table between them. Mrs Reeves was about sixty, grey-haired, with a kind, slightly tired face. She had run the shop for fifteen years and had clearly done many of these interviews before; she had the small efficiency of a person who knew, broadly, how long they had for a particular conversation and how they wanted it to go.
I should explain how this piece was put together. I have changed Sam's name and a few small details. The interview happened more or less as described, but I was not present at it; Sam wrote up notes that evening, and we sat down together a year later to go through them. Mrs Reeves agreed, separately, to confirm her side of the conversation and to answer a few small questions of my own. Sam has now been at the bookshop for eight months. Both Sam and Mrs Reeves have been generous enough to let me write up the interview itself, and to talk about what came afterwards.
MRS REEVES Hello, Sam. Please sit down. Thank you for coming in on a Thursday — I find weekday interviews easier than weekend ones.
SAM Hello, Mrs Reeves. Thank you for the interview. The shop seems calmer than I had expected for a Thursday afternoon.
MRS REEVES It usually is. Thursday is our quietest day, between the weekend rush and the Friday shop. So — tell me a little about yourself. Just the basics; we can fill in details as we go.
SAM Of course. I am 28. I grew up about an hour from here and moved to this town for university. After university, I started at a small marketing company — Anderson Marketing, on Mill Street — and I have been there for five years. The work is fine; the colleagues are decent. But I have been thinking, for a while, that I would like to do something different — somewhere with more people, and somewhere with a different pace. I have always liked bookshops. When I saw your card in the window, I thought I would ask.
MRS REEVES Why a different pace, do you think?
SAM Honestly, the work I do at the moment is mostly on a screen, in a quiet office, on tasks that don't change much from week to week. I find I do better when there is more contact with people during the day. I was not sure of that when I started; I am clearer about it now.
MRS REEVES That is a fair answer. People often try to leave a job for negative reasons, and that does not, in my experience, lead to the best changes. You sound like someone who has been thinking about this.
SAM I have been. I did not want to leave one job before I knew what I was looking for in the next.
MRS REEVES Good. The job is part-time — three days a week, including Saturdays, with the option of a few additional hours during busy periods like Christmas. The pay is at the small-business standard for retail work in this town; it is not generous, but it is fair, and there is a small staff discount on books. Are you looking for part-time, and are those terms broadly acceptable?
SAM Yes. I have been planning a part-time move for a while. I have some savings. I want time for some other things I have been putting off — I want to start running again, see my parents more often, take a small writing course I have been thinking about. The hours sound right. The pay — I do not have specific expectations. As long as it is a reasonable wage for the work, I am not coming in expecting to negotiate hard.
MRS REEVES I appreciate that. Have you worked in a shop before?
SAM Yes — at a small independent café during university, for two years. I served customers, used the till, helped with opening and closing, learned the menu. So I have small-shop experience, but not with books specifically.
MRS REEVES That is fine. The bookshop side is something we can teach you. What we cannot teach is how to be reliably friendly with customers under pressure. Can you give me an example of a time at the café when you handled a difficult customer well?
SAM Yes. There was a regular customer who came in two or three times a week and was usually quite difficult — he would complain about the music, the wait, the price of small things. The other staff had begun to dread his visits. One Wednesday morning, when the café was quiet, I asked him directly but gently if there was something specific we could do that would help. I expected him to be irritated, but he was, in fact, surprised and slightly embarrassed. He said no — that he was not really complaining; that the café was fine. After that, he was much easier with all of us. He had been used to people responding defensively to his complaints, and being asked properly seemed to undo something. I did not transform him; he was still demanding sometimes. But the daily relationship became calmer.
MRS REEVES That is a good answer. Calm, direct, no theatrics, and you notice the limits of what you achieved. In retail you will meet that customer often, in different forms. Do you have any questions for me?
SAM Yes — three or four. How many people work here? What is a typical day like? Is there a probation period? And — although I do not want to ask about money in too pointed a way — could you give me a rough sense of the wage so I can plan?
