Valerie: So, could you tell me more about the hiring process you went through? What do you mean when you say some of the candidates were “interesting”?

Mira: Well, as I was saying, I got a lot of responses. Some people said they only wanted to work on weekends. Some had no experience whatsoever. One person said they would only work with plant-based milk! But there was one person in particular who really stood out and impressed me, so I invited her to the café for an interview right away. It was one of those nice spring days, so we sat on the garden patio.

Mira: So, Vanessa, thank you for coming, especially on such short notice.

Vanessa: Well, thank you for having me! I actually live right down the street, so it wasn’t a problem at all.

Mira: Oh really? That’s great! Very convenient. Okay. So, I’m just going to ask you a few questions about your work experience. Then we’ll discuss my expectations, and you can ask questions if you have any.

Vanessa: Um, okay. Sure!

Mira: Okay, good. It looks like you have a lot of barista experience, which is great. What do you like about being a barista?

Vanessa: Yes that’s right, I started working in cafés when I was a student. I can make a lot of different drinks, and I really like learning new techniques. I also love meeting different kinds of people, and just making them happy with a beautiful cup of coffee. So, that kind of stuff.

Mira: Wonderful. Okay. And it says here that you know a few different POS systems. So, cards, cash, contactless… How do you know so many payment systems?

Vanessa: Well, every place I have worked at has had a different kind of system, so I feel confident that I can figure them out pretty quickly.

Mira: Oh okay, very nice… And it's so convenient that you live close by because I need someone who can work the early shift. The café will open at 7am but you'll have to come in around 6 or 6:30 to set everything up for the day.

Vanessa: Um… oh. Early shifts? Hmmmm. Well, the thing is, I sometimes DJ at night. And… ummm… I wouldn’t say I’m a… morning person.

Mira: Okay, I see. So you’re not a morning person. Hmmmm

Conor: Hello! And welcome back to Talking on the Job. I’m Conor, your host and English language mentor, here to help you navigate the world of business and work, in English. I’m calling today’s episode Asking What’s Possible. This job interview was is off to a strong start. Mira began by telling Vanessa what to expect from the interview, to help her feel more comfortable. Then she asked about Vanessa’s work experience. So far, so good! But there seems to be a problem: Vanessa is not a morning person. And the café opens early! So Mira will have to figure out if Vanessa is the right person for the job by asking hypothetical questions. That is, questions about what’s possible, or what someone is willing to do. Let’s see how she does it!

Mira: Hmmm. Okay. You’re really qualified for the job…

Vanessa: Oh, thank you!

Mira: …and you live close by, which is great.

Vanessa: Yeah!

Mira: So, if you were working here 30 hours a week, could you perhaps afford to do fewer DJ gigs at night?

Vanessa: Hmmmm. I do love DJing, but I guess I could shift my schedule around a bit.

Mira: Great, and if you had to work the early shift… let’s say… 2 or 3 times a week… would you be willing to do that?

Vanessa: Um, yes. Yes, I think so. Your café seems like a really special place, and I’d love to work here. I think I could work mornings once in a while. Yeah. That’s no problem.

Conor: Did you catch that? Mira was surprised when Vanessa said she doesn’t want to work the early shift. So, she had to think on her feet and find out what’s possible, and if Vanessa is willing to work mornings. She did this by asking hypothetical questions.

Conor: To ask hypothetical questions, Mira used "if" plus a simple past verb plus "could" or "would". She asked:

Mira: So, if you were working here 30 hours a week, could you perhaps afford to do fewer DJ gigs at night?

Conor: By asking a question using "if" with the simple past "were" plus "could", Mira was able to find out from Vanessa what’s possible. She also asked:

Mira: Great, and if you had to work the early shift 2 or 3 times a week… would you be willing to do that?

Conor: By asking a question using "if" with the simple past "had" plus "would", Mira was able to find out if Vanessa was willing to work early 2 or 3 times a week.

Conor: So, dear listener, remember: If you need to find out from a colleague, client, or job candidate what’s possible, or what they’re willing to do, ask hypothetical questions using "if" with a simple past verb, plus "could" or "would". This is handy for an interview, or any conversation you’re having on the job. Now, do you think Mira hired Vanessa? Let’s find out.

Valerie: Alright, it seems like Vanessa really wanted to work here, and she was willing to change her schedule. Did you end up hiring her?

Mira: Yes! I did. She was able to start right away, helping me set everything up.

Valerie: Okay. And how did that go?

Mira: Well, actually, that didn’t go very smoothly in the beginning. Initially, the equipment installation went well, but then there was some miscommunication with the instructions, and it was tricky for Vanessa to figure everything out on her own. I was busy, so I couldn't help her as much as I wanted to…

Conor: Well, dear listener, that’s my job done for the day. To review what you’ve heard, try listening to the episode again, or, take a look at the transcript for today’s episode. You’ll find a review of how to ask hypothetical questions, and some key vocabulary there too. The link is in the episode description. Also, check out our course on hiring and compensation in the Babbel app! And, as always, you can let me know what you think of the podcast by sending an email to podcasting@babbel.com. Don’t forget to write Talking on the Job in the subject line.

Conor: In the next episode, we’ll hear all about what went wrong with the set up, and see if Vanessa and Mira managed to figure everything out. Bye for now!
 
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 Tips for asking hypothetical questions

To find out if something is possible:
- "if" + verb in the simple past + "could"
Example: So, if you were working here 30 hours a week, could you perhaps afford to do fewer DJ gigs at night?

To find out if someone is willing to do something:
- "if" + verb in the simple past + "would"
Example: And if you had to work the early shift 3 or 4 times a week… would you be willing to do that?


 Key Vocabulary

 - POS system: point of sale system - a system used by businesses
to process payment
- morning person: a person who has most energy early in the day
- on short notice: very soon after being told about something