What should you do to find a job? Find the logical sequence of the steps you should take and render it to your partner
| get an invitation for an interview make an appointment with an employment agency counselor read the classified ads think what kind of job you want analyse your skills, personality traits and accomplishments get ready for the interview find out employment agency you can use h. find out as much as you can about the company |
There are two essential steps in the job-hunting process: research and planning. Research means examining your skills and finding out where you can apply them. Planning means deciding how you will present your skills to a prospective employer. You should go through these steps carefully whether you are looking for your first job.
Work in pairs:
Look at the following examples of skills/responsibilities and personality traits and find out the ones that apply to you. Try to explain your choice.
| Skills/Responsibilities | Personality Traits | ||
| acting analyzing assembling decorating designing driving filing helping people interviewing listening making crafts | making decisions meeting people negotiating operating machines organizing persuading people repairing machines solving problems speaking sports supervising | Use: I am very… accurate adaptable cooperative creative dependable flexible organized punctual responsible | …is one of my strong points accuracy adaptability cooperation creativity dependability flexibility organization punctuality responsibility |
b) You are looking for a job. Analyze your interests and abilities. Here are ten basic questions to think about:
1. What are my abilities? 2. What special talents do I have? 3. What are my special interests? 4. What are my physical abilities and limitations? 5. What are my attitudes and values? 6. How do I see myself, or what is my self-concept? 7. What is my previous experience? 8. What are my educational plans for the future? 9. Am I a kind of person who works well in a large group, or do I work better with only one or two people? 10. Am I willing to accept change?
C) Now point out the most important factors in choosing your job. Put them in order of importance and explain your choice.
| work which is useful to society; good salary or wages; opportunities to meet different people; opportunities to travel; flexible hours; interesting and not boring work; high security of employment; good pension scheme; | responsibility of your own; the chance to promotion; good career prospects; good working conditions; friendly colleagues and considerate management; long holidays; other factors – what? |
12. Work in pairs. Alex Serov wants to find a job with the help of an employment agency. He makes an appointment over the telephone with an employment counselor. Restore the dialogue. Use the questions from the box given below.
| R: A: R: A: R: A: R: A: R: A: R: | (receptionist)Good morning, Employment agency. Hello, my name is Alex Serov. I would like to have some information about your agency. …? I’ll try. …? …? Our agency works by appointment only. We place applicants in high-level positions. …? Yes, I would, thank you. …? I have a degree in safety engineering and I have four years of experience in the field. Fine. …? Yes, that’s perfect. I’ll be there at 10:30. Thank you and have a good day. You too, good-bye. |
| a) Would you like to make an appointment to see an employment counselor at our agency? b) Can you help me? c) Can you come on Tuesday at 10:30 AM? d) Does your agency work by appointment only or may I drop in any time during the week? e) What type of position are you looking for? f) What would you like to know? |
13. Work in pairs: respond to the following statements reproduced by your partner choosing one of the phrases on the right and adding a sentence or two to explain why you think so.
| Career is an important part in everybody’s life. All people are to decide at an early age what field interest them, and then pursue in with great satisfaction. Only fools make permanent decision without knowledge. One needn’t have definite qualifications for the job. The employment offices place people according to their wishes. An engineer should be well educated and he should have good knowledge of different sciences such as math, chemistry, etc. In today’s “age of speciality”, it is very difficult to transfer from one industry to another. Workers under 40 always have the best job opportunities. | That’s what I was thinking. I can’t help thinking the same. Dead right. My own opinion is exactly the same. Not really. I’m not sure, in fact. No way! You can’t mean that! Your guess is good as mine. |
14. Henry Brown wants to change his work. Here is an ad he has found:
|
So he is sending his CV(Curriculum Vitae) and an applying letter. Put the addresses and date in the correct position on the page. Then put Henry’s letter in the correct order. What information is irrelevant in this letter? Why?
 |
20thSeptember 2007
54 Royal Street
Cleveland
NT8 5ST
325 Ferry Street,
New Haven
CT 06513
15. Work in pairs. Make an appointment over the telephone with the personal manager. Let another student act as his secretary. Continue the dialogue between you (C) and the secretary (S) according to the logical scheme offered below. The given table will help you.
S: Good morning, “Horizont” enterprise.
C: Good morning. Can I talk with someone about the job?
S: Ask what caller is interested in.
C: Give information about the job you are interested in.
S: Ask information about qualification.
C: Reply.
S: Ask if the caller has any work experience.
C: Give information about your previous work.
S:Setup an appointment with the personal manager. Ask to bring the resume.
C: Repeat and confirm appointment information.
S: Close the conversation.
C: Close the conversation.
| - May I help you? Can I help … ? Are you looking for … ? - I’m calling about your ad in … for …. I’m looking for a position as … I’m interested in finding a job in … . - What are your qualifications … ? - I have … . As a matter of fact, … . - Do you have any work experience? - Not in this field, but … . Of course, … . | - Can you come on … at …? Will … … suit you? - Yes, … will be quite convenient. Yes, … will be just fine. Yes, … will do well. - Ok, then I’ll see you on … . You are welcome. … . Fine, we’ll expect you then. … . - Fine, I think I’ll … It’s perfect. I’ll be … . |
You are lucky to be called for an interview. Do you know how to create a good impression at your first interview? Check the answers you think are right and then discuss your answers in your group.
| Always | Sometimes | Never | |
| Forget to shake hands with the interviewer. Smile all the time. Smoke or sit down until you are invited to. Look at the interviewer. Chew gum if you are nervous. Wear a suit and tie (men) or dress (women). Keep quiet if you don’t understand a question. Show interest in the job and ask questions. Ask a lot about money. Come on time. Give long answers. Think about questions before the interview. 13. Dress neatly. 14. Speak softly. |
17. Imagine that a friend of yours was the man in this story. The pictures are in the wrong order. Work out what happened. Tell your story, beginning: “This is what happened to a friend of mine…”