MRS REEVES All good questions. There are three of us — myself and two part-time staff — and we want a fourth. A typical day starts at nine, with the shop opening at ten; we spend the first hour unpacking, sorting stock, and checking online orders. Between ten and five we are on the floor — serving customers, recommending books, taking phone orders. After five we tidy up and lock the shop by half past five. There is a three-month probation period for any new member of staff, mostly so we can both decide whether the fit is right. As for the wage — I would prefer to put it in the offer letter rather than negotiate it across the table, but I can tell you broadly that it is in line with similar small bookshops in the area. It will not be a surprise.
SAM Thank you for being clear about that. That is what I needed to know.
MRS REEVES Of course. One more question on my side. You said you have been planning the move for a while, but the card has only been in the window for a fortnight. What about this particular shop made you ask?
SAM A few things. I have been a customer here for years — since university. I like the way you choose the books, and I like the fact that the shop is small enough that you can talk to the same staff over time. The card in the window also seemed unhurried — handwritten, small, nothing pressured about it. I thought, if you wanted help in that way, the shop would probably be a calm place to work in.
MRS REEVES That is generous of you to say.
SAM It is honest, I think.
MRS REEVES Right. Sam, thank you. I have one more interview this afternoon, and I will let both of you know by Friday afternoon.
SAM Thank you for your time, Mrs Reeves. It was a pleasure.
MRS REEVES Thank you. Take a book on your way out — there is a small box of slightly damaged copies near the door that we cannot sell. Choose one. A small thank-you for coming.
Sam picked a slightly bent paperback from the box, said goodbye, and walked out into the cool afternoon. The walk back to the office took twenty minutes. By the time Sam arrived at the desk, the small careful hope from the interview had not gone away.
Mrs Reeves's call came on Friday afternoon at twenty past four. The answer was yes.
Sam gave notice at Anderson Marketing the following Monday. The notice itself, Sam told me later, was harder to give than expected. The line manager — a perfectly decent woman in her late forties — was visibly disappointed in a way that Sam had not quite been prepared for. Sam had not realised, in five years of being a quiet presence in the office, how much that quiet presence had been valued. The exit interview, three weeks later, was warmer than Sam expected and slightly sad in a way that had not been expected either. Some of the colleagues were genuinely sorry to see Sam go. One of them — a man Sam had not been particularly close to — said, in passing, that the office would feel different without Sam, and that Sam had been one of the people in it who never made anything more difficult than it had to be. Sam was, by Sam's own account, more affected by this than by the formal goodbyes.
Sam started at the bookshop three weeks later. The first month, by Sam's account, was harder than expected — the work was physically more tiring than office work; the till was less intuitive than it looked; the books, of which Sam had been a confident customer, turned out to require a different kind of knowledge from a different angle when one was the person recommending them. By month three, the rhythm had started to settle. By month six, Sam had become the person at the shop who handled the phone orders, having worked out, slowly, that this was the part of the work Sam was best at — where the patient careful manner that had served Sam well at the office translated naturally into a small specific kind of bookshop competence.
Eight months on, both Sam and Mrs Reeves agree, on separate occasions when I asked them, that it has been one of the better small decisions either of them has made. Sam has started running again. The part-time hours have allowed Sam to see Sam's parents more often than at any point in the past five years. The small writing course has been more useful than expected. Anderson Marketing, by way of an unexpected coda, did not last long without Sam in the role; the company restructured ten months later, and several of the people Sam worked with were made redundant. Sam thinks about them sometimes.
The bookshop is still a calm place to work in. The new card in the window — they put another one up last month, looking for occasional Saturday cover — is, again, handwritten, small, and unhurried. Mrs Reeves told me, when I asked, that it has already produced two enquiries. One of them sounded particularly promising. The interview is scheduled, as it happens, for next Thursday afternoon.
