Unit 8. Job Prospecting

UNIT 8. JOB PROSPECTING

Choose a job you love, and you will never

have to work a single day in your life.

Confucius

SECTION I

INTRODUCTION

I.Answer the questions.

1.Have you got any work experience?

2.What sort of job would you like to do? Can you think of a perfect job for you?

3.What sort of working hours would you like to have?

4.Would you like to work from home?

5.Would you prefer to have a job for life or a more flexible career?

II.In your opinion, which factors below are important for getting a job? Choose the five most important. Is there anything missing from the list? Which do you think are not important? Why?

appearance	hobbies/interests	experience	personality
intelligence	marital status	contacts/connections	qualifications
references	age/gender	astrological sign	handwriting
blood group	sickness record	family background	education

III.Discuss the statements.

1.At work, appearance is more important than performance.

2.You should keep your private life totally separate from your work.

3.People don’t change much during their working lives.

4.It is best to work for as few companies as possible.

5.Everybody should retire at 50.

SECTION II

READING COMPREHENSION

TEXT 1

HIRING AND PREPARING A DOSSIER

I.Read the text. Is the job hunt process an employment in itself?

Obtaining a job involves a lot of hard work. You will have to do more than simply walk into a personnel office and fill out an application form if you want to see your name added to the payroll.

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As a jobseeker, you will have to follow a certain schedule that will involve ( 1 ) analyzing your strengths and restricting your search; (2) preparing a dossier (placement file); (3) looking in the right places for a job; (4) constructing a resume; (5) writing letters of application; (6) attending an interview; (7) accepting or declining a job;

(8) filling out a job application. You can secure a suitable job on today's highly competitive job market if you keep in mind that the basic purpose of all this activity is to sell yourself, preferably to the best employer and for the highest price.

A position can become open for two major reasons: either someone has left (resigned, was fired, promoted, transferred, passed away) or increased workload requires increasing the head count. Once the decision to hire is made, the employer writes a "requirement" (or "req" for short) which lists the qualifications (skills, education, personal traits, etc.) required of and desired in a candidate. A decision is usually made at this time about the pay range.

Some employers advertise their reqs by placing them in newspapers, on Internet, on the Intranet, etc. Most give their names in the ads, some place anonymous ads with a P.O. Box number for responses (so called "blind ads"), to avoid unwanted phone calls and even personal visits from job seekers. Most employers do not want their competitors to know vacancy information, turnover rate, position's salary and other information the company may not want revealed. That is why some people send out their resumes in response to every ad, figuring that even though they clearly do not match the req, the advertiser may have other open reqs.

Out of a pile of resumes, the employer identifies a few candidates to bring in for an interview. After one or more rounds of interviews, a job offer is made to the best candidate. If he or she declines, the offer is made to the second best candidate. If s/he also declines, the employer may choose to sweeten the offer to the first candidate, make an offer to the third best candidate, invite more people for interview, or solicit more resumes.

Before you start your job hunting campaign, it is your first responsibility to identify the careers and jobs for which you best qualify. Focus on skills that you have acquired in school or college, in jobs, from hobbies and interests. Decide if you are good at making decisions, or you may be better at original thinking, or at following directions. Make an inventory of your accomplishments and marketable skills and then decide which specialty within your chosen career appeals to you most. If you are enrolled in a nursing program, decide if you want to work in a large hospital, a nursing home, or a state health agency. What kind of patients do you want to care for - geriatric, pediatric, psychiatric? Once you have a general direction, you can begin your actual search.

Put all this information together to create your personal dossier, or placement file. It should contain information about you that substantiates and supplements the facts you will list in your resume and letter of application (or cover letter): letters of recommendation, unsolicited letters - those awarding you a scholarship, praising you the employer of the month/year, or honoring you for some community service; copies of these letters are made to send out to prospective employers. But be very selective about these kinds of letters if you do not want to crowd your dossier with less important items that will compete for attention with your academic recommendations. The dossier also contains biographical information, a listing of your job experiences, and your transcripts.

