Episódio 32: Interview Success (Entrevistas de sucesso)

Duolingo English for Portuguese Speakers Podcast

No outono de 2017, Aladdin Diakun foi convidado pra uma feira de emprego com alguns dos principais escritórios de advocacia de Toronto.

Ele achava que tinha que aproveitar a oportunidade.

Aladdin tava com uma dívida de mais de 100 mil dólares por causa do curso de direito, ou law, na Universidade de Toronto.

Por isso, ele precisava conseguir um bom trabalho o quanto antes.

Going to that event was a big opportunity for me as a law student, so I needed to perform really well in the interviews.

It was easy to feel like if you don’t get a job through the event, then you’ve failed.

I didn’t want to feel like that.

I was very stressed.

A feira durou vários dias.

I felt like things were going well for me the first day.

Then, on the second day, while I was interviewing for the job I wanted the most, the fire alarm started ringing — right in the middle of my interview! It was so loud, and I didn’t know what to do.

I started to worry that I wasn’t going to get the job!

Welcome to “Histórias em Inglês com Duolingo”.

Eu sou Helena Fruet.

Nesse podcast, você vai poder praticar inglês no seu ritmo, ouvindo histórias reais e emocionantes.

Os protagonistas falam um inglês simples e fácil de entender — perfeito pra quem tá aprendendo.

Hoje trazemos duas histórias de pessoas que enfrentaram uma situação bem estressante: a temida… entrevista de emprego.

Aladdin teve diferentes empregos antes de fazer 30 anos.

Ele trabalhou com ativismo ambiental, dando aulas de inglês… Ele fez até um mestrado, mas teve dificuldade pra encontrar um trabalho estável depois que se formou.

I was 30 years old, living at home with my parents, and not really making any money.

That’s not how I imagined my life or my career! So, I decided to become a lawyer because I wanted to help people, and improve my financial situation.

Pouco depois de começar a faculdade de direito, Aladdin ouviu falar dessa feira de emprego em Toronto, que era organizada pelos mais prestigiados escritórios de advocacia, ou law firms.

Os candidatos passariam vários dias fazendo entrevistas nas empresas.

Era a melhor oportunidade pra conseguir um emprego de advogado com um bom salário depois de formado.

I started preparing right away.

I constantly asked my classmates and mentors for advice about the event.

I wanted to learn everything about the different law firms.

Nos Estados Unidos e no Canadá, o candidato a um emprego deve enviar um breve currículo, ou résumé, e uma carta de apresentação, ou cover letter, explicando por que ele é o candidato ideal pra aquela vaga.

I had a copy of my résumé and a cover letter for each company.

The cover letter was especially important because it was the law firm’s first impression of me.

I needed to get their attention and show them why they should choose me.

I submitted my applications during the summer before my second year of law school.

And I was excited when I was invited to the event.

Cada dia da feira tinha entrevistas diferentes.

No começo, Aladdin tava nervoso.

E ele também podia sentir a ansiedade dos outros candidatos.

The interviews on the first day were very short — only about 17 minutes each.

It was like speed-dating, but I was trying to find a boss instead of a partner.

It was crazy! But things went well for me, and I was invited back for interviews with a law firm I was really interested in.

No segundo dia, Aladdin tinha agendado três entrevistas seguidas no escritório em que ele realmente queria trabalhar.

Ele foi com seu melhor terno, usando um lenço de bolso, ou pocket square.

I wore my best suit, and I spent a lot of time deciding which tie to wear and whether I should wear a pocket square.

It seems ridiculous now, but looking good for interviews is one of the few things you can actually control.

A feira acontecia num arranha-céu no centro de Toronto, e a primeira entrevista de Aladdin foi no quadragésimo terceiro andar.

E quando ele e os entrevistadores começaram a se apresentar…

The fire alarm started ringing.

It was extremely loud, but my interviewers just said, “Don’t worry about it.

It happens all the time.” Then, they continued asking me questions while the alarm was ringing.

Initially, I was surprised.

But then I remembered that lawyers have to work in stressful situations.

So I had to stay calm and show them that I could do that, too.

Então, uma funcionária do edifício interrompeu a entrevista.

Ao contrário do que os entrevistadores de Aladdin pensaram, o alarme não era uma simulação, ou drill.

The woman said, “What are you all doing here? This isn’t a drill! Get out!” I was worried because that meant there could be a real fire in the building.

But I was also doing one of the most important interviews of my life.

I tried not to panic.

And instead, I grabbed my bag and walked to the stairs.

Pra surpresa de Aladdin, a entrevista não foi interrompida com eles saindo do prédio.

Os entrevistadores continuaram conversando com ele enquanto desciam os 43 lances de escada até a saída.

They kept talking to me, so we continued the interview.

I tried to be charming and funny because I needed to show them that I was very interested in the job.

But we also had to get out of the building because we thought there might be a fire! We exited the building and there were a bunch of law students who looked really nervous.

They were probably also wondering if the fire alarm destroyed their job opportunities.

Depois de alguns minutos, os funcionários do prédio disseram que tinha sido um alarme falso.

Tava todo mundo liberado pra entrar de novo.

