Episode 0256

That's right, today we're taking a look at a very important aspect of an interview. Uh, we're talking about salary and money.

That's right. So, this is the end of the interview when we're starting to talk about details of the job. Let's check this out, listen to the dialogue one time and when we come back, we'll be talking more about what's going on.

Okay, well I'm sure you have a number of questions to ask me regarding the position.

Yes, well, Miss Child's did give me an overview of the position over the phone, but there were some details I'd like to clarify.

Well, feel free to ask me anything and I'll try to fill in the details.

Could I first ask about the remuneration package?

Yes, of course, that's quite an important point, is it it?

As a junior sub-editor, we offer a starting salary of 150,000 Hong Kong dollars per annum. This doesn't include a generous housing allowance also.

I understand. And are there other bonuses included?

Well, apart from full health insurance, we do offer a company staff bonus scheme linked to readership numbers. But we could go through all the details of that at a later date.

Well, Mr. Parsons, I am flexible when it comes to salary. The opportunity to work in Hong Kong with your company is the most important thing for me.

All right, we're back. So let's take a look at a couple of words and phrases on language takeaway.

Okay, so this first phrase is a set phrase, that means these words often go together. Uh, the phrase is remuneration package.

That's right. A remuneration package. Rebecca said, could I first ask about the remuneration package?

So what's an easier way to say this, Marco?

Uh, I guess basically the salary.

That's right. But a package means that it's not just money, it's also some of the benefits or the bonuses. So, this is a way to describe how a person is paid in general.

That's right. So the remuneration package that Rebecca is being offered, um, Mr. Parsons said that she would get a starting salary of $150,000 per annum.

Okay, so this phrase starting salary is another fixed phrase. We have a lot of these today. That means these two words go together, starting salary. So, salary is easy. It's the amount of money you make either per month or per week or per year.

But what is a starting salary? How is that different?

Well, basically that's the money that you would start earning in the company, but obviously with time, it could, it could change and you can get more money.

So this means that you will start making this much money, but it's possible that in the future you will make more. This is the starting salary.

That's right. And well, of course, as we said, it's $150,000 Hong Kong dollars per annum. So, now we're, we're, we're specifying how often you're getting this money. Per annum.

So if it were per month, this might be a lot of money.

But this is how much money she will earn per year, per annum. This comes from Latin.

That's right. So per year. So, this is the, this is the remuneration package she's getting. Not only is she getting um, 150,000 per annum, she's also getting a housing allowance.

Okay, so many of us had allowances when we were children. This means the money that your parents gave you each week, you know, $5 or $10. Well, a housing allowance is a little bit different. It means the money that your company gives you per month or per year to pay for your apartment or your house.

That's right. So obviously the company is saying that, look, we're going to give you a certain amount of money for you to pay for your house. You don't have to really pay for your house. We'll pay for it.

That's right. And well, also she's getting health insurance, and, uh, she, she is also being offered a company staff bonus scheme.

Okay, bonus scheme. A bonus is something extra. It's on top of what you normally get. But a bonus scheme indicates that, um, the bonus changes according to how well you do.

That's right. So obviously he's specifying that the bonus scheme is linked to readership numbers.

So let's, let's say for example, Marco sells newspapers. Marco, you sell on a good week, 100 newspapers. If you sell 150, you get a bonus of $10.

That's right.

But if you sell 200 newspapers, you get a bonus of $50.

That's right.

This is a scheme, the numbers change.

Very good. So all of this that we've just talked about, to be clear, is our remuneration package. We're talking about a salary, we're talking about housing allowance, health insurance, and even a bonus scheme.

So a package can include these things and much, much more. Many CEOs get bigger remuneration packages.

They do. And if you have children, sometimes a part of your package is education costs for your children, or a car, or computers, things like that.

That's right. So a lot of great stuff there, uh, talking about salaries and, well, a little bit of negotiating it. Uh, why don't we go back, listen to the dialogue again and we'll be back in a bit.

Okay, well I'm sure you have a number of questions to ask me regarding the position.

Yes, well, Miss Child's did give me an overview of the position over the phone, but there were some details I'd like to clarify.

Well, feel free to ask me anything and I'll try to fill in the details.

Could I first ask about the remuneration package?

Yes, of course, that's quite an important point, is it it?

As a junior sub-editor, we offer a starting salary of 150,000 Hong Kong dollars per annum. This doesn't include a generous housing allowance also.

I understand. And are there other bonuses included?

Well, apart from full health insurance, we do offer a company staff bonus scheme linked to readership numbers. But we could go through all the details of that at a later date.

Well, Mr. Parsons, I am flexible when it comes to salary. The opportunity to work in Hong Kong with your company is the most important thing for me.

Um, so at the beginning of the dialogue, Rebecca is talking to Mr. Parsons about the job and she says, you know, I don't really have that many questions, but, um, when I talked to Miss Child's about the job over the phone, there were some things she wanted to clarify. So how did she talk to her? She talked to her over the phone.

That's right. So this is a really good phrase to specify that, um, you received information or you or you did business talking on the phone, not in person.

Okay, so this is a bit strange because we use the preposition over. You could also say I'm on the phone. That means I'm talking on the phone. Uh, but over the phone means by phone.

That's right. Not by mail or email or in person, but we communicate, we talk over the phone, by phone.

So sometimes for example, people will see a TV commercial with a nice item or device that they want to buy and they will purchase this object, maybe a DVD player over the phone. They will call up this number and order it.

That's right, or you can say, you know, I'm really sorry Marco, but I don't feel comfortable talking about my banking details over the phone.

That's right. Okay, so that means on the phone.