The most important part of your dossier is the letter of recommendation section. Whom should you ask to recommend you? Your present or previous employer is a logical choice. But if you are successfully employed and are looking for a new position only for advancement or better salary, you may not want to tell your present employer that you are looking for a new job. You have the right to request the prospective employer to respect your confidence until you become an active (and also a leading) candidate. On the other hand, if you are at loggerheads with your current employer and want very much to find a more suitable position, you need to prepare the prospective employer as honestly and professionally as you can with the least damage to yourself. No sure solutions exist.

Make sure that you ask permission of all the people whom you are going to list as references. This is not only a courtesy, but also gives them time to write an appropriate letter for you. It is important to stress that you need a strong letter of recommendation - a general or weak one will hurt your chances in your job search.

II.Study the text and find answers to the following questions.

1.What are the main steps in obtaining a job?

2.What is the basic purpose of job hunt?

3.How can a position become open?

4.Do employers give all information on vacancies they have?

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5.What is the decisive step in filtering candidates?

6.What is your first priority in a job hunt campaign?

7.What information should your placement file contain?

8.Who can be your reference?

III. Replace the words and phrases in italics by those from the text.

1.Increased workload requires increasing the personnel. 2. A requirement lists skills, knowledge and experience required of and desired in a candidate. 3. Most employers do not want their competitors to know information on openings. 4. Then decide which specialty within your chosen career you like most. 5. But be selective if you do not want to fill too full your dossier with less important items. 6. The dossier also contains your biographical information, a listing of your job experience and your student's record in school or college, listing courses, credits, grades. 7. You have the right to request the prospective employer to respect your assurance of secrecy. 8. Ask permission of all people whom you are going to list as a person who can offer recommendation.

TEXT 2

ON THE JOB MARKET: NETWORKING, RECRUITING AGENCIES, AND JOB FAIRS

I.Read the text. Is looking for a job a one-way or two-way traffic?

There are several ways of approaching the search: answer newspaper ads, place newspaper ads, respond to ads in professional journals in your major, attend job fairs and company open houses, mail blind letters and resumes, sign (register) with a professional employment agency, contact a job clearing house, read special business employment publications, etc.

One of the most successful techniques is networking, which involves contacting people you know, as well as people they know, to gather information and leads for the job. Employers ask their friends who ask their friends, and eventually a suitable candidate is found. This candidate is interviewed first, given preferential treatment and usually hired. The moral of the story is that no one likes to hire strangers, who are shot-in-the-dark. The business world is suspicious of strangers - there is too much at stake.

Another source to fill the recently vacated or newly created position is an inter-company move when one of the current employees already on staff, rather than a complete outsider, is promoted or transferred to fill the new opening. The benefits of internal hiring improves employee morale, reduces orientation time, reduces turnover and thus the company is able to better use of its human resources. But there is a potential set back to this: hiring in-house limits the number of potential candidates. Also, the lack of "new blood" can result in insular thinking and stagnation. There is also a domino effect. As one person leaves the position to fill another, a new vacancy is created.

A networking jobseeker cultivates the people already successful in the field and asks for mentorship and advice. Begin with your own contact network. Do not be afraid to ask people in your field for an inside view and practical advice. Establish contacts. Trade shows, conferences, symposia, etc. are a very effective way of meeting people in the field. Come, bring some resumes, make acquaintance, but do not give out the resume unless requested. Just prepare business-like cards that say "Looking for an entry-level position" where an ordinary business card has a job title, and pass these around. If you are an entry-level candidate, seek the advice of faculty in your major who do outside consulting, or who have worked in business, industry, or government. If you are an undergraduate student, take those steps well before your senior year, it will help you learn what specific courses make you more marketable.

Networking can be effective though it does require some effort. You need to talk with people, share your interests and experiences with them so that they may be comfortable offering your employment suggestions. You should also feel comfortable asking for their recommendations and even for introductions to other people.

