Five people talk about their jobs. Match the jobs (1-5) to the people (a-e) and put the words in brackets into the correct grammatical forms.

1 accountant

2 postwoman

3 flight attendant

4 software developer

5 teacher

a) Obviously, my work involves................ (travel) a lot. It can be quite physically (tire), but I enjoy................................................. (deal) with customers, except when they become violent. Luckily this doesn’t happen often.

b) I like... (work) with figures, but my job is much less...... (bore)

and routine than people think. The work.... (involve) a lot of human

contact and teamwork, working with other managers.

c) Of course, it involves getting up quite early in the morning. But I like ……… (be) out in the open air. And I get a lot of exercise!

d) You’ve got to think in a very logical way. The work can be mentally

..................... (tire), but it’s very satisfying to write a program that works.

e) I love my job. It’s very................... (stimulate) and not at all ……(repeat): no two days are the same. It’s good to see the children learn and develop.

5. Describe these jobs using the pattern and active vocabulary:

“Being a teacher is a challenging job because you have to teach large groups of people who have different abilities. It’s also very rewarding.”

A pilot

A sales manager

A director

A doctor

A policeman

A nurse

An engineer

A showman

A programmer

III

1. Read the conversation and tick the people he works with and the jobs he does:

People	Jobs
Customers	Answering calls
Suppliers	Visiting
Sales reps	Developing new programs
Programmers	Discussing old programs

Interviewer: Where do you work?

Sang Chun: In the Technical Support Department.

Interviewer: So what do you do exactly?

Sang Chun: Basically, my job consists of answering calls from customers who are having problems with their software. But it also involves working with sales reps from time to time. We visit new customers together.

Interviewer: Do you develop software too?

Sang Chun: We aren't involved in developing new programs. But when programmers are preparing new versions of old products, we take part in the discussions. We speak to customers every day, so we know the technical issues very well.

Interviewer: So what sort of problems do you have to solve?

Oh, the usual. We deal with installation issues, password problems, bugs, things like that.

2. Complete the description of Sang Chun’s job with the given verbs:

take part deal with involve consist of

Main job

It _______ ________ answering calls from customers who are having problems with their software. It also ____________ working with sales reps from time to time.

Other tasks

He isn’t __________ ____________ developing new programs. But when programmers are preparing new versions of old products, he _____________ in the discussions.

Typical problems

He _________ ___________ installation issues, password problems, bugs, etc.

3. When Ingrid was a child, she wanted to become a doctor. Mansour’s ambition was to become a pilot. Read what they say and find out what they do now and what they like or dislike about their work.

Ingrid: I’m a project coordinator for a charity. We provide aid to Africa and I usually spend about four months a year in the field. My job involves managing our field teams and communicating our aims to government officials. I sometimes find this depressing, because there’s just so much bureaucracy - and corruption too. But then, when I return to Africa and I see the results of our work, like new clinics, hospitals, and schools, I think it’s all worthwhile and I have a real sense of achievement.

Mansour: OK, well, I’m an air traffic controller. This means I’m in charge of a section of airspace and keeping in contact with pilots in that zone. It’s a challenging job - our most difficult time of the year is the holiday season when planes are taking off and landing every couple of minutes - it takes total concentration, all the time. I usually work a six-hour shift, and by the end I feel exhausted. But it’s rewarding to know that I’ve enabled thousands of passengers to travel safely.

How near are they to their childhood dreams?

4. Read two conversations and make notes in the table. Make up sentences using the constructions “somebody’s work involves…”, “somebody is responsible for / in charge of …”

People	Job and responsibilities
Luc Akele
Jo Johansson
Walter Mayer

Conversation 1

Hannah: Hi, Luc. I want you to meet Jo Johansson. Jo is from the Langley Foundation. Jo, this is Luc Akele, one of our area managers.

Jo: Nice to meet you, Luc.

Luc: Yes, you too. So, what do you do at the Langley Foundation?

Jo: Well, I deal with fund applications.

Luc: Fund applications? That sounds challenging.

Jo: Yes, well, sometimes we have to make difficult choices. And what do you do, Luc?

Luc: Well, I’m in charge of our sub- Saharan Africa operations.

Jo: Sub-Saharan Africa?

Luc: Yes. I oversee projects and make sure that the money is well spent. Then I have to report to our main sponsors.

Jo: I see. So how much time do you spend in the field?

Luc: Well, I usually do five or six trips a year, sometimes more.

Jo: That’s a lot of time away from home.

Conversation 2

Hitoshi: Good evening. I don’t think we’ve met. I’m Hitoshi Watanabe from Head Office.

Dr Mayer: I’m delighted to meet you,

Ms Watanabe: My name’s Dr Walter Mayer.

Hitoshi: I’m very pleased to meet you too, Dr Mayer. I see from your badge that you are with FPR Pharmaceuticals.

Dr Mayer: Yes, that’s right. I’m responsible for their medical donations programme. I handle all the inter­governmental work.

Hitoshi: That sounds very rewarding, knowing that you are helping so many people.

Dr Mayer: Yes, it is, although it involves a lot of negotiation, which can be quite slow.

Hitoshi: Yes, I can imagine that.

Dr Mayer: So which part of Japan are you from, Ms Watanabe?

Hitoshi: Actually, I’m from Brazil. I am third-generation Brazilian.

Dr Mayer: Oh, I’m sorry. I thought... well

Hitoshi: Please don’t apologize. I am proud of my Japanese heritage. Do you have a minute? I would like to introduce you to someone.

5. Use the words given to fill in the gaps

responsible oversee handle deal charge involves

1 Well, I ….. with fund applications.

2 Well, I’m in ….. of our sub-Saharan Africa operations.

3 I ….. projects and make sure that the money is well spent.

4 I’m ….. for their medical donations programme.

5 I ….. all the inter-governmental work.

6 It ….. a lot of negotiation.

6. Role play the dialogue changing the names of occupations and job characteristics:

A: I’m a recruitment consultant.

B: A recruitment consultant?

A: Yes. I oversee recruitment for ten of our key accounts.

B: That sounds really demanding.

A: It can be at times. So tell me, what exactly does your job involve?

B: Well, I’m responsible for the department’s spending.

A: Oh right. Do you enjoy your job?

B: I love it. It’s great to be in such a position of responsibility.

A: Really? I think I’d find it stressful.

WORDS TO LEARN

a nine-to-five-job работа с девяти до пяти

to commute to work добираться на работу

regular working hours обычные рабочие часы

a system of flexitime система гибкого рабочего графика

clock in / out отмечаться при приходе и уходе с работы

a day / night shift дневная/ночная смена

to handle справляться, обращаться с чем-либо

to involve включать в себя, содержать

satisfying доставляющий удовольствие

exciting захватывающий

boring скучный

routine однообразный

demanding требующий большого внимания

tough тяжелый, сложный

You have been working for the same company for five years and now you are thinking of new opportunities and in search of a new job. Try to analyze your present duties, responsibilities, etc. and decide if it is worth changing a job (you may choose any position you would like to describe). Use the active vocabulary of Unit2.

UNIT 3

COMPANY STRUCTURE