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In the second video of our Common Interview Question series, learn how to answer some of the most common interview questions with confidence. क्या आप सीखना चाहते हैं कि अंग्रेजी में कुछ सामान्य इंटरव्यू के सवालों के जवाब कैसे दें? अगर हाँ, तो इस वीडियो को देखें। Practice these common interview questions with us! Leave your comment below! #englishbolo #learnenglish #speakenglish #englishlanguage #englishspeaking #speakbetter #english #learningenglish #readingaloud #speakenglishfluently #eng #learnenglishwithus #interview #interviewtip #jobpreparation #jobinterviews #Jobseeker #career https://www.instagram.com/p/BzxbGhdn0at/?igshid=13vv5v4saj1vo

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#wordoftheweek #Cricket #Worldcup #EnglishBolo #Englishlearning #onlineteacherclass #SpokenEnglish #LearnEnglish #EnglishSpeaking #EnglishConversation #EnglishLanguage https://www.instagram.com/p/ByZ0h6LnWYy/?igshid=8mv22guragcc

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Pinaki says EnglishBolo teachers taught her to speak in English confidently. With EnglishBolo™ you get 10 online 'Learn With A Teacher' classes and 100 self learning 'Learn Yourself' lessons. Sign up today to start speaking confidently in English like Pinaki! #englishbolo #learnenglish #speakenglish #englishlanguage #englishspeaking #speakbetter #englishgrammar #englishvocabulary #english #learningenglish #readingaloud #speakenglishfluently #eng #learnenglishwithus https://www.instagram.com/p/ByP_VHanBvL/?igshid=yoe6sivxp5jc

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Ritu joined EnglishBolo™ to improve her confidence while speakingEnglish. She improved her pronunciation with our "Learn Yourself Lessons". आप भी Ritu की तरह English बोलना सीख सकते हैं EnglishBolo™ पे आज ही Signup करें #englishbolo #learnenglish #speakenglish #englishlanguage #englishspeaking #speakbetter #english #learningenglish #readingaloud #speakenglishfluently #eng #learnenglishwithus https://www.instagram.com/p/ByDSNxbHlHA/?igshid=qd5coinnyo2o

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A teacher himself, K. Sreenivasulu understands the impact of our online 'Learn With A Classes'. With EnglishBolo™ you get 10 'Online Teacher Class' with 100 'Learn Yourself Lessons'. #englishbolo #learnenglish #speakenglish #englishlanguage #englishspeaking #speakbetter #englishgrammar #englishvocabulary #english #learningenglish #readingaloud #speakenglishfluently #eng #learnenglishwithus https://www.instagram.com/p/Bx9gCslHI_k/?igshid=1iv1qv2cbte6s

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Want to speak English fluently? Join our #EnglishBolo program today and get 20% off before the price goes up. (Limited period offer) Subscribe to our YouTube channel http://www.youtube.com/c/englishboloindia for the full video. https://www.instagram.com/p/BxcMLeAHVBB/?utm_source=ig_tumblr_share&igshid=37cr0es0ge08

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It is said that people, especially those in senior management positions spend up to 50% of their time at work attending meetings. It is also said that up to 50% of this meeting time is spent ineffectively and unproductively. This means that people are often, literally wasting 25% of their total work time in meetings. If you convert this into money, that’s definitely more than any company would like to waste! Does this imply that meetings are a waste of time and somehow separate from one’s “real work?” Is the problem with the concept of meetings themselves? Obviously not, as there are many situations at work that require a group of people to get together to achieve a common objective – whether it is to brainstorm a solution for a business problem, review and plan for a project, or simply to get information and answers to their questions.

Plan the meeting carefully

The reason for the wastage of time is that meetings are often held in ad-hoc and unplanned ways. The person calling the meeting often isn’t even sure of his / her reason and agenda, and doesn’t have a plan for how to meet the objectives of the meeting. Also, participants don’t always take meetings seriously. This reflects in ways like, coming in late, wasting time answering calls, or digressing from the agenda of the meeting, even if there is one.

Be serious and stay focused

Taking meetings seriously and keeping in mind certain guidelines about meeting etiquette, whether you’re an organizer or a participant, will ensure that you don’t come away from them feeling like you wasted time that you could have used doing your real job.

