Today is an important day for Michael. He has a phone interview for a new job. The interview is at two o'clock in the afternoon. Michael wakes up early to prepare. He wants to be ready. He reads about the company on the internet. The company makes software for hospitals. They help doctors and nurses. Michael writes some questions about the job on a piece of paper. He also prepares answers to common interview questions. 'Why do you want this job?' he asks himself and practices his answer. At noon, Michael eats a light lunch. He does not want to feel too full. He drinks a glass of water and takes a few deep breaths to relax. At one thirty, Michael checks his phone. The battery is full. He finds a quiet room in his apartment for the call. He closes the window so there is no noise from the street. At two o'clock exactly, the phone rings. Michael answers immediately. 'Hello, this is Sarah from TechHealth Solutions,' says the woman on the phone. 'Hello Sarah, I am Michael. Thank you for calling,' he replies politely. Sarah explains that she is the human resources manager. 'Tell me about yourself,' Sarah begins. Michael talks about his education and work experience. He has worked as a programmer for five years. 'Why do you want to work for our company?' Sarah asks. Michael explains that he wants to help people through technology. 'Healthcare software is very meaningful work,' he says. Sarah asks about his skills. Michael mentions programming languages he knows. He also talks about projects he completed at his previous job. 'What is your biggest weakness?' Sarah asks next. Michael thinks for a moment. This is a difficult question. 'Sometimes I work too hard and forget to take breaks,' he answers honestly. Sarah laughs. 'That is a common problem in our industry.' The interview continues for twenty more minutes. Sarah asks about his teamwork skills and how he handles problems. Michael gives clear and confident answers to each question. 'Do you have any questions for me?' Sarah asks at the end. Michael asks about the team he would work with. He also asks about opportunities to learn new skills. 'We offer training programs for our employees,' Sarah explains. 'Thank you for the interview. It was nice talking to you,' Michael says. 'We will contact you next week with our decision,' Sarah replies. Michael hangs up the phone and smiles. He feels good about the interview. He hopes to hear good news soon.
Story illustration coming soon
The Phone Interview
English Story for Elementarys (A2)
This A2 English story is designed for elementarys learning English. It includes simple vocabulary and short sentences to help you improve your reading and listening skills. Click any word to see translations and hear pronunciation.
About this story
Michael prepares carefully for a phone interview at TechHealth Solutions, a company that makes healthcare software. He researches the company, prepares answers to common questions, and finds a quiet room for the call. During the interview with HR manager Sarah, he discusses his five years of programming experience, his interest in helping people through technology, and his skills. He answers questions about his strengths and weaknesses, asks about the team and training opportunities, and feels confident after the interview. Now he waits to hear back with their decision.
Underlined word = shows word translationOther words = shows sentence translation
Vocabulary
30 words from this story
Tap any word to see it in context