I had another interview, and it was a very important one with top managers at the same law firm.

I got into a crowded elevator with a bunch of other confused law students.

And I hoped that everything was going to be OK.

Quando chegou na próxima entrevista com o escritório, Aladdin já tava sem fôlego.

Os entrevistadores ofereceram um copo-d’água pra ele.

E aí começou a entrevista.

They asked if I had any questions.

I didn’t, because I already knew everything about the law firm.

So instead, I made a joke that it was a very memorable interview.

I knew that law firms want to see your human side too.

So, I wanted to use the experience with the fire alarm to show that I can build a good relationship in a short period of time.

A entrevista terminou, e Aladdin foi pra casa.

Apesar da interrupção, ele torcia pra ter causado uma boa impressão na empresa.

I knew that if I was going to get an offer, they would call me the next day at 5:00 pm.

So, the next day, I felt anxious while I waited for the phone to ring.

Then, at exactly 5:00 pm, I got the call.

O escritório tava ligando pra oferecer uma vaga durante o verão, que poderia virar uma bolsa de estudos.

Todo mundo que quiser trabalhar como advogado no Canadá precisa passar por esse processo.

I was so excited.

I put so much energy, effort, and time into preparing for this event.

It was stressful, but I was so happy that I was going to have a job after law school.

Aladdin tava com medo de que o alarme de incêndio tivesse acabado com suas chances de conseguir o emprego dos sonhos.

Mas no fim, ele acha que pode até ter ajudado.

I showed them that I can deal with stressful situations, and being a lawyer can be very stressful!

Pra Aladdin, a entrevista de emprego que deu início à sua carreira como advogado foi estressante, mas ele pelo menos teve a oportunidade de fazê-la.

Pra Lois Kim, foi muito difícil conseguir uma entrevista de emprego quando, aos 37 anos, ela tentou começar uma carreira do zero no mundo das finanças.

E uma pequena observação antes de entrar na história: vamos falar sobre dependência de drogas.

No começo da carreira, Lois foi muito bem-sucedida trabalhando num dos maiores bancos do Havaí.

In my early 20s, I started working at the bank.

And by the time I was 27, I had a job with a lot of responsibilities.

I analyzed possible problems with loaning money to businesses.

I loved my job.

E não era só o trabalho que ia bem.

Ela casou e teve uma filha.

Mas um dia, em 2008, o pai dela ficou muito doente.

Ele precisou ser mantido por aparelhos, ou life support.

We aren’t sure exactly what happened, but he was in a coma.

A week later, I had to decide whether to keep him on life support.

Eventually, I decided it was best to remove him, and he died right away.

Soon after, my mother’s cancer came back, and my grandmother died too.

It was a lot of family trauma at the same time…

Lois tava devastada e não sabia como processar sua dor.

Ela se sentia culpada por ter autorizado o desligamento dos aparelhos que mantinham o pai vivo e também sentia que não conseguia fazer nada pra melhorar a saúde da mãe.

Então, ela começou a beber.

I started taking drugs too, and I became addicted.

I owed a lot of money to my credit card company because of my addiction.

I stopped spending time with my family, and I started stealing to pay for drugs and alcohol.

I knew it was wrong, but I couldn’t stop.

And when you steal a lot, like I did, eventually you will get caught.

Lois foi presa e julgada por roubo e posse de drogas.

Ela foi declarada culpada e condenada à prisão.

O marido ficou com a guarda total da filha deles.

My mom died while I was in prison, and I wasn’t able to go to her funeral.

It was awful.

I lost everything, including my parents, my husband, my daughter, and my career.

I promised myself that I was going to change.

I knew it would be hard, but I wanted to be in control of my life again.

Mas quando Lois decidiu mudar de vida, era difícil imaginar exatamente como.

As coisas tinham mudado muito desde que ela sonhava em ser executiva de um banco.

E Lois sabia que, por causa da discriminação, era muito difícil pra quem sai da cadeia encontrar um emprego.

Mas na prisão, Lois teve que se inscrever em programas de trabalho.

I started working in the kitchen.

But when the prison’s education department learned that I used to work in a bank, they invited me to participate in a new program.

I had an administrative job outside of the prison, and I was able to use some of my skills from my banking career.

My supervisors helped me feel confident.

It gave me hope for my future.

Depois de uns 15 meses na prisão, Lois foi transferida pro que se conhece como halfway house, uma residência administrada pelo governo onde ela ia cumprir parte da pena.

Em geral, uma halfway house ajuda as pessoas a se reintegrarem à vida fora da cadeia.

In the halfway house, I was finally able to feel sad about everything that I lost.

In prison, I couldn’t do that because I felt like my crimes defined who I was.

Prison made me feel like I wasn’t human anymore.

But in the halfway house, I could start to reflect and think about my life after prison, including my career.

Lois queria um trabalho como o anterior, ou ao menos algo parecido em que ela pudesse usar toda a experiência que tinha com o trabalho no banco.

Ela tava animada pra fazer uma entrevista de emprego.

I applied for a lot of accountant jobs.

Finally, I got a call for an interview.

O responsável pelos recursos humanos disse pra Lois que tava impressionado com o currículo dela e queria marcar uma entrevista presencial.

