AEE 232: What You MUST Know About Interviews in the United States

Do you want to get a job in the US? Today, Lindsay and Michelle discuss what you need to know to excel at an American job interview!   Taking IELTS? Get our free IELTS video training now   Job interviews everywhere focus on skills and training.  But in the US, employers are usually interested in character as well.  They want to know whether you’re a team player, what your potential is to be a leader, and how you will grow in your job. As such, they might ask some questions focused more on your behaviors than your skills.  It would help to think about these questions ahead of time, so you can be prepared.   Some American job interview questions might include: “Tell us about the most difficult/frustrating individual you ever had to work with, and how you managed to work with them.”  By asking this, they’re seeing whether you can rise above a problem and keep it from affecting the company. “Give an example of how you’ve broken out of a routine or when you’ve successfully developed a new approach.”  Here they’re asking you to show flexibility. “How do you schedule your time/prioritize time when you have a tight turnaround?”  With this, you might want to explain how you ask others for help or delegate your work.   In answering all of these questions, try to tell a story from conflict to resolution, and keep it under three minutes if possible.   Do employers ask questions like these during job interviews in your country? Tell us about it in the comments section below!     Brad received his undergraduate degree at New York University in 1984, and spent the next 15 years in the business world focused on sales and marketing.  After spending a year testing the English teaching waters in Korea, he returned to the USA and got a Masters degree in TESOL from Seattle University in March 2001. Since then Brad has worked in London for a summer, spent a few years in Ireland writing TEFL materials for the Wall Street Institute and other companies, and has worked in Germany and Austria as an in-house Business English trainer for companies like Siemens, Deutsche Post/DHL and EADS. He has also taught many seminars and workshops for various companies on skills like presentations and business correspondence, as well as a business course for two years at the University of Ulm, Germany.   How to Work with Brad on italki: Step 1- Go to italki to get $10 off your second lesson. You must use this link to get the special deal. Step 2- Search for “Brad C” in the teacher search bar after you have registered with the above link for our special promotion.

AEE 231: How NOT to Be a Play-It-Safer When It Comes to Your English

Do you ever take a risk when learning English? Or would you rather be ordinary and routine? Today, Lindsay and Michelle discuss how not being a play-it-safer can help your English grow!   Come back to our site for more tips

AEE 230: Going to San Francisco? Learn How to "Get Local" with italki Teacher Sarah Honour

Do you want some help with the local English in San Francisco? Today, San Francisco native Sarah Honour talks about how you can go local with your English in the City by the Bay!   Taking IELTS? Get our free IELTS video training course   San Francisco is one of the most unique and amazing cities in the United States.  It’s residents are technology-centric due to their proximity to Silicon Valley, as well as health-centric and nature-centric due to the progressive philosophy that has long been part of the spirit of the city. Sarah believes that these traits are found in some of the language that San Franciscans use, and that knowing this terminology can help you fit in just a little better. Here are Sarah’s three top terms for your visit to San Francisco: “Is there an app for that?”:  App is short for application, as in for your phone.  Because the Bay Area is near the center of a major technological development region, there are apps for almost everything in the city — from calling a taxi to getting your groceries delivered. Organic, Local, Sustainable and Seasonal: Food quality is really important to San Franciscans.  Organic means that no pesticides have been used, local means the food was grown nearby, and sustainable means the environment was not harmed to produce it.  Seasonal simply means that it is the natural time of year for the food to grow. “Where’s the wiggle?”: San Francisco is a great city for biking, but it is also a city with lots of hills.  The ‘wiggle’ is the route for biking with the least amount of hills to go up.   Have you ever been to San Francisco? Would you like to go? Tell us why in the comments section below!   Sarah is a 31 year old American who was born and raised in Denver, Colorado, studied Communications in Seattle, Washington, and worked for almost 10 years as a nanny (or babysitter) in San Francisco, California.  She now splits her time between San Francisco and Sardinia, Italy where her boyfriend lives. She is an English teacher on italki, and is learning Italian and sampling as much of the amazing food and wine from Italy as she can.