So then Mr. Parsons said, uh, feel free to ask me anything, okay? Feel free to ask me anything about the job.

Okay, this is a phrase that I use all the time, and I think it's really important when you're in a business context or a work context to say, listen, if you have any questions, feel free to ask. It means don't hesitate, don't be nervous. If you have a question, just ask it.

That's right. So feel free to ask. Don't worry about it, just ask me.

And it's a very good phrase to give someone or to make someone feel more comfortable around.

Exactly, exactly.

All right. And he said that, uh, I'll try to fill in the details.

Okay, so this is an interesting phrase because fill in, you know, on a form, for example, means put your name in a box or fill in some numbers. Um, but here the details, we, we think maybe, maybe I don't know what the details are. So to fill them in means to fill in gaps or some blanks. So like I don't know all the details, please tell me information so that I will know them.

That's right. So what he's basically saying is, I know that you have an idea or a general overview of how things are, but if you ask me, I can tell you more specific things. That's fill in the details.

Or for example, we're going to a party on Saturday night, but I don't know where the party is yet. How about on Friday, I call you to fill you in on the details.

Very good. Okay, so, um, those are the phrases that we've prepared for you today. I think, uh, we've taken a look at a lot of great vocab. Why don't we listen to the dialogue one last time and we'll be back to talk to you a little bit more.

Okay, well I'm sure you have a number of questions to ask me regarding the position.

Yes, well, Miss Child's did give me an overview of the position over the phone, but there were some details I'd like to clarify.

Well, feel free to ask me anything and I'll try to fill in the details.

Could I first ask about the remuneration package?

Yes, of course, that's quite an important point, is it it?

As a junior sub-editor, we offer a starting salary of 150,000 Hong Kong dollars per annum. This doesn't include a generous housing allowance also.

I understand. And are there other bonuses included?

Well, apart from full health insurance, we do offer a company staff bonus scheme linked to readership numbers. But we could go through all the details of that at a later date.

Well, Mr. Parsons, I am flexible when it comes to salary. The opportunity to work in Hong Kong with your company is the most important thing for me.

All right, so talking about salaries and remuneration packages. Now, is this a common word to talk about remuneration?

Yes, it is. It basically means the way that you are paid for the work that you do. So remuneration, it sounds like a big long word. Um, but in America, I think we also just talk about salary or compensation.

Compensation packages.

Okay, so, um, now when we talk about remuneration, we don't necessarily always talk about money, like in this case, right? We can, uh, receive other benefits.

That's right. And so a lot of times people think of the important parts of remuneration not just to be the salary, but also to be the benefits. And so benefits are not the money, they're the other stuff. They're healthcare, um, we said earlier, a housing allowance, uh, even bonuses and things like that, or education for your children. These are extras and these are a part of the package.

Now, what would you prefer to have a good remuneration package, um, like these other additional benefits with a low salary, or would you prefer to have a high salary with no, uh, not many of these benefits?

Well, I think that it's nice to get the benefits and a lower salary because often times at a company, like a big company, um, the company can get really good rates on healthcare. So if I have to pay for my healthcare with my big salary, maybe it will cost me more money. But if my company pays with the company rate, that means the, the, the amount that they pay, then maybe they can help me pay for these things much cheaper. And so in the end, I make more money.

Yeah. Actually, I've heard in some companies that offer great remuneration packages, like if you have children, as you said, they were pay for their education, but many times they would even pay for their, uh, childcare, like maybe a nanny. Um, some of them, some of the managers would receive maybe a, um, a fuel bonus, so they would get, I don't know, $200 extra a month for, for fuel, for their car if they drive to work.

And so that's I think companies can get a little bit creative and it's not that much that they're actually spending, but you, you take it as to being a really good benefit.

That's right. So we're actually a little bit curious to know if, uh, how remuneration packages work in your company or maybe in your country.

That's right. So please let us know. You obviously don't have to tell us how much money you earn. But if you want to tell us how these things work where you come from, our website is Englishpod.com. We'll see you there.

The English pod audio review.

Listen to the meaning, then say the vocabulary word.

Money and benefits given to someone for the work.

Remuneration package.

Each year.

Per annum.

Money that a company provides for rent of a house.

Housing allowance.

Able to change or to do different things.

Flexible.

To study or look at something in a careful way.

Go through.

Let's try that faster.

To study or look at something in a careful way.

Go through.

Each year.

Per annum.

Able to change or to do different things.

Flexible.

Money and benefits given to someone for the work.

Remuneration package.

Money that a company provides for rent of a house.

Housing allowance.

Now say the word and hear it in a sentence.

Housing allowance.

This company doesn't offer a housing allowance, but the salary more than makes up for it.

Housing allowance.

MNCs don't usually offer housing allowance to employees hired locally.

Housing allowance.

And how much is the housing allowance you offer?

Per annum.

Molly from HR will have to explain our bonus scheme to you.

Per annum.

The bonus scheme is designed to reward only the highest achieving employees.

Per annum.

We'll be making some changes to the bonus scheme this year.

Flexible.

I have a flexible working schedule.

Flexible.

I'm afraid the company is really not flexible when it comes to working hours.

Flexible.

When it comes to change, many people are not flexible.

Go through.

Do you have a few minutes to go through the quarterly reports?

Go through.

I'll ask Angela to go through the new company policy with us.

Go through.

Brent has already gone through the preliminary information.

Remuneration package.

Please feel free to help yourself to coffee, tea, or whatever you'd like.

Remuneration package.

Feel free to interrupt me anytime with questions.

Remuneration package.

I wish I felt free to speak with my boss on this matter, but I don't know how she'd react.