Employers interested in hiring entry-level candidates typically send their reqs to the placements offices of reputable colleges who make them available to their students and alumni.

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Employers interested in more advanced candidates sometimes send their reqs to selected recruiters. Recruiting agencies are third party recruiters hired by an employer to help fill a position. They get requirements from employers, then find candidates to match these requirements through advertising in newspapers, on Usernet, and within their internal databases of resumes. They also use networking to find candidates. Most blind ads are placed by recruiters. They save company's time and advertising expenses by screening resumes and conducting preliminary interviews to select a few that are most likely to make a direct hit with specific needs of the client and be qualified candidates to handle the job. But they do not work for the job seeker. The recruiter represents the employer, so it's not recruiter's job to find you a job. However, a good recruiter can smooth the interview and hiring process, assist in negotiations, and prevent problems from becoming dead breakers.

Job fairs (career fairs) are gatherings where many candidates meet with recruiters from one or more organizations for brief interviews. Most job fairs involve face-to-face contact, but Internet job fairs are becoming more common.

Do not forget to bring along many copies of your resume, a list of recommendation letters from your references, your business cards, and books to refer to if technical questions arise. Bring many copies of any materials you plan to give away - it is better to have extra copies than to run out. You will also need a briefcase (not a knapsack, not a plastic bag) to carry all of the above, plus the materials and business cards you will collect from the recruiters.

Before you stand in any lines, walk around the entire fair, see who is present, and plan which recruiters you want to talk to. Pick up the literature from the companies you are interested in: these often run out early, and make useful reading while you wait in lines. As you stand in line to listen to a recruiter, try to listen carefully to what s/he is telling the candidates in front of you. The same questions will probably be posed to you in a few minutes and you will have more time to think about the answers. You may also hear another candidate being told that the company is not currently interested in his skill set, which happen to be similar to yours. It may mean that you should not waste your time standing in this line, or it may really mean they did not like only this particular person, but might be interested in you.

Whatever strategy you follow during your job campaign, remember two things. First, employers almost always have a shortage of good, qualified employees. Second, there is an answer to every career problem if you solve your problem not by focusing on your own needs and frustrations, but on the ways to help others and how others will benefit from you.

II.Go through the text again and answer the following questions.

1.What are the options to conduct job search?

2.Is it waste of time applying to organizations that might have no openings?

3.Why is the business world suspicious of strangers?

4.What is networking?

5.Where should an entry-level candidate seek advice?

6.Where do employers send their reqs to?

7.Who do recruiters represent?

8.What is a job fair?

9.How many companies do you contact at job fairs?

10.What things should you bring along to the job fair?

TEXT 3

THE RIGHT SKILLS

A. HARD AND SOFT SKILLS

For a long time, hard skills, for example skills in technical subjects, were considered the most important thing in business. Bur more and more, people are realizing the importance of soft skills - the skills you need to work with other people, and in the case of managers, to manage people in tactful and non-authoritarian, non-dictatorial ways.

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I.Go through the note again. Were hard or soft skills mainly required as each of the following stages of a project to design insurance products?

The project manager ...

1.employed someone with a doctorate in mathematics to work on risk probabilities.

2.gave three days off to a team member who said they had family problems at home.

3.analyzed her own feelings of frustration that the project was going too slowly.

4.dealt politely but firmly with a request by her boss to finish the project a month early.

5.did market resting of the product with a number of potential consumers of the product and analyzed the results on computer.

6.did careful research on the Internet to find the best advertising agency to launch the product.

B. EMOTIONAL INTELLIGENCE

II.Read and summarise the article

III.Complete the sentences with appropriate forms of expressions from the above article.

1.If someone is good at persuading employees to do things without making them annoyed, they are good at

_________.

2.More generally, getting along with people and avoiding tactless remarks are examples of ___________.

