• You will hear a radio presenter interviewing a businessman called Jim O’Brien.

Man: Good afternoon. It is time for Face to Face. This week, Sonia Kay talks to Jim O’Brien.
Woman: Jim O’Brien heads the UK division of American PC company Hacker. Mr O’Brien, thank you very much for sparing us a few minutes of your busy schedule.
Man: Hello. It’s a pleasure. And please call me Jim.
Woman: Well, Jim, can we start by going through a typical day for you?
Man: I usually get up at around 5am. I drive in from my house to the office in London. I get very frustrated sitting in traffic jams so I leave early to beat the rush. I enjoy driving in, it’s nice to get away on my own.
Woman: That’s certainly an early start!
Man: Yes, well, at 6.30am, I get into the office. I use the time to get through my post and do the things that are difficult to do during the normal working day because of people wanting to see me. Between the hours of 8 and 9 1 take care of any European business which needs doing.
Woman: What a schedule! Do you find it exhausting?
Man: Exhausting, no. But, unfortunately most of my time is spent in meetings now, which doesn’t really suit my type of personality. I much prefer the hands-on approach - I would rather be out chatting to people than sitting in the boardroom preparing policies and strategies - but that is a luxury I can’t afford.
Woman: Could you tell us how you started with Hacker?
Man: I got into Hacker almost by accident. I was chief executive of a meat trading firm called FMC Harris, which was subject to a hostile take-over. At 9am one morning my boss was fired, and by 9.10am I was ont too. I spent eight weeks with no job, a wife and children to support, and a house to pay for. Then I was approached by Hacker to set up a UK branch for them. I was reluctant at first, but after a trip to Hacker’s headquarters in the US to discuss it, I was chasing them!
Woman: It’s a big company. Who do you actually work with on a daily basis?
Man: The rest of the management team arrives at around 9am. I work closely with a team of six, including my PA, Alice Lang. She is an integral part of the management system. I was lucky to find her, as it’s almost impossible to find the right person for the job. The ideal employee is someone who is willing to work hard and someone who can adapt to the way we work.
Woman: Uh-huh. Right, so let’s get you up to lunch-time. After your early start, you must be ready for lunch quite early, too.
Man: Yes, though the actual time varies from day to day. I try to avoid business lunches because I still have the afternoon ahead to contend with. I don’t enjoy lengthy meals. So I usually just have a sandwich in the office with Alice.
Woman: And are there any changes planned for the future?
Man: People ask me if I get frustrated or bored, but the job changes constantly. This year we are moving away from wholesale office sales and more into high street retail sales of home computers. This is new ground for Hacker and presents me with a fresh set of challenges.
Woman: Jim, we hear a lot about people working long hours these days. When do you finish work?
Man: I am not the sort of person who enjoys working late. I try to get home by 7. I won’t work late at the office sitting behind the desk because I can do something like that equally well at home. But there’s no way to avoid entertaining and meeting people in the evening, so two or three nights a week I stay in town. I try to keep work and the weekend totally divorced. The week’s devoted to Hacker, but the weekend is devoted to myself and my family.
Woman: Jim, thank you very much. It’s been most interesting, and I’m sure our listeners have learnt a lot.
Man: Thank you. I’ve enjoyed it. And if you need any new computers for your offices ...
Woman: ... we know who to call!