Make the objective of the meeting clear

So what does a good meeting look like? For one, it’s really required. It has a clear objective, something that needs to be achieved. The fact that the meeting has been called means there really is some value that will be derived out of getting that group of people together, instead of sending an email or making a phone call. Also, each participant in the group is invited there because he / she can either add or receive value. In other words, the participant list has been prepared thoughtfully and meets a certain objective. Some meeting objectives could be to kick off a new project, review and close a project plan, gather inputs from subject matter experts, and share project status.

Have a clear agenda

An effective meeting also has a clear agenda. The organizer of the meeting has prepared, and ideally shared, a clear and sequenced list of items that need to be discussed at that meeting along with the amount of discussion time allotted to each. Sharing the agenda prior to the meeting enables participants to know what to expect and prepare for. Sticking to the timelines in the agenda helps the group stay on track and focused on what needs to be done. An agenda for a project kickoff meeting for example, might have the following items on it:

Team Introductions: 5 minutes

Project Introduction: 5 minutes

Project Plan and Timelines: 10 minutes

Expectations from the Team: 5 minutes

Q&A and Feedback: 5 minutes

Have your deliverables in place

In an effective meeting, there is a set of deliverables that all participants understand and agree with. The deliverables correspond logically with the agenda. For example, if the meeting is to brainstorm new ideas for a marketing campaign for the company’s new product, then the deliverable is a document with a prioritized list of ideas with some pros and cons of each. This document reflects the discussion that was held during the meeting. Similarly, if the agenda of the meeting is to discuss the sales pipeline for the coming month, the deliverable would be a pipeline sheet with updated issues, risks, and next steps. Having a deliverable as a goal keeps the group aligned to the meeting objective and focused on the job of creating that document or updating that pipeline sheet.

A meeting with a clear objective, a short but focused agenda, and an unambiguous set of deliverables is a meeting that has a good chance of success. However, the other prerequisite for success is the behavior and attitude of its participants. Good planning and facilitation on the part of the meeting organizer, and good preparation and etiquette on the part of the participants is a must for the discussion to be fruitful. While there is a detailed list of guidelines for meeting etiquette that is useful to follow, the basic idea is that you need to understand that you’re going into a meeting to achieve something. You have a job to do. And as with any other activity, if you’re well prepared, well organized, and focused, you will do a better job of it.

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Reading Aloud Can Improve English Speaking

Around the world, there is a sort of buzz underway. It’s the sound of over 1 billion people trying to improve their English speaking skills. There is no doubt that English has become the de-facto language of the world. From Japan to Jamaica and, from Benares to Buenos Aires, people are seeking to achieve some level of English proficiency.

How People Learn Languages

Languages are arbitrary human creations. We learn a language by ‘immersion’ i.e. by prolonged exposure to the sound of the language in our daily lives. Typically, this enables the development of a certain level of word recognition and vocabulary. It may also result in the ability to use simple phrases or sentences needed for everyday communication. Some learners, not surrounded by the language in their daily lives, may achieve proficiency by learning the rules governing that language. They will then supplementing that knowledge by practicing with other students or teachers.

These principles apply equally to English. When a person is not exposed to the English language in their environment, learning the language may be challenging. This is mainly because English phonics do not completely lend themselves to a set of rules. The sound of letters by themselves and then, when combined with other letters can be confusingly disparate. The same set of letters in different words are often pronounced differently. Any ‘English as a Second Language’ student will agree that pronunciation is their biggest challenge.

The Power of Multi-Sensory Learning

Linguists and language experts recognize the power of multi-sensory learning. Learning a language is easier when multiple senses are concurrently engaged in the process of learning. Large-scale studies of multi-sensory learning validate the benefits of learning English.

This means reading a text is which is appropriate for the learner’s existing English proficiency along with a voice reading the same text at a pace that suits the learner. The words that are read out should be highlighted in some way to create sound, sight and speech concurrency.

Improving English Speaking Skills

Research indicates that some words are used most of the time and can easily help a person navigate through simple, everyday communication. If these worlds are repeatedly heard, read, and spoken aloud, the learner is able to recognize them, which will help in improving their English speaking skills. Some aids are used to ensure that the learner can comprehend what they are reading or saying. These aids can include pictures or vernacular translation of these words.

This method helps improve your English speaking skills and has other advantages as well. Firstly, if technologically presented a person can learn at their own pace and practice without fear of failure. Secondly, as learning English will be through immersion, there will be no requirement to learn complex rules. Finally, if the text being read is interesting, learning English will be fun.

