Speak Business English Like an American » LESSON 29 - Job Interview 2
Nick: I see from your resume that you're running your own show as the owner of OldOfficeChair.com.
Sam: That's right. I've carved out a niche selling used office chairs over the Internet.
Nick: That sounds like a great business.
Sam: I was making money hand over fist after the dot-corn bust. Companies were going belly up every day, and I snapped up all their chairs for a song. But these days it's becoming harder and harder to find used chairs.
Nick: Wouldn't you rather continue working for yourself?
Sam: No, I'm tired of working for myself.
Nick: I can see the writing on the wall: you'll jump ship when you think up another good business idea.
Sam: No, I won't. I'd always wanted to be an entrepreneur, but I got that out of my system. I realize now that it's not all it's cracked up to be.
Nick: It certainly isn't. You work really hard and you're just as likely to strike out as you are to strike it rich.
Sam: Tell me about it! My best friend invested all his money in starting a company. He ended up losing his shirt!
Nick: Right, we all know people like that...One final point about the position. As you know, this is a large corporation. Are you sure you wouldn't be happier at a start-up?
Sam: Start-ups are exciting, but at this point in my life, I'm looking for stability over excitement. I've got four kids at home, and they like to eat!
Nick: I hear what you're saying. We could use somebody around here who thinks like an entrepreneur. If you're someone who can take the ball and run with it, you'd be a great addition.
NOTE: A "niche" is the market segment served by a particular product, service, or product line.
NOTE: You will also see the variation: handwriting on the wall.
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The purpose of the Illustrated Everyday Expressions with Stories series is to introduce English language learners to common idioms through humorous examples and illustrations. The lessons in this book will both entertain and enlighten students while providing exposure to how each idiom can be used in a variety of contexts.
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