3.	Knowing yovnr own emotions and feelings is ___________	: this is an _________ skill. Contrast
	this with the ability to get along with other people:___________ skills.
4.	If you are able to control your own emotions, you have good _________________.
5.	If you are able to understand how other people feel, you have	with ___________ them.

6.The whole area is referred to by Daniel Goleman as ____________. The abbreviation for the way this is measured is ___________.

IV.	Find the words and phrases (1-6) in the article and match them to their meanings (a-f)

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1.	benchmark	a)	(gradually) becoming
2.	fulfilling	b)	a reference point by which you judge
			something
3.	emerging as	c)	terminology from a management course
4.	sceptics	d)	given a new image
5.	management-course speak	e)	making you feel happy and satisfied
6.	dressed up in new clothing	f)	people who doubt the truth of an idea

TEXT 4

JOB INTERVIEW

Read and retell the text.

The job interview is a crucial part of your job search because it’s an opportunity for the employer to figure out if you’re right for the job. This article will provide you with information to prepare for your job interview so that you can make a positive and lasting impression.

BEFORE THE INTERVIEW

Be sure to do some background research to become familiar with the organization. This might include researching any current events that might relate to the organization or industry, the organization’s goals and objectives, and the history of the company. Here are some questions to help you with your research:

What does the organization do?

What's involved in the position you're applying for?

What qualifications do you need for the position?

What kind of skills is the employer looking for?

Who are the customers or clients?

What kind of reputation does the employer have?

You’ll be more comfortable in the interview if you know a bit about the company and the position you’re applying for.

Print off an extra copy of your résumé so the employer can refer to it during the interview. You should also bring a copy of your reference list.

PREPARING FOR INTERVIEW QUESTIONS

One of the best ways to prepare for an interview is to anticipate questions the interviewer may ask. This will allow you to give thoughtful and organized answers during your interview.

Here are some questions you should be comfortable answering:

Why do you want this job?

How did you become interested in this field of work?

What do you have to offer this organization?

What are some of your strengths and weaknesses?

What do you see yourself doing in five years?

Here are some tips to help you strengthen your answers to potential interview questions:

Review your experiences at work, at school, and in volunteer activities.

Think of examples and situations that demonstrate your abilities or strengths (for example, a time you demonstrated good judgment, initiative, responsibility, or communication skills).

Make a list of your accomplishments or achievements to reference during the interview.

Think about challenges you’ve faced in the past, and be prepared to describe how you dealt with them and what you learned.

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PREPARING QUESTIONS FOR THE EMPLOYER

At the end of an interview, you are typically asked if you have any questions about the organization or job you’re applying for.

Your job interview is not only an opportunity for the employer to interview you—it’s also an opportunity for you to interview your employer. By asking thoughtful and appropriate questions, you are showing the employer that you’re interested in being part of their organization.

Things you could ask the employer include:

How is the organization structured, and how would my role contribute to the work of the organization?

What is a typical day in the life of a person who works in this position?

How would this position allow me to learn and grow?

When do you anticipate making the decision about hiring for this position?

TOP-10 TIPS FOR A SUCCESSFUL JOB INTERVIEW

1.Dress for success. Professional business clothes are always appropriate, regardless of the type of job you are interviewing for. Proper hygiene and a tidy appearance are important. Iron your clothes if you can, and avoid strong perfumes or colognes.

2.Be there on time. Try to arrive 5 or 10 minutes early to be safe. Find out ahead of time where you're going and how long it will take to get there. Drive or travel the route a day or two ahead, at the same time of day as you will on the day of the interview. Confirm how often the buses run. Have a back-up plan.

3.Let your personality shine. If you’re excited about the job, don’t be afraid to show it. Employers want passionate employees, so be yourself. Just remember to always keep it professional.

4.Be confident. Feeling nervous in an interview is perfectly normal; just don’t let your nerves overpower your interview. Eye contact and a calm, clear speaking voice are excellent ways to show your confidence.