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Every day, as we go about our daily activities – working, going to school or college, shopping, eating out, and traveling – we come across hundreds of people. They walk the same corridors as us, travel in the same Metro or bus as us, and eat at the same cafeteria as us. We won’t ever know their names, and will probably have little or no meaningful interaction with them. However, since they share a public space with us, they have an impact on us. Their behavior makes a difference to us. How?

Imagine you’re in an elevator going to your workplace. You have a long day ahead of you and an important deadline to meet. You’re getting your thoughts together for an important meeting that starts in a few minutes. Suddenly, when the elevator stops a couple of floors before yours, a large crowd of noisy youngsters push their way into the already crowded elevator. They’re laughing loudly and making rude jokes about each other. They don’t give a thought to the fact that you and others in the elevator are now uncomfortably pushed against the walls of the elevator and being disturbed by their loud voices and crude jokes. This wasn’t how you wanted to start your morning at your workplace, was it? You shake your head, shrug your shoulders, and walk into your meeting – there’s no permanent damage because of the youngsters’ behavior but it did make your morning unpleasant.

Or imagine that you are a mother of two little children – they’re lovable and they mean the world to you, but they’re also naughty and they keep you on your toes all day. You’re always busy and outings with friends are rare. So, you’re thrilled when you get a chance to watch a latest movie with an old college friend. Excited about spending a fun and relaxing afternoon with your friend, you enter the movie hall with your popcorn and cold drink and find your seat. Just when the movie starts, however, you hear a cell phone ringing loudly somewhere near you. The lady sitting next to you picks up the phone and starts talking loudly to someone named Tutu. She is loud because she needs to make sure Tutu can hear her over the sound of the movie. After a long conversation, she puts the phone down. Tutu and some others make many calls over the next couple of hours and she answers each one of them. The lady doesn’t stop to think of how her behavior might be disturbing you or any of the others around her. She’s paid for the ticket, after all. You don’t know who she is, but she did manage to ruin your outing.

Trying to keep things pleasant for everyone around you – that’s what etiquette is really all about. The need for good etiquette isn’t limited to the workplace. Etiquette is important any time you’re interacting with people – whether they are your friends, co-workers, or just strangers in a movie hall. It’s the small gestures of politeness that make a big impression on people. The next time you’re out in a public place, what’s the impression you want to leave?

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Learning English in Maharashtra with ReadToMe

Field Notes from Maharashtra

The RightToRead initiative in Maharashtra covers 3727 government and aided schools in 29 districts. RightToRead’s mission is to help children in reading and learning English.  Maharashtra is the second most populous state in India with a literacy rate of 82.9%.

The Reading Crisis in Maharashtra

The 2014 Annual Status of Education Report (ASER) tells us that in grade 5, more than 50% children cannot read a class 2 text book in their mother tongue. When we are talking about English, only one in 4 children – or 25% can read simple sentences like “I am a boy”. More than half those students do not understand the meaning of what they are reading. Most of the students’ language learning happens between classes 1-5. Therefore, it is important to built their foundation and focus on phonetics.

During our visit to Nagpur, we experienced this phonetic challenge and reading crisis firsthand. We observed the difficulty and fear that the children faced when it came to speak English. Most children were only able to identify letters but not string them into a word or sentence. That’s where ReadToMe comes in.

Learning English with ReadToMe

Traveling around Maharashtra allowed me to see the real impact of ReadToMe, which is used in these junior classes. When compared to the use of ReadToMe in the higher classes (5 or 6), the junior classes utilize the software mainly for listening and repeating rather than focusing on comprehension. Class observations included action poems in which ReadToMe read aloud, and the children enacted different scenarios. Can you imagine class 3 kids enacting a poem about a growing seed, with flowers, and grown trees swaying to the imaginary wind. ‘I spy with my little eye’ and ‘guess what’ type of competitions were played after class.

Puja Dharni, the class 4 English teacher in KNSP Mandals S.I.H BH School in Kurla, Mumbai said that she feels that her students understand better and teaching has also become easier with ReadToMe. “The children remember also better. The slow speeds are very important for the younger students to be learning English with the software”. Once the fear is removed, the children soar to greater heights. They are now not afraid to read and focus on understanding what is being read. The favorite tool of the region was ‘Translate’ which allowed the students to understand the meaning of words in their own language. This also helped the children in using the word more frequently.