Key Vocabulary
to fill in details phrase
(phrase) to add more specific information later
"We can fill in details as we go."
small efficiency phrase
(phrase) the calm professional manner of someone who has done something many times
"The small efficiency of a person who knew how long they had."
to undo (something figurative) verb (figurative)
(figurative) to reverse a hardened pattern
"Being asked properly seemed to undo something."
in too pointed a way phrase
(phrase) too directly; in a way that puts pressure on the listener
"Although I do not want to ask about money in too pointed a way."
the fit noun
(noun, in employment) how well a person matches a job and a workplace
"Whether the fit is right."
exit interview phrase
(phrase) a final conversation an employer holds with someone who is leaving the job
"The exit interview, three weeks later."
unexpected coda phrase
(phrase) a final small event that comes after one thought a story was finished
"By way of an unexpected coda."
to restructure (a company) verb
(verb) to reorganise the company, often resulting in some staff losing their jobs
"The company restructured ten months later."
to be made redundant phrase
(phrase) to lose one's job because the company no longer needs the role
"Several were made redundant."
Saturday cover phrase
(phrase) someone to do the work on Saturdays
"Looking for occasional Saturday cover."
Questions
Comprehension
  • How does the writer explain the way this piece was put together?
    Answer
    The writer changed Sam's name and a few small details. They were not present at the interview; Sam wrote up notes that evening, and they sat down together a year later. Mrs Reeves agreed separately to confirm her side and answer questions. Both Sam and Mrs Reeves agreed to let the writer publish the interview and discuss what came afterwards.
  • How does Mrs Reeves describe Sam's customer-handling answer?
    Answer
    'Calm, direct, no theatrics, and you notice the limits of what you achieved. In retail you will meet that customer often, in different forms.'
  • How was giving notice at Anderson Marketing for Sam?
    Answer
    Harder than expected. The line manager was 'visibly disappointed in a way that Sam had not quite been prepared for'. Sam had not realised how much their 'quiet presence' had been valued. The exit interview was 'warmer than Sam expected and slightly sad in a way that had not been expected either'.
  • What did one of Sam's colleagues say in passing?
    Answer
    That 'the office would feel different without Sam, and that Sam had been one of the people in it who never made anything more difficult than it had to be'. Sam was more affected by this than by the formal goodbyes.
  • How did the first month at the bookshop go for Sam?
    Answer
    Harder than expected. The work was physically more tiring than office work; the till was less intuitive than it looked; the books required 'a different kind of knowledge from a different angle' when one was recommending rather than buying.
  • What had Sam become particularly good at by month six?
    Answer
    Handling the phone orders. The 'patient careful manner that had served Sam well at the office translated naturally into a small specific kind of bookshop competence'.
  • What 'unexpected coda' does the writer report about Anderson Marketing?
    Answer
    The company 'did not last long without Sam in the role; the company restructured ten months later, and several of the people Sam worked with were made redundant. Sam thinks about them sometimes.'
  • What changes has the new role allowed Sam to make?
    Answer
    Started running again; seeing parents more often than at any point in the past five years; the small writing course has been more useful than expected.
  • What does the writer report at the end about the new card in the window?
    Answer
    It has already produced two enquiries. 'One of them sounded particularly promising. The interview is scheduled, as it happens, for next Thursday afternoon.'
Vocabulary
  • What does 'to be made redundant' mean?
    Answer
    To lose one's job because the company no longer needs the role. It is different from being fired for poor performance — it is usually about the company's restructuring rather than the individual employee's work.
  • What is an 'unexpected coda'?
    Answer
    A final small event that comes after one thought a story was finished. The writer uses it about the news of Anderson Marketing's restructuring — Sam had left months before, and the news arrives as a kind of postscript to Sam's own story.
Inference
  • Why does the writer give an unusually long account of the giving-notice and exit-interview moments?
    Suggested interpretation
    Because giving notice is often the most underestimated part of a job change. The writer is making a careful point: leaving a job can be more emotionally weighted than the leaver expects, even when the change is right. Sam had not anticipated the manager's disappointment or the colleague's small parting comment. The detail honours something widely felt but rarely described in interview write-ups.