AEE 229: Tag! You're It! How to Get Your Facts Straight in English

How do you clarify information in English? Have you ever met someone on the phone or the internet before you met them in person? Today, Lindsay and Michelle discuss tag questions, and how they can help you confirm what you think you know, but aren’t sure about!   Come back our site for more tips   A tag question helps you to confirm a piece of information that you think is true, but that you want to clarify.  Though they are used as a tool for clarity, they can also be a great way to create conversations. Tag questions tend to begin with the statement to be clarified, and then end with the question.  There are many possible combinations.   Some common examples of tag questions include: “You’re from Washington, aren’t you?” “You used to live in New York, didn’t you?” “He can play the piano, can’t he?” “Her birthday is in July, right?”   Are You Ready to Practice? Get a Private, Native English Teacher Now! Try italki to learn to speak like a native. You’ll get your English mistakes corrected immediately! For a limited time you’ll get 10UD to use towards private English lessons on italki. Visit italki now to claim your 10USD in free English lessons.   Do you ever use tag questions? What kinds of things do you need to confirm or clarify in others? Let us know in the comments section below!

AEE 228: Meet Michelle, The New York Radio Girl

Do you want to start a conversation in English? Today, Lindsay introduces and talks about conversations with Michelle Kaplan, the new All Ears English co-host!    

AEE 227: 4 Rules to Master the "Poetics of English Conversation" with Travis Wolven

How can you improve your English conversations? Is conversation a science? Find out today as Lindsay talks with Travis Wolven about the poetics of conversation! Come back to our site for more info and tips   Taking IELTS? Get our free IELTS video training course now

AEE 226: How to "80/20" Your English to Make More Friends with italki Teacher Nick Vance

What should be your focus when learning English? How can you make the most of the time you invest in studying? Today Lindsay talks with Nick Vance about the 80/20 principle, and how it can improve your English conversations!   Taking IELTS? Get our free IELTS video training course now   Nick believes that 80% of the positive benefits of something come from 20% of the input.  In business, some customers are more valuable than others.  With friends, though you may have many, only a few are truly close. In learning English, most of the grammar mistakes a new learner makes are really the same mistake over and over.  Correcting these most common 20% of mistakes would eliminate 80% of all grammar mistakes.  The best way to identify these is by working with a teacher who can help point out your mistakes.   Another way to work with the 80/20 principle is to prepare answers to the most common questions you might get from native English speakers.  This will help you comfortably get conversations started — which is probably 80% of the work! You might prepare answers to questions like: Where are you from? How long have you lived here? What do you do for a living?   Do you see the 80/20 principle working in your life? How so? Share your thoughts with us in the comments section below!   Nick Vance is originally from Kentucky and has lived in North Carolina, Washington DC, San Diego and Portland.  He has been living in Berlin, Germany for 2.5 years.  Nick’s degree is in math but he left that field when he realized how much he enjoyed helping others learn English.     Nick has been helping people improve their English for 4 years and have been teaching online via Italki for about one year.

AEE 225: 3 Secrets to Getting a Job in the United States

How do you get a job in the United States? What do employers want and expect? Today, Lindsay and Kristy talk about 3 things an employer in the U.S. might look for in a job candidate!   Taking IELTS? Get our free IELTS video training course now   If you’re applying for a job, it’s important to know what your potential employer is looking for.  Like any other country, the U.S. has a professional culture which places more value on some individual qualities than others.  These qualities may be very different from what employers look for in your home country!   Are You Ready to Practice? Get a Private, Native English Teacher Now! Try italki to learn to speak like a native. You’ll get your English mistakes corrected immediately! For a limited time you’ll get 10UD to use towards private English lessons on italki. Visit italki now to claim your 10USD in free English lessons.   Some qualities American employers seek in employees: Proactive attitude: Show that you are autonomous and energetic – the opposite of passive.  It means to show up early, confirm the time you will meet, and say thank you. Positive attitude: Americans like smiles.  But it’s also important that you get along with others and not be pessimistic. Communication: When you actively communicate it shows you are engaged.  A big part of this is simply that you let the boss know what is going on. Be a “Giver”: Show that you believe in the vision of the company and are personally invested in its success.  In other words, it’s more than a job to you.   Are these the same traits that employers look for in your country? Do you have them? Let us know in the comments section below!