How the Students Reacted to ReadToMe

When I asked class 6 students in Pune to guess the meaning of ‘herb,’ a word included in the title of the chapter. They were going to start, a child promptly got up and said “medicinal plant”. Impressed by his response, I asked him to try and name an example. “Tulsi” came as a prompt reply. Other students started coming up with replies and one even mentioned ‘Sanjeevani Buti’ that Hanuman got for Laxman in the Ramayana. Many teachers mentioned that after the introduction of ReadToMe, their class had completely changed. As the enagagement and interest of the students had increased changing the class’ atmosphere. “I feel like this way we get the best out of the class and I can enjoy it with my students.” said Vinod Bhawarlal Goyar, the English teacher of Saraswati Secondary & Higher Secondary School in Pune.

Managing Studies with Daily Life: A Student’s Life

After sitting down to talk with the students, we learned so much. The students came from families in which there was usually only one earning member. The parents were auto and tempo drivers, railway porters, construction workers, and kabadiwallas. Yet, no matter what class they were in, each child had dreams bigger than the next. They also always remembered to add the importance of education in their message to other students across India. “chillao mat, padho!(don’t make noise, study!), “whatever you do, do well especially your studies”, “study hard” “do your homework and don’t eat too much ice-cream”, “work hard and don’t sleep in class” were just some of the responses I received, from the various schools in Maharashtra.

Seamless Integration of Technology in Classes

While the physical infrastructure of the schools was no different in Maharashtra, the administration left a strong impression. The principals were very involved, often attending classes themselves, to ensure the students’ understanding of what was being taught to them. The teachers, no matter how hesitant of using technology, were eager to learn. They asked questions and wanted to know how to handle the mouse. “I say that now every class must become a digital class as only then can we keep the interest and engagement of the students. We are thankful for ReadToMe, and hope our students can go far now.” said Mahadeo S Chaudhari, the Principal of Dadasaheb Thakre High School in Nagpur.

Working with such zealous teachers, principals and, computer instructors, we are enabling close to 9 lakh students in learning English in Maharashtra. We at EnglishHelper, hope that this number only continues to grow.

– Written by a member of the EnglishHelper Team.

For more information about RightToRead, follow the blog!

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While it is very important to prepare and practice well for every presentation that you make, the fact is that you just can’t be prepared for everything. No matter how well you’ve prepared your slides and notes, and how many times you’ve practiced speaking in front of a mirror, when you’re on the ground, things might happen to throw you off balance. When this happens, there’s no choice but to recover and move on. This takes some practice and some tricks of the trade.

Presentation Hijack

Imagine this. Your boss has asked you to present a market research study comparing cell phone brands popular amongst the teenage target group and come up with positioning ideas for a new phone being launched by the company you work for. After a few weeks of hard work involving more than a few late nights, you know everything there is to know about cell phones. You can talk about cell phone features in your sleep. Your slides spell out the logic for your recommendations very clearly. You have a plan for taking your boss through your approach, different options compared, and finally get to the recommendation you’re making.

During the final presentation, you have barely covered the first slide when your boss literally takes over the computer and scrolls right to the final slide that has your recommendations. He starts asking you questions about points that you intended to cover anyway, but in a different order. This throws your structure completely off balance and what was supposed to be a brilliantly executed presentation is fast becoming just the opposite. What should you do?

To begin with, you can try to avoid situations like this by giving some thought to your audience while creating the presentation. For example, if you know that your boss is a very result-oriented and somewhat impatient person, you might want to put your recommendations or final outcome up front and then delve into your logic.

During the meeting, if this does happen, don’t insist on sticking to your original plan and structure. Instead, go with the new flow and try to get in sync with what your audience is trying to achieve. Remember the fact that your boss being so involved in the presentation is a good thing; he/she is interested and your chances of getting your message across are high. So, think on your feet and don’t lose your balance.

The Glazed Eye Syndrome

You are presenting to a senior leader in your company who has just flown in for a series of sessions. He got in late the night before. Since 9:00 am that morning, he has been meeting different teams and going through one PowerPoint after another. By the time your session comes up at 2:00 pm, his jet lag has really started to kick in. When you walk in to make your presentation, you notice that he has several empty cups of coffee on his table and has just finished lunch. You start making your presentation hoping to make a real impression on him. About five minutes into your session, you notice his eyes glazing over a little bit. He’s trying to keep up with you, but you know that the jet lag is winning. What do you do?

First of all, try to put yourself in his shoes! If you’re jet lagged and are being forced to listen to slide after slide of numbers, charts, and strategies, wouldn’t you want to get right to the point and hear only what’s most important?