  • Why does the writer describe the first month at the bookshop as harder than Sam had expected?
    Suggested interpretation
    Because the writer is being honest about what changing jobs is actually like. Even a good change is uncomfortable at first; physical demands, system unfamiliarity, and the gap between being a customer and being a worker all take time to absorb. By including this, the writer prevents the piece from sounding like a straightforward success story.
  • Why does the writer tell us that Anderson Marketing restructured ten months after Sam left?
    Suggested interpretation
    Because the detail adds a kind of grim irony to Sam's decision. Sam had been worried, like anyone leaving a steady job, about whether they were doing the right thing. The fact that the company restructured shortly afterwards suggests that the steady job was less steady than it looked. The detail also gives us insight into Sam's character — that they think about former colleagues, especially those who lost jobs.
  • Why does the writer end with the news that an interview is scheduled for next Thursday afternoon?
    Suggested interpretation
    The closing detail mirrors the opening situation — another applicant, perhaps, will sit in the back room with Mrs Reeves on a Thursday afternoon. The story does not end with Sam; it continues with someone else who has just seen a card in the window. The closing makes the bookshop feel like a continuing place, where the careful processes that brought Sam in keep working. It is an undramatic but warm ending.
Discussion
  • Why might giving notice be more emotionally loaded than the leaver expects?
    Discussion prompts
    Common observations: you discover how others see you only when you are leaving; the formality of notice forces a reckoning with what the workplace has been; people are often kinder than they have been all along; you yourself realise what you are giving up. A useful question.
  • The writer mentions that Sam thinks sometimes about colleagues made redundant. Why does this detail matter to the piece?
    Discussion prompts
    Common observations: it shows Sam's character; it adds moral weight to a story that could otherwise feel triumphal; it acknowledges that other people's lives continued to be affected by changes Sam was no longer present for. The detail makes the piece more honest and less self-congratulatory. A useful close-reading question.
  • Has writing-up the interview changed how you would prepare for one of your own?
    Discussion prompts
    Common answers: 'Yes, I would think more carefully about why I am leaving the previous job'; 'I would prepare a tell-me-about-a-time example'; 'I would think about the question I would ask back'; 'I would handle the money question more carefully'. A useful practical question.
  • How does this interview write-up's combined approach (transcript + before-and-after framing) compare with a straight magazine interview? What can each form do that the other cannot?
    Discussion prompts
    Common observations: a straight transcript captures the moment cleanly but misses the consequences; a write-up like this includes context, follow-up, and outcome but is more shaped by the writer. The straight interview is closer to the conversation; the write-up is closer to the truth of the change. Both forms have value. A useful question.
Personal
  • Have you, like Sam, found that a job change was harder in the first month than you had expected? What helped you settle?
    Teacher guidance
    Students' own experience. Common answers: 'Yes, it took me three months to feel I belonged'; 'A colleague who was patient with me'; 'Telling myself the discomfort was normal'. Be warm. The experience is widely shared.
  • Have you ever had a job change where, looking back, an unexpected thing about leaving the previous job stayed with you more than the new job itself?
    Teacher guidance
    Students' own experience. Common answers: 'Yes, what a former colleague said to me as I left'; 'The look on my manager's face'; 'The realisation that I would miss something I had not appreciated'. Be warm. The experience is widely shared.
Writing Task
Prompt
Write a job interview write-up (550–700 words) for a small business — real or imagined. Use the speaker format. Include: a brief introduction; a short note about how the piece was put together (with permission, with names changed); the interview itself, with at least 8 substantive exchanges, including a 'tell me about a time' answer and a carefully framed money question; an extended closing section that follows the consequences of the interview months later, including at least one moment that was harder than the protagonist expected and one small unexpected coda or surprise. Aim for warm, sophisticated, normal prose — not over-literary.