AEE 224: Do You Have GRIT? Learn How to Develop It with Fortune 500 Executive Coach Sarah Scala

Do you have grit for learning English? Today, Lindsay talks with Fortune 500 Executive Coach Sarah Scala about the importance of persistence, both in life and in learning English!  Resilience is the ability to pick yourself up after a setback, and keep going.  It’s an important ability, and it’s also something we can improve in ourselves. But Sarah believes that grit is even more important.  Grit is your ability to stay focused, over the long term.  It enables a person to be nimble and accept the ups and downs without losing focus. Sarah has three suggestions for developing your own grit and resilience in learning English: Be meaningfully interested.  Find a way to connect to English in a way that is not superficial. Have a growth mindset.  Your brain has the ability to change and evolve, and that will make it easier to succeed and harder to fail.  Attune your thinking to this inherent ability. Practice.  The only way to become an expert is to work at it.   How much resilience and grit do you have? How does it show? Tell us about it in the comments section below!     As a dynamic consultant, coach, and educator, Sarah Scala has over 15 years of experience in supporting organization development, leadership, and change management. Sarah brings high energy, adaptability, and openness to new challenges. She has substantial experience in global leadership development, executive coaching, learning design, and team effectiveness. Sarah has led development initiatives for start-ups to Fortune 500 companies in industries such as global manufacturing, financial services, legal, consumer packaged goods, pharmaceutical, medical, consulting, and education. Visit Sarah’s Website Here   Learn More About Grit and Resilience! Survey- Do You Have Grit? What Is Resilience Fixed versus Growth Mindset 5 Characteristic of Grit- How Many Do You Have?

AEE 223: Ask a Tennis Pro! How to Get the Ball in Your Court with Your English Conversation Skills

Want to improve your English conversation? Learn from a tennis pro! What can it teach us? Today, Lindsay and Kristy talk about what they've learned about language learning from tennis lessons!   Taking IELTS? Get our free IELTS video training course now   In tennis, as in many other sports, it’s critical that you persist.  You have to keep trying.  You have to show up for practice, and be consistent.  Mental toughness is also important.  You want to have the upper hand and be offensive, rather than defensive. When learning a new language, sometimes we get stuck on a negative thought or an embarrassment.  This can lead us to lose the upper hand, and our confidence.  But when we sound good, we feel more in control.  The point is to practice, and to try to keep the ball in your court.  Stay in the game and take a deep breath! Do you think tennis (or any other sports) offer lessons to language learning? What are some examples? Let us know what you think in the comments section below?

AEE 222: The One Question That All Successful People Ask Themselves and How You Can Ask It Too

Have you found your Zone of Genius yet? Today, Lindsay and Kristy continue to discuss the Zone of Genius concept, and what you can do to find success in English and in life by discovering it in yourself! Come back to our site for more   Taking IELTS? Get our free IELTS video training course now   The Zone of Genius is where your innate talent and your greatest passion come together, in a way that matters to you.  It is not about improving weaknesses, but rather amplifying strengths. Inhibitions can hold us back in life.  That is why it’s important to seek out your Zone of Genius and how it applies to your life, your relationships, and your careers.  If you feel afraid, you might be on the right track.   What is your Zone of Genius? How do you know? Tell us about it in the comments section below!