So, as a presenter, try to recognize what’s most important to your sleepy audience and talk about that instead of insisting on the structure you had originally prepared. In fact, it’s better to stop at a logical point in your presentation and simply ask the listener what he would be most interested in talking about – what matters most to him. Once you know what he is looking for, get straight to the point and keep your presentation short. You’ll make a much bigger impression that way.

Time Slash

After much back and forth with an important client, you have finally managed to get a one and a half hour time slot to take them through your proposal. However, when you reach the client’s office, ready with your 60-slide presentation and accompanying hand outs and hoping for a really successful discussion, you’re told that your client has an urgent meeting to attend elsewhere. He can now give you only 20 minutes. What do you do?

After you’ve had a couple of minutes to get used to the change of plans, quickly re-strategize about how to conduct your now much shorter meeting. Ideally, when making your slides, you would have put in a lot of thought into what you’re really trying to communicate. What is your key message? What’s the main idea of your story? In your twenty minutes, you will be successful if you can get this main idea across. To do this, you will most likely have to abandon your carefully prepared PowerPoint deck and just talk to your clients. Substantiate with slides only at key points. If you have prepared an executive summary slide, which is always a good idea especially for long presentations, you can simply use that slide for your shortened session. If you make a great impression, chances are you’ll get to come back for a longer session soon.

The situations described above are just a few examples of the kind of things that can and almost always do go wrong. Of course, changing plans on the fly is never easy. The trick is to prepare well and be very clear about what you’re trying to communicate and achieve. Don’t lose your cool and do the best you can in the circumstances. With practice, you are certain to get better and more confident, no matter what situation is thrown at you.

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Mind Your Business Manners!

Business etiquette is essentially a set of written and unwritten rules of conduct, which makes interactions in a professional scenario smooth and pleasant for everyone involved. The concept of etiquette is not new. Our parents start teaching us to “mind our manners” right when we are toddlers. Saying “Please”, “Thank you”, and “Excuse me”; giving up our seat to an older person; sharing our toys and snacks with others; not pointing our feet at someone – these are rules of social behavior that were taught to us so early that they’re completely ingrained. We follow them automatically and find it jarring if we encounter someone who doesn’t respect and follow these rules as well. These norms exist so we can show respect for people around us.

Rules of business etiquette are basically an extension of the same principle – respect the people you work with and make them feel comfortable around you. While this is a worthy goal by itself, it is also essential for your professional success and the success of your business.

Act in a professional manner

Whether you’re an individual contributor in a team, a team leader responsible for others’ performance, or a sales executive getting business from clients, you will have trouble with success if you’re not pleasant and easy to be around. Also, the impression you make on others matters. If the perception others have of you is that you’re ill-mannered or unprofessional, they won’t trust that you’re good at what you do either.

Be flexible and willing to learn

As with any code of conduct, the rules of business conduct are many and it’s probably not possible to know them all. There are norms about a lot of different things such as, how to introduce yourself, how to interact with your co-workers, how to dress, how to behave at your workstation, how to present yourself at meetings, how to project your body language, and even how to act at team outings and dinners. A common feature in these examples is communication. Good communication skills can be key for professional interactions. To improve your conversation skills, it would be a good idea to develop the ability to listen and have a good hold on the English language. If you feel you lack in your English speaking skills, you can try EnglishHelper’s free English learning program and improve your spoken English.

www.englishhelper.com/dashboard/practice-english-speaking

Be tolerant of others’ beliefs

The rules of business etiquette change depending on the company, the local culture, language, and other such factors. There are cultural nuances which almost always play a role in what is deemed acceptable or unacceptable social behavior. Again, while it is not possible to know all the rules in every culture, it is a good idea to start learning about some major differences to avoid making a mistake when interacting with them.

Be considerate, polite, and courteous

The norms and their many nuances may tend to overwhelm, but what’s most important is to follow the basic rule of being polite and courteous to those around you, regardless of the situation. Be considerate of others’ feelings and don’t get personal. Don’t raise your voice and don’t be harsh or critical in your words. This seems very basic, but you’ll be surprised at how much respect you’ll earn by following these basic rules of etiquette. Of course, also take time to learn the details and practice them whenever possible.

Over time “minding your business manners” will be ingrained too.

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If you are looking for a really fun and easy way to learn English, why not use the “universal language” of music to help? Reading aloud is one of the best ways to practice speaking in English because it allows you to read and pronounce each word slowly and carefully. Singing aloud helps in this way too! We can all connect with great music, no matter what our geographical and cultural differences. As long as you enjoy the rhythm and beat of a song, it doesn’t even matter if the language is a foreign one.