Model Answer

Lina had been working as an accountant at a large firm for six years. The pay was good but the days were long. She had begun to dread Mondays in a way she had not used to. When she saw a small advert for a part-time bookkeeper at a local theatre, she applied — partly because the hours were better, partly because the theatre was a place she had loved since childhood.

The interview was on a Thursday afternoon, with the theatre's manager, Mr Adesina. (I have changed names and small details. Lina has been generous enough to let me write up the conversation, and Mr Adesina, when I asked separately, confirmed his side. Lina has now been at the theatre for a year.)

MR ADESINA: Hello, Lina. Please sit down. Tell me about yourself.
LINA: I am 31. I have been an accountant at Whitehouse and Partners for six years. The work is fine, but I would like fewer hours and a place where I can see the work I am supporting actually happen.
MR ADESINA: Why a theatre?
LINA: My grandfather brought me here as a child. I have been a regular for years.
MR ADESINA: Tell me about a time when you spotted a problem before anyone else did.
LINA: At Whitehouse, I noticed last year that a small client's invoices did not match their order book. It was a quiet error, but I flagged it. The investigation found a long-running mistake that had cost the client about ten thousand pounds. They got most of it back.
MR ADESINA: Good. Do you have questions?
LINA: Three. What are the hours? Is there a probation period? And — without wanting to push — could you give me a rough sense of the pay?
MR ADESINA: Three days a week. Six-month probation. Pay is in line with similar arts organisations; I prefer to put exact figures in an offer letter, but I can tell you it will not be a shock.
LINA: That works for me.
MR ADESINA: Thank you, Lina. I will be in touch by Friday.

The call came on Friday at three. Lina gave notice the following week. The notice itself, Lina told me later, was more emotionally loaded than expected. Her line manager was visibly upset, and one of the senior partners told her, with what seemed to be genuine regret, that the firm had been hoping to promote her at the next review. Lina had not known about the promotion. She thought about it for several days afterwards. In the end, she did not change her mind.

The first month at the theatre was harder than Lina had expected. The systems were old; the staff were friendly but had their own established ways of working; the bookkeeping turned out to involve far more juggling of small accounts than the larger firm's tidy work had required. By month three, the rhythm had begun to settle. By month six, Lina had taken on the touring company's accounts as well as the in-house ones, having quietly become the person at the theatre who could untangle complicated invoices.

A year on, Lina works three days at the theatre and one day a week as a part-time accountant for two long-standing clients she did not want to lose. She is the most rested she has been in a decade. She has watched seven productions from beginning to end since she started. The senior partner who had wanted to promote her left the firm last summer in a small reorganisation; Lina was sorry to hear about it but, she told me, no longer regretful that she had not stayed for the promotion. The theatre has just put up a small notice in the foyer: they are looking for occasional cover for the box office on weekends. Two people, Lina says, have already applied.

Activities
  • Reading aloud in pairs: students take the roles of Mrs Reeves and Sam.
  • The transparency note: students examine the writer's brief explanation of how the piece was put together. Where else does this kind of transparency matter in writing?
  • Giving notice: in groups, students discuss the extended description of Sam's notice period and exit interview. Why does the writer give this so much space?
  • The first hard month: students examine the description of Sam's difficult first month. Why is this here, in a piece that could otherwise be straightforwardly positive?
  • The unexpected coda: in pairs, students discuss the news of Anderson Marketing's restructuring. What does this detail do for the piece?
  • The closing image: students examine the closing line about the new interview scheduled for next Thursday afternoon. What does this echo? What does it do for the reader?
  • Mock interview with extended consequences: in pairs, students prepare and conduct a mock interview, then write a paragraph about what happened in the first month afterwards.
  • Compare with C1: students compare the C1 and C2 versions and identify three places where the C2 voice goes further (the writer's involvement note; the extended account of giving notice; the unexpected coda about Anderson; the closing parallel with the new interview).

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