AEE 221: When to Use "The" at Thanksgiving Dinner

When should you use the word ‘the’ in English? Today, in #1 of the Top 15 Fixes series, we discuss the most common article in the English language, ‘the’! Come back to our site   Taking IELTS? Get our free IELTS video training now   Use if the word ‘the’ can be a confusing.  But there are some rules that can help you get it right most of the time.   The first requires that you consider whether the focus is on something specific, or something more general. When focused on specific items, use ‘the’.  If you’re sitting at a table, talking about the food that is actually in front of you, you might say: “Do you like the turkey?” “Yes, the turkey is great!” “Could you please pass the salt?” When focused on more general terms, you don’t use ‘the’.  If you’re discussing food in general, you might say: “Do you like turkey?” “Have you tried pumpkin pie?” “Cranberries are too tart for me.”   Geographical terms can also be tricky for ‘the’.  In most cases, large, well-known geographic places will have ‘the': the content, the Pacific Ocean, the moon. With specific countries, a country’s formal name might require ‘the,’ while a less formal name might not: the United States, the Russian Federation; America, Russia.   Other Entries in the 15 Fixes Series: Episode 165: Listen or Hear? Episode 169: Speak, Talk, Tell and Say? Episode 173: Wish vs. Hope Episode 177: Talking About Age in English Episode 181: Future Tense in English Episode 185: Interested or Interesting? Episode 189: Talking About the Past Episode 193: How to Borrow Money Episode 197: Who Pays for Lunch? Episode 201: Will vs. Going To Episode 205: Talking about People Episode 209: How much versus How many Episode 213: Make vs. Do Episode 217: By Yourself vs. On Your Own   What have you found difficult about ‘the’? Tell us all about it in the comments section below!

AEE 220: Find Your Zone of Genius with TEDx Speaker Laura Garnett

Do you have a potential for genius? How can you access it? Today Lindsay talks with TEDx Speaker Laura Garrett, creator of the Zone of Genius Assessment, about how you can discover your own zone of genius!   Taking IELTS? Get our free IELTS video training course now   The Zone of Genius is your innate talents combined with your purpose.  Your talent is what you’re naturally good at, and it is unique to you.  Your purpose is your main challenge in life – this may not be so unique.  In fact, many others may have the same challenge, and there may be an opportunity for you to help them while helping yourself.   Laura offers four tips to finding your Zone of Genius: Identify your talent: Ask your colleagues what they see as your unique approach to the work you do. You may have overlooked something about yourself! Identify your challenges: Look at your past. What did you struggle with? What was hard? What did you overcome, and how did you help others? Ask yourself weekly: What are you excited about at work? Are you bored or interested? Why or why not? Look back on your past week: What impact did you have? Does it satisfy you?   What do you think of the Zone of Genius concept? Let us know in the comments section below!   Laura Garnett is a Performance Strategist, speaker and the creator of The Zone of Genius Assessment — a powerful process that clarifies your unique talent and purpose, to produce greater impact, results and fulfillment at work. She speaks at events and conferences across the country, including TEDx, and is a regular contributor to Inc.com, The Huffington Post and the Zappos Delivering Happiness blog. Prior to launching her own New York-based consultancy, Laura honed her marketing, branding and mission-refining skills at companies like Capital One, American Express, IAC and Google. Visit Laura’s website, sign up for her newsletter and take an assessment to see if you are living and working in your Zone of Genius!

AEE 219: How to Truly Be Free with Your English Goals and Your Life

Are you free to follow your goals in life? Or are you afraid? Today, learn how freedom comes with fearlessness! Come back to allearsenglish.com/219 for more!   Taking IELTS? Get our free IELTS video training now   There are so many things to be afraid of: loneliness, lack of money, professional failure or meaninglessness. Fears can overwhelm you.  But what if you have a vision that’s bigger than fear? To accomplish anything, you have to get out of your head and into your body. Action means letting go of your thoughts.  But to do that, you need the freedom to be fearless.   Freedom to be fearless means: Questioning everything Avoiding “perfectionist paralysis” Having goals, but knowing that goals are not always the most important thing Being able to communicate effectively with others when the stakes are high   Are you free and fearless? How does it come out in your life? Tell us your story in the comments section below!

AEE 218: Learn 3 Ways to Write Like a Pro in American English from AEE Insider Jay Bethke