So, which songs are good to start singing along to, if you are trying to improve your English. We suggest you start with pop music since the vocabulary is simple, and the sentences are short and easy to understand. Pop music is often about love, heartbreak, and having a good time. These are things that everyone can relate to, which makes them easy to understand.

However, just listening to music is not enough. If you’re using it to learn English, follow these steps so you’re learning and having fun!

Use earphones

Using earphones is a great way to make sure that you hear every word clearly. After all, it’s the lyrics that will help you learn English – you don’t want to miss those.

Sing along

Listening to the lyrics of a song is a good way to practice understanding English. And as you sing along, you can practice your pronunciation of English words – look for karaoke videos on YouTube so you can read and sing along to your favorite songs.

Replay the difficult parts

Nearly every music streaming website offers you a way to replay specific parts of songs. You can do this multiple times so you don’t miss any of the words, especially the difficult ones. Replay, memorize, sing along!

Speak the lyrics

As fun as it is to sing your favorite songs, also practice just reading or saying the words normally – it’s another way to practice and build your vocabulary.

Learn English with Our Favorite Songs

Here’s a short list of popular English songs that you can sing along with to practice and improve your English. Happy singing!

Shape Of You by Ed Sheeran

The Lazy Song by Bruno Mars

Sorry by Justin Bieber

Closer by The Chainsmokers

Can’t Stop The Feeling by Justin Timberlake

She Will Be Loved by Maroon 5

The Reason by Hoobastank

Fix You by Coldplay

Shake It Off by Taylor Swift

Far Away by Nickelback

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Got a BPO Job Interview? Be Prepared for These Questions!

Preparing for an interview is like getting ready for any important test. If you want to do well, you have to prepare! This week, let’s focus on interviews for BPO jobs. Since the BPO industry is a fast growing sector, it is in the interest of BPOs to attract and retain talented professionals who can help make them successful. Therefore, BPOs do offer promising growth – in terms of responsibility, designation, and compensation as well as in terms of experience and learning opportunities. However, these jobs do not come easy and preparing for them is essential! Here are a few tips as you get ready for the big day. Some of these will most likely be questions that you are asked during the interview.

Interviewer: What do you know about BPOs?Key points to keep in mind while responding

Every time you show up for an interview, the prospective employer will seek to gauge if you are serious about working in the industry. Also, demonstrating certain depth of knowledge makes a good impression. It tells the other person that you are methodical and disciplined in your approach.

Sample response:

“BPO companies specialize in performing key business process for their client companies in a manner that is cost effective without loss of quality. There are various kinds of BPOs. Some specialize in servicing certain business verticals only e.g. banking or telecom. On the other hand, some outsourcers may focus on certain functions e.g. payroll. Sometimes, firms engage in telephone based activities also known as call centres. Others may have a bias towards transaction processing. Increasingly, most BPOs offer a wide range of capabilities; it is a competitive market and nobody wants to miss an opportunity to win business!”

Interviewer: Why did you choose the BPO industry for your career?Key points to keep in mind while responding

A typical BPO job is very demanding. The BPO Company must continuously find ways to reduce costs by enhancing productivity. As such, employees are always measured for quantity and quality. In addition, certain roles can be intense in other ways. For example, a typical call centre agent may attend to 70 customer calls during their shift. Each call is important and customers have unique requirements. Some calls can be pleasant while some people can be difficult to satisfy. Due to time zone differences, customer service agents will often work odd hours i.e. late into the night and sometimes till the next morning. This routine can be disruptive biologically and socially. Thus, employers seek to understand if the job applicant is aware and prepared to deal with these realities.

Sample response:

“I think the BPO industry is very exciting. I want to be exposed to the latest technological tools, world class processes, and an opportunity to engage with people from other parts of the world. I expect to improve my communication skills and grow in confidence. This experience will help me through the rest of my career. I know the job will be fast paced and I will have to adjust to a new life schedule. I am confident, at this stage of my career, I will be able to adapt as needed.”

Interviewer: What is your understanding of a call centre job?Key points to keep in mind while responding

It is important to display to the interviewer that you know what you are getting into. Every job has its unique attributes. Some aspects work for certain people while for some workers the same issues can be troublesome. You must be able to convey your fit for the job from both, a skill and a cultural perspective.