5.Watch your body language. During your interview, relax and sit naturally, but don't slouch in your chair or lean on the interviewer's desk. Avoid chewing gum, or fidgeting with jewelry or your hair.

6.Be professional. This begins with a smile and a firm handshake. Remember, this is your first introduction to the organization, so be polite to everyone you meet and turn off your cell phone.

7.Listen and ask for clarification, if you need it. Remember to listen carefully to the interview questions so that you actually answer the question, and never interrupt. If you don’t understand something, don’t be afraid to ask for clarification.

8.Let them know what you have to offer. When answering the questions, let the employer see what you have to offer their organization. Talk about your past experiences and accomplishments without bragging, and tie those experiences to how they can help you contribute to their organization.

9.Think before you speak. Although you want to be open and honest in your interview, avoid talking about your personal or financial problems.

10.Don’t linger. Leave as soon as the interview is over, making sure you don’t linger. Shake the interviewer’s hand again, restate your interest in working for the organization, and thank them for the interview.

AFTER THE INTERVIEW

Although the actual interview is over, the process isn’t totally over. It’s a wise idea to reflect on the experience and review your next steps.

Immediately after the interview, you may want to do a personal evaluation of how it went. Write down some of your answers to questions asked, and assess them to see if they were the best possible answers. This will help you learn from your mistakes and prepare for future interviews.

Usually, an organization will provide you with a date when they expect to make their decision about hiring. If you haven’t heard from them by this date, consider contacting the organization to follow up.

If you didn’t receive a job offer, consider asking for feedback about how your interview went and how it could have been better. This will provide you with information on how to have a more successful interview next time.

Even if you didn’t get the job, try not to get discouraged. Like any new skill, you need to practise to get better. Interviewing is the same. The more you do it, the easier it will become.

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SECTION III

VOCABULARY EXERCISES

I.Read the text below and select the best option from the words in brackets.

Most jobs are advertised as current ________ (position/application/vacancies). They appear in the local and national ________ (press/bodies/resource), trade ________ (contacts/journals/resource), and specialist career publications. In addition, many professional _________ (bodies/contacts/agencies) offer an appointments

service which can	help job seekers find a suitable _________ (position/application/vacancies) in a
particular ________	(industry/ladder/schemes). Recruitment _________ (bodies/contacts/agencies) hold

details of a wide range of vacancies, and possibly local training _________ (industry/ladder/schemes). The Internet is a valuable _________ (press/journal/resource) - not only for vacancies but to find background information on companies. Approximately one third of jobs are never advertised, but may be found by approaching a company directly. This is called a speculative ________ (position/application/vacancy), and is common among students starting at the bottom of the career ________ (industry/ladder/scheme). Finally, don't forget to use your personal ________ (bodies/contacts/agencies)!

II.Match the verbs (1-10) to the nouns (a-j) to make word partnerships.

1.	to train	a)	a vacancy / post
2.	to shortlist	b)	a short list
3.	to advertise	c)	the candidates
4.	to assemble	d)	a contract
5.	to make	e)	new staff
6.	to check	f)	applicants
7.	to arrange	g)	a job offer
8.	to select	h)	references
9.	to draw up	i)	an appointment
10.	to sign	j)	an interview panel

III.This text describes a typical selection process, but in the wrong order. Rearrange the sentences so that the paragraph makes sense.

and applicants are interviewed.

These are sorted

After that a final short list is drawn up.

and finally an employment contract is signed.

Next, appointments are arranged

and one of them is selected.

Firstly, a vacancy is advertised

The candidates on the list are interviewed again,

and applications are received.

A job offer is made to the successful candidate,

and suitable candidates are invited for interviews.

