This is the first lesson in the Expert Interviews section. It will help you quickly build rapport and make a great first impression.
Discuss the following with your teacher.
- What kind of expert interviews have you done? What was it about?
- How did/do you prepare for an expert interview?
- How did it go? Were you confident? Nervous? Why?
A few things to keep in mind as you go through a discussion:
- Let the student speak. This should be 80-20 in terms of student-teacher talk time.
- Some things are confidential. Do not ask questions about who the clients were, or how much money they made. Let the student give you the information.
- Scaffold. If your student is quiet, start with general questions or give an example of a project you've done in the past.
- Keep it short. This activity should take about 5 minutes at most.
Here are some pieces of advice for when you are preparing for an expert interview. What would you say is the most important? What is the least important?
- First impressions are the most important. Smile! Keep it casual.
- Get straight to the point. Don’t waste any time.
- Talk to your interviewee. Maintain eye contact.
- Call them by their first name.
This is another discussion that should not take too long. However, you can expand it by talking about cultural and professional differences.
- Japanese speakers tend to be formal when speaking to an expert. English interviews may be more casual.
- Some cultures use circular logic without a clear point, while others use clear logic (point - example - reasoning).
- Eye contact is important in Western cultures because it shows respect, but isn't always the same in Eastern cultures.
- This might have to do with the general culture and the workplace culture. Encourage your student to ask their colleagues what they call their experts, or follow the lead of the expert. For example, if the expert introduces him/herself using their first name, use their first name, etc.
- Say thank you
- Thanks for taking the time to speak with me.
- I appreciate you taking the time for this interview.
- I’m sure you’re busy - thank you for making time today.
- Are there other ways to say thank you?
- Mirror tone and register
You will play the part of Person A, and your teacher will be Person B. Based on how Person B responds, what would you say next?
Person A: Thank you for making the time for this interview.
Person B: No worries! I've always got time for one of these interviews.
Person A: _____
Person A: Thank you for making the time for this interview.
Person B: Yes, fine.
Person A: _____
Person A: Sorry that we had to change the time, but thanks so much for rescheduling.
Person B: All in a day's work. No dramas on my end.
Person A: _____
Person A: Sorry that we had to change the time, but thanks so much for rescheduling
Person B: (Sigh) Yea, well, you could have told me earlier.
Person A: _____
Person A: I know you are busy, I really appreciate your time today. This should only take about 20 minutes.
Person B: Okay. Noted.
Person A: ____
Person A: I know you are busy—I really appreciate your time today. This should only take about 20 minutes.
Person B: That sounds fine. I'm in a taxi now and I'm still about a half-hour away, so take your time.
Person A: ____
1. Have the student shadow each phrase with strong, confident intonation. Use word stress: stretch the key vowel, and use rise-fall or fall-rise intonation. Basically, they need to actually sound thankful!
- Thanks for taking the time to speak with me.
- I appreciate you taking the time for this interview.
- I'm sure you're busy—thank you for making time today.
- Many thanks for sharing your expertise.
2.
Person A: Thank you for making the time for this interview.
Person B: [Positive, casual tone] No worries! I've always got time for one of these interviews.
Person A: Great! / Glad to hear it. / Sounds good to me.
Person A: Thank you for making the time for this interview.
Person B: [Business-like, serious] Yes, fine.
Person A: Right. Let's get down to business. / So, here's what the project is about...
Person A: Sorry that we had to change the time, but thanks so much for rescheduling.
Person B: [Positive, neutral] All in a day's work. No dramas on my end.
Person A: Great. / Appreciated.
Person A: Sorry that we had to change the time, but thanks so much for rescheduling
Person B: [Negative, casual] *Sigh* Yea, well, you could have told me earlier.
Person A: [Respond more formally] I'm really very sorry. / Thanks again for being accommodating. / Shall we get started?
Note: Respond more formally to show you take the issue seriously.
Person A: I know you are busy, I really appreciate your time today. This should only take about 20 minutes.
Person B: [Neutral/negative] Okay. Noted.
Person A: Right. Let's get down to business. / So, here's what I'd like to ask about...
Person A: I know you are busy, I really appreciate your time today. This should only take about 20 minutes.
Person B: [Positive] That sounds fine. I'm in a taxi now and I'm still about a half-hour away, so take your time.
Person A: Great, thanks. / Excellent, I really appreciate that.
In this course, we are going to be studying a business case together. Read the background with your teacher.
Think of a country where Christmas dinner begins with a large bucket of fried chicken, warm biscuits, and coleslaw and ends with a cute, decorated Christmas cake on an annual commemorative plate. Kentucky Fried Chicken (KFC) in Japan first introduced “Kentucky equals Christmas” in 1974 and became a massive success, now amounting to over a third of its annual sales.
You have been hired as a consultant for Chick-fil-A, a fast food joint that is well-known in the United States that is known for its fried chicken, similar to KFC. The main difference? It is a Christian company and is only open 6 days a week, with Sundays off for all of its employees. They also provide healthier, 50% less fatty options to KFC. You want to hear from an expert what they think about opening Chick-fil-A in Japan.
Start the conversation with the expert. Your teacher will respond in different ways. Come up with a answer for each response.