Sample Response:

“Though I have not worked at a call centre before, I understand the pros and cons quite well. Let me begin with the challenges. I have spoken to many friends who work in the industry and in most cases their issues can be categorized in three major buckets. The first issue is night shift; this makes a big impact on people’s lifestyles. In addition, for a few people, this can even cause health related problems. The second item that is sometimes contentious is the pace of work. Call centre agents can feel worn out and tired at the end of a shift. Finally, continuous high stress conversations can have an adverse impact. On the other hand, there are many benefits of the job. Besides all the professional development opportunities, some agents enjoy the freedom of the day enabling them to undertake many personal activities which may otherwise be difficult. At this stage in my career, I am keen to invest in my growth and am open to make necessary changes as needed to build my future.”

Interviewer: What do you know about working in shifts in the BPO industry?Key points to keep in mind while responding

An answer such as, “I know people work all night in BPOs, which must be very difficult, but I am willing to try…” is not a good idea. Your interviewers are looking for people with high energy and the drive to work and learn, no matter what the shift. The BPO industry offers a very good career path for people today. One of the realities of BPO life is working in shifts. As someone applying for a BPO job, it is expected that you understand and are excited to experience BPO life. This should reflect in your answer.

Sample Response:

“I have heard about shift working in BPOs from my friends who have similar jobs. I understand that working in shifts is important because customer servicing is a 24 by 7 job. Round the clock service is a key expectation that customers have nowadays. Also, when servicing customers in other countries, we have to align with their clock. I’m excited to experience working in an international environment and shift working is a natural part of it.”

Interviewer: What is your understanding of the position you have applied for? (Customer Care or Tech Support)Key points to keep in mind while responding

Once again, it is very important to show that you are prepared for the interview. It is critical to convey that you are a thoughtful person who has applied after carefully considering the opportunity. Typically, an applicant will evaluate a job by assessing if it aligns with the candidate’s professional goals and if the skills required will help the individual leverage existing strengths.

Sample Response:

“I understand the role very well. I enjoy people and am a natural problem solver. I think a customer care role will bring out the best in me. Though I work well with people, I am also competitive. I can see myself flourishing in an environment that tracks and rewards performance that can be measured. In the long term, I want to be an entrepreneur. I think I will gain a terrific insight into customers and what makes them loyal. In addition, I will build business knowledge. This learning will be a tremendous asset for me.”

Interviewer: How do you think your educational qualifications will help you in this job?Key points to keep in mind while responding

Don’t create connections where they don’t exist. If your qualifications are not directly relevant to the job for which you are applying, be honest and clear about it. It is better to be honest if you are thinking of changing fields at this early stage in your career. For example, if you have a B.A degree in History, you will find it difficult to draw a connection to the BPO industry. Of course, you can focus on some skills you have developed because of your education – such as improved communication skills – and talk about how that will help in your job.

Sample Response:

“I have a B.A Pass degree from A.P.X University. Since that is a general course, I did not learn any specific customer service or BPO related skills. However, my college experience, where I was involved in the College Students’ Union, did help me improve my public speaking and people skills. I believe this will help me now, when I work in a team and will be required to speak with many different types of customers.”

Working at a BPO can provide you with many opportunities for personal and professional growth but in order to get the job you must prepare properly. Although there is no specific format or structure for interviews, preparation and practice goes a long way! If you feel that you need more help in structuring your words and holding conversations during interviews, you can try EnglishHelper’s free English learning program. It will help you understand English as a language which will help you gain more confidence during the interview. Also, the questions presented above might not be a part of your interview but it is better to be ready and confident than unprepared and nervous.

https://www.englishhelper.com

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Field Notes from Punjab

Amritsar is a beautifully busy city, with small lanes and the smell of parathas and butter that seems to follow you everywhere you go. The schools are airy, beautifully painted and usually have a game of kabaddi or kho-kho happening on the front lawn. If you listen carefully, you will be able to hear the sound of children repeating after ReadToMe. Their voices were filled with enthusiasm to learn English.

How Schools of Punjab Learn English

RightToRead was launched in Punjab in 2013 and is currently in 500 schools, enabling over 70,000 students to learn English. The literacy rate in Punjab is 75.84 % according to the 2011 census data. The children come to school from varying social backgrounds, with most of their parents either working in the fields, working as daily wage earners, or working in small shops, like fruit and vegetable sellers. So many children we spoke to worked jobs after or before school to help their families.

