Interviews & formal encounters
Lesson opening
This is the first part of the lesson. The rest, the exercises and the reviews are in the app.
Formal encounters: the interview and the appointment
A job interview, the police counter, the bank, a doctor’s or a notary’s office, a meeting with a landlord or with your child’s form teacher: conversations you cannot replay. Each time there is a stranger across the desk with the power to say yes or no.
The door and the first two minutes
Arrive five to ten minutes early, greet everyone, and sit down when you are offered a seat.
Then comes Došao sam po pozivu. “I’m here at your invitation” (a man speaking; a woman says Došla sam), and Hvala vam što ste me primili. “Thank you for seeing me.” To address people, use title and surname: gospodine Petroviću, gospođo Marić. These are vocatives, the form for addressing someone: his title and surname both change; a woman’s surname ending in a consonant, like Marić, does not (lesson “Vocative of names & titles”). Later a first name may do, but still with Vi.
Recite nam nešto o sebi: three steps
“Tell us something about yourself” is not an invitation to tell your life story. The answer comes in three steps: what I am by profession → what I have done → why I am here. Keep it to two minutes.
Round the answer off with Ukratko, to bi bilo to. “In short, that’s about it.” Bio sam zadužen za “I was responsible for” and vodio sam “I led” come from the lesson “CV & cover letter”: at the interview they are the same.
Cheat sheet
The cheat sheet — everything essential from the lesson on one page. In the app it opens at any time.
Formal encounters: interview and appointment
At the door
| Serbian | English |
|---|---|
| razgovor za posao, kandidat / kandidatkinja | job interview; candidate (m / f) |
| konkurs, oglas, imati zakazano, kadrovska služba | public call; job ad; to have an appointment; HR |
Dobar dan, zovem se Ana Petrova, imam zakazan razgovor u deset. Hello, I’m Ana Petrova, interview at ten.
Vocative: gospodine Petroviću, gospođo Marić; Vi to the end.
About you: profession → experience → why here
- Po struci sam ekonomista, poslednjih pet godina radim kao programer. by training…; five years as…
- Bio sam zadužen za klijente, vodio sam tim. Ukratko, to bi bilo to. was responsible for; led; that’s all
Their questions
| Question | Opener |
|---|---|
| Zašto ste se prijavili baš kod nas? why us? | Ono što me privlači jeste… what draws me… |
| Zašto ste napustili prethodni posao? why leave? | Tražio sam veći izazov. bigger challenge |
| Gde sebe vidite za pet godina? in five years? | Voleo bih da vodim… I’d like to lead… |
| Kada biste mogli da počnete? start when? | Mogu odmah. / Imam otkazni rok. now / notice |
Ne bih o tome loše govorio. Samo trenutak, da razmislim. I won’t criticise. A moment, let me think.
Strengths and weaknesses
Koje su vaše prednosti i mane? / jake i slabe strane? Of yourself: jača i slabija strana; vredan, uporan, pouzdan, komunikativan, otporan na stres: hard-working, persistent, reliable, sociable, stress-resistant.
Moja slabija strana je što teško delegiram, ali sam počeo da prepuštam deo posla. I find delegating hard, but I’ve started to.
Your questions and money
- Imam nekoliko pitanja, ako smem. Kako izgleda jedan radni dan? Kakvi su sledeći koraci? a working day; next steps
- Kakav je predviđeni raspon plate? Bruto ili neto? Da li ima prostora za pregovore? range; gross/net; negotiation
- Hvala vam na vremenu. Ostajem na raspolaganju. Javljam se povodom razgovora od utorka. close; follow-up email
An appointment (at MUP): five moves
| Move | Say |
|---|---|
| who and why | Imam zakazano u jedanaest, na ime Petrov. |
| give | Evo pasoša i potvrde. |
| ask | Šta mi je još potrebno? Koliko dugo se čeka? |
| check | Da li sam dobro razumeo…? |
| close | Kada mogu da dođem po dokument? |
Five scenes
| Scene | Serbian | English |
|---|---|---|
| bank | tekući i devizni račun, provizija | current, foreign-currency account; fee |
| doctor | izabrani lekar, uput, nalazi | your GP; referral; test results |
| notary | javni beležnik, overa potpisa, punomoćje | notary; signature certification; power of attorney |
| flat | stanodavac, depozit, prijava boravišta | landlord; deposit; registration |
| school | upis deteta, razredni starešina | enrolling a child; form teacher |
Register, asking again
No jel', bre: Vi, da li, requests as questions: Da li biste mogli da mi date obrazac?
- Izvinite, srpski mi nije maternji — recite drugim rečima. Možete li da ponovite? not native; repeat, please