I was so excited! But I was also nervous because I needed to explain why I hadn’t worked during the past few years.

So I decided to tell him that I used to be in prison.

Pra combater a discriminação, no Havaí os empregadores são proibidos de perguntar pros entrevistados se eles já foram condenados.

A contratação só pode ser interrompida se os crimes cometidos tiverem relação direta com as tarefas do trabalho.

I didn’t need to tell the company about my criminal conviction.

But I decided I was going to do it anyway.

I told the manager, “I don’t want to waste your time, so I’m going to be honest with you.” I explained that I had a conviction, and that I was living in a halfway house, trying to start my life again.

He said he appreciated my honesty, and he still wanted to schedule an interview.

Lois ficou aliviada.

Ela pensou: “Talvez seja verdade que sempre existe uma segunda chance.”

Then, maybe two or three hours before the interview, I got a call from the manager again.

I thought he just wanted to confirm the details for the interview.

But instead, he said he spoke to his boss, who knew me from my previous career at the bank — and who probably also knew that I went to prison.

The manager then said I was not the right person for the job and he cancelled the interview.

I was shocked and disappointed.

Pra Lois, acreditar em si mesma era uma luta diária.

Por isso, o cancelamento da entrevista foi um grande baque.

I cried and cried after my interview was canceled.

I felt like everyone was going to see me as a criminal forever.

But I decided I couldn’t give up.

I couldn’t let one person decide my future.

No mesmo dia, Lois se candidatou a vários outros empregos, inclusive um de especialista em folha de pagamento, ou payroll specialist.

Era uma empresa do setor de saúde, ou healthcare industry, especializada em saúde mental e reabilitação de pessoas dependentes de drogas.

I didn’t have any experience in the healthcare industry or working as a payroll specialist.

But the job involved numbers, and I’m good with numbers.

Mais uma vez, o setor de recursos humanos ligou e eles marcaram a entrevista.

I went to the office for the interview.

It began like other job interviews.

The manager asked me about my previous experience, why I was interested in this job, and why I thought I was a good candidate.

It was all normal stuff.

It seemed like the manager was excited to interview me.

I was also excited!

Aí veio a pergunta que Lois temia: como ela explicaria os anos sem emprego no currículo dela.

After my bad experience with my last interview, I was scared to tell the manager about my conviction.

But I also wanted to be honest.

So, I decided to tell my whole story.

It was so emotional that I cried a lot.

I explained that I was trying to make positive changes in my life and that I wanted a new start.

Lois pensou que se alguém fosse dar uma segunda chance pra ela, seria uma organização que trabalha com reabilitação de pessoas com dependência.

Ela ficou esperançosa.

I took the bus home after the interview.

As I was walking through the door, the manager called the phone at the halfway house and wanted to speak with me.

Tinha passado tão pouco tempo que Lois achou que tinham ligado pra dizer que ela não tinha conseguido a vaga.

I felt nervous when I took the phone.

But instead of telling me that I didn’t get the job, they told me the president of the organization wanted to meet with me that same day!

Lois e o presidente da empresa conversaram por quase uma hora.

No fim do dia, ela tinha uma oferta de trabalho.

I didn’t need time to think about it.

I said, “yes,” right away.

They wanted me to start immediately.

It felt so amazing to be back in an office and to feel equal to everyone else.

For years, people made me feel like I was trash.

People didn’t trust me and told me I was a bad person.

Having a job made me feel like a human again.

Com o novo emprego, Lois pôde começar a guardar dinheiro e sonhar novamente com o futuro.

E não só no trabalho!

I thought I was never going to see my daughter again.

But she gave me a second chance too.

Now, our relationship is strong and we spend every weekend together.

I caused her a lot of pain, and I’m so grateful that she forgave me.

My daughter motivates me to be a better person every day.

Lois Kim trabalha na CARE Hawaii há vários anos.

Ela entrou como especialista em folha de pagamento e agora é gerente.

Ela também é autora de dois livros infantis, “Mommy Loves You” e “My Best Friend”, que ela escreveu pra sua filha.

Nosso primeiro narrador, Aladdin Diakun, é um advogado que mora em Toronto.

Hoje em dia ele é autônomo.

Esse episódio foi produzido por Stephanie Wolf.

“Histórias em Inglês” é uma produção de Duolingo e Adonde Media.

Samia Bouzid, David De Luca, Andrés Fechtenholz, Mauricio Mendoza e Daniel Murcia foram responsáveis pelo projeto sonoro, a produção musical e a edição de áudio.

Giovana Romano Sanchez fez a edição de áudio das adaptações para o português.

A masterização ficou a cargo de David de Luca e Juan Pablo Culasso Alonso.

Nossa assistente de produção é Caro Rolando, e a editora é Stephanie Joyce.

Giovana Romano Sanchez editou os roteiros em português.

Nosso gerente de produção é Román Frontini, o editor-chefe é David Alandete e a diretora-executiva é Martina Castro.

Segue a gente no Spotify, na Apple Podcasts ou na sua plataforma preferida.

Eu sou Helena Fruet.

Thank you for listening!