Vikas, from class 8, works from 4:30 pm to 10:30 pm after school every day as a motorcycle mechanic. Nitesh goes to work at the small shop his mother runs for 2 hours before getting ready for school. Tanya makes the meals for her father and brother before and after school and despite all this, these students try to take out a little time for their studies every day.

Each class we observed was a class that was sincere and tried their best. The teachers followed our methodology of listening, repeating, and reading very carefully and you could watch a class come alive. The favorite tool of the region seems to be the Translate Tool. “Many times, when I am reading I do not know the meaning of something but if you use Translate an ‘oooooh this means thaaat’ moment happens!” says Vishal Singh.

The Teacher’s Response to Technology

Lakhwinder Kaur, the English teacher of GHS Gopalpura summed up our impact beautifully when she said, “this product is amazing because even if the teacher is not there, the students are able to take class on their own. ReadToMe is very helpful for the children’s vocabulary and confidence, especially when they are learning something new. Even those who are at level zero will have the confidence to try and read in class.” She talks about her student Nitesh, who she suspects might have dyslexia and is unable to do well in exams but actively participates in the ReadToMe classes, and is able to read, as well as answer questions confidently and correctly.

The Student’s Response to Learning

The desire to learn English is strong. When I asked why they wanted to learn English, I was met with a variety of answers. “For our future,” “so we can talk to those who do not understand Hindi or Punjabi,” “if someone asks us to read something that is written, we should be able to read and understand,” “because I want to become an English teacher,” and “because I want to be an IAS officer and make my parents proud. For that I will need English,” are just some of the answers I received.

Here’s to building the confidence and dreams of children all over India with RightToRead.

– Written by a member of the EnglishHelper Team.

For more information about RightToRead, follow the blog!

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A Typical Language Workout

A good workout regime should ensure you are exercising and strengthening every part of your body. That is why your gym instructor has you focus on cardiovascular fitness, muscle strength, core muscle development, and so on.

In the same way, a good English language workout should aim to expose you to the elements essential for learning English – Listening (L), Speaking (S), Reading (R) and Writing (W). Balanced work on each of these elements – LSRW, can help develop your English language skills over time.

A typical EnglishHelper Learning Program consists of relevant, level-appropriate reading and a balanced combination of activities that enable you to practice and strengthen your listening, speaking, reading comprehension, and writing skills.

The careful design and structure of our Learning Programs is supported by our learning platform. Our technology provides the right tools to listen, speak, read, and write English in a manner that is most conducive to language learning.

To experience how you can improve your skills with EnglishHelper, sign up for our free, online program today.

https://www.englishhelper.com/dashboard/learn-english

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If you work in a BPO, you know the two magic words – Customer Service! It is a really big deal, and not without reason. Companies that use BPOs to undertake their customer servicing activities need to be sure that they are placing their customers in good hands. After all, customers are key to any business. If you’re planning on a career in the BPO industry, here’s a list of things you can’t forget:

1. As a customer service executive working at a BPO, you represent not just the company that employs you, but also the client company that contracts you. Your direct client might be Company A, and you will be expected to service Company A’s customers just as Company A would like them to be treated.

2. When customers have a good experience interacting with representatives of a company, they are much more likely to be satisfied with that company and continue doing business with them.

3. A bad service experience may lead to a customer moving away to a competitor. Over time, this may lead to the organization developing a bad reputation in the market and loss of competitive standing.

4. A satisfied and happy customer is always a satisfying experience on both sides. Someone happy with the service you have provided will most likely tell others about this, thus building a good reputation for you and your company. A personal recommendation from a happy customer can go a long way in your own performance appraisal. This will bring you a lot of job satisfaction and improve your confidence and sense of self-worth.

5. Service quality by a BPO has the potential to make a big impact on its clients’ business. Good service leads to satisfied customers and increased sales. This growth in sales and revenue leads to higher company profits. This gives companies the ability to offer higher incentives and bonuses to its people. Hence, your level of service as even a new BPO executive can have a direct impact on both, the company’s profitability and your own growth and earnings.

These objectives can be achieved by developing skills. A good hold on your fluency and English grammar can enhance your conversations with the customers. Your spoken English should be clear and concise so that the client is able to understand you well. With good conversational skills, your ability to listen and carefully understand the customer’s needs can help in fulfilling the customer’s needs. You have everything to gain by putting the customer first, and really nothing to lose! Nowhere is this more true than in the ever growing BPO industry.