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IV.	Complete the text with the words and phrases from the box.
	curriculum vitae (CV) / resume	probationary period	interview
	application form	psychometric test	covering letter

These days many applicants submit their (1) _________ speculatively to companies they would like to work for. In other words, they do not apply for an advertised job but hope the employer will be interested enough to keep their CV on file and contact them when they have a vacancy. When replying to an advertisement, candidates often fill in a / an (2) __________ and write a / an (3) _________. The employer will then invite the best candidates to attend a / an (4) ________. Sometimes candidates will take a / an (5) __________ before the interview to assess their mental ability and reasoning skills. These days it is normal for successful candidates to have to work a / an (6) _________ in a company. This is usually three or six months; after that they are offered a permanent post.

V.Complete the sentences with a suitable item from the box.

a financial package	a reference	applicant	a headhunter	a shortlist	a	vacancy

1.The starting salary of the successful _________ will be decided on the basis of qualifications and experience.

2.Our company has ____________ for a graduate in economics.

3.The interview panel will draw up ___________ of only five candidates.

4.It is usual to ask your previous employer for ___________ when you apply for a job.

5.For high performers, a good _________ is not all that matters. They need a challenge as well.

6.They hired __________ to attract some executives from a rival company.

VI.	These words are often used in job advertisements. Match the words (1-7) with their definitions.
	1.	self-starters (proactive, self-motivated,	self-	a)	naturally very good at what they do
		driven)
	2.	methodical (systematic, organised)		b)	good with numbers
	3.	computer-literate		c)	people who work well with others
	4.	numerate		d)	can work in a planned, orderly way
	5.	motivated		e)	good with computers
	6.	talented		f)	good at working on their own
	7.	team-players		g)	very keen to do well in their job
VII.	Complete the extracts from job advertisements using words from ex. VI.

1.You’ll need to be very _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _, as you’ll be working on financial budgets.

2.As part of our sales team you’ll be working independently, so you have to be self-_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ and self-_ _ _ _ _ _.

3. We’re looking for someone who can work on ten projects at once. You must be _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _, _ _ _ _

_ _ _ _ _ _ and _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _.

4.We need _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ journalists who are very good at their job and extremely _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ to find out as much as they can.

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5.You’ll be researching developments on the Internet, so you have to be _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _-_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _. You must be _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ to work on your own initiative, and be a _ _ _ _- _ _ _ _ _ _ _. But as part of a team of researchers, you need to be a good _ _ _ _- _ _ _ _ _ _ too.

VIII. A Human Resources Manager has drawn up a shortlist of applicants he feels would be suitable for a vacancy in his company. Look at the descriptions of the candidates he plans to invite for interview and answer the questions.

a)Hamed has a can-do attitude and is able to meet deadlines

b)Tomoko is a self-starter who can work on her own initiative

c)Ivan is able to multi-task and has a proven track record

d)Li is an effective team player with a customer-focused approach

e)Cristina is numerate and computer literate Which candidate…

1.is good with figures?

2.co-operates with colleagues?

3.is good at working on his/her own?

4.can finish a job on time?

5.has a good rapport with clients?

6.has a history of success?

7.has a positive approach?

8.has IT skills?

9.can cope with several jobs at the same time?

IX.	Match the descriptions (1-10) to the adjectives (a-j)
		1.	able to come up with ideas		a)	enthusiastic
		2.	respected and listened to by others		b)	adaptable
		3.	able to see different points of view		c)	methodical
		4.	can see how to put ideas into action		d)	reliable
		5.	is determined to succeed in their career		e)	ambitious
		6.	has lots of energy and often gets excited		f)	objective
		7.	concerned with details and getting things		g)	creative
			right even if it takes time
		8.	likes to assess and evaluate		h)	analytical
		9.	able to change with new situations		i)	authoritative
		10.	someone you can trust and depend on		j)	practical

A.Look at these types of people. Which do you think are the most desirables for companies to employ?

B.Think and answer the questions:

1.Which three qualities listed above best describe you?

2.Which of the different types of people have you worked or studied with?

3.Which of the different types of people do you think are easy or difficult to work with?

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