Exercise 2-3. Translate these sentences from Russian into English paying attention to the words and phrases underlined.

1. Если вы не имеете представления, как работать на компьютере, у вас мало шансов получить эту работу.

2. Еще вчера вы могли обратиться за этой работой, сегодня же вакансий уже нет.

3. В этой бизнес-школе есть все возможности приобрести знания по оценке земли и недвижимости.

4. Спрос на этот товар был очень низок, поэтому компании пришлось снизить цену на него.

5. Всегда необходимо предложить помощь клиенту, даже если он этого не просит.

6. Известно, что частная практика открывает хорошие перспективы для семейного доктора.

7. В частном секторе экономики у вас гораздо больше шансов получить хорошо оплачиваемую работу.

Exercise 2-4. In your own words.

1. What are the advantages and disadvantages of having a private practice?

2. At what age do you think it’s better to start anew? Give your reasons.

3. What would you do if you wanted to get a well-paid job? If you have already got such a job share your experience.

Text 3.

Read the text and do the assignments. While reading, find words and expressions in the text that mean: бесценный источник; кадровое агентство; отношение; тенденция; увольнение; знакомство; посылать резюме; искать работу в Интернете; требование; включать во что-либо; гарантировать конфиденциальность; иметь в виду; быть вовлеченным; переговоры; потенциальный работодатель; на верном пути; автобиография.

Online hunters

The Internet is fast becoming an invaluable resource for job seekers, though the number of Russian employment web sites or online recruiting firms is still tiny.

Is your salary too small? Do you want better work? Look for a job over the Internet. Such an attitude appears to be a growing trend in Russia. Hundreds of new resumes go online every day as expectant job candidates, many of whom are still in the lurch after the 1998 financial crisis, which led to massive layoffs, look to fill positions offered by Western and Russian companies. But many people think there is one problem. A good job in Russia in most cases can be received only through acquaintances.

Web programmer Alexander A. has posted his resume on the Internet and is sure he is on the right track after winning contract for three projects. His resume has attracted more than a dozen inquiries, and he is in negotiations with two potential employers.

“Maybe management positions are mostly filled up through recruitment agencies or through some other way, but I believe technical specialists in the Internet-related world --- programmers, technical leads, web masters, administrators, etc. --- mostly place their CVs on the net and firms are aware of it”, he said.

Russians who have posted their resumes on the net say they chose the Internet because it gives them high visibility to potential employers while costing nothing. Internet employment experts and job hunters alike say the Internet is the wave of the future in searching for work --- even if the number of cyber-surfers in Russia remains at about 1% of the entire population.

The main factor job hunters need to keep in mind when using the Internet is that the virtual reality of cyberspace is no different than actual reality. The same rule of thumb apply: Be flexible in salary requirements, don’t lie on the resume and thoroughly research any resulting job offers to find out if you would be a good fit with a prospective employer. The only difference with the Internet is the resume might be read by thousands of people without the candidate’s knowledge --- which means one has to be careful about what to include on it. Employment experts advise against including home telephone numbers and addresses, to ensure privacy. In any case if a potential employer needs to know more, it can be done in a more private forum, such as at an interview.

To post a resume, the job seeker can set up a personal home page and hope somebody will see it. But to be most effective, experts said, he or she needs to either link that home page to a job site or place the resume at the job site.

You can try to find a job abroad but it is even more difficult than seeking one in Russia. “ Getting a job abroad all rests on the problem of a visa. Few employers want to get involved with providing a sponsorship for a visa,” many experts say.

Exercise 3-1. Decide if these statements are true or false according to the text. Change any which are false.

1. Nowadays in Russia almost everybody who wants to get a job seeks it over the Internet.

2. Alexander A. is in doubt that he is on the right track after posting his resume on the Internet.

3. People in Russia don’t want to search a job on the net because it’s very expensive and takes lots of time.

4. According to experts, in spite of the increasing number of cyber-surfers in Russia few people still use the Internet.

5. A job hunter must not include his or her telephone number or address on the resume.

Exercise 3-2. Answer the following questions.

1. What did the 1998 financial crisis lead to?

2. How can a good job be received in Russia in most cases?

3. Why do Russians post their resumes on the net?

4. Who mostly places their CVs on the net?

5. What should you do to be most effective in searching a job?

6. Why is it more difficult to find a job abroad than in Russia?

Exercise 3-3. Translate these sentences from Russian into English paying attention to the words and phrases underlined.

1. Каково ваше отношение к новой тенденции? – Я полагаю, что она, прежде всего, приведет к массовым увольнениям.

2. Для того чтобы гарантировать конфиденциальность, посылая резюме, не включайте в него свой домашний телефон и адрес.

3. Следует иметь в виду, что в этой компании существует ряд требований, которые могут быть слишком жесткими для вас.

4. Я посоветовал своему другу попытаться поискать работу через Интернет.

5. На ярмарке вакансий вы можете встретиться с потенциальными работодателями.

6. Какая разница между резюме и автобиографией?

7. Не следует забывать, что ваш внешний вид может повлиять на результат переговоров.

Exercise 3-4. In your own words.

1. “In Russia in most cases a good job can be received only through acquaintances.” Do you agree with this statement? Why do you think it happens?

2. Have you (or any people you know) ever tried to find a job over the Internet? Share your (their) experience.

Text 4.

Read the text and do the assignments. While reading, find words and expressions in the text that mean: агентство по трудоустройству; достичь цели; фиксированная заработная плата; недвижимое имущество; недвижимость; делать вклад во что-либо; сделка; увольнять с работы; объявление, реклама; страхование; наемный работник; опытный страховой агент; менеджер по работе с персоналом; доходы с продаж; система премиальных; стимулировать продажи.

Free agents

Commission-based job can often be a good way to earn a living for those who want to work for themselves or who have just entered the job market.

What is the surest way to get a job if you have never worked before, no matter what age you are? Or how can you make money while working for yourself? Svetlana G., manager of Moscow-based staffing agency Kontakt, believes that the best way to accomplish either of these two goals is to become an “agent”, a person who has no fixed salary but works for commission.

“If you are really energetic and feel that you need to work for yourself and want to make money using your own talents, you can start with working as an agent in any field of your choice,” she said.

Until 1993, Yelena L. worked as a doctor at the Institute of Microbiology, but gave up the medical profession for a number of financial reasons. After completing a course on real estate, she became an agent for the Ziz realty in Moscow. “It’s a hard job. Sometimes I’m busy even over the weekend. Realtors have to work 24 hours a day so as to have a good selection of clients. But I like my job,” she said.

Ziz agents earn from 25% to 80% of the profit off every deal they arrange. The exact value of the commission depends on how big a contribution the agent made to bringing up the deal. ”If it’s a successful month, and each deal is followed by another, you can earn up to $1000. But there can also be times when you don’t get a deal for two or three months in a row,” said Yelena.

Veronica P. began to work for Novy Svet, another Moscow real estate agency, after having been laid off from her job as an accountant because of the economic recession. She saw an ad in which Novy Svet advertised its search for agents. ”I knew there wouldn’t be any guaranteed salary, but I didn’t care. It was difficult in the beginning, but now I make up to $600 a month,” she said.

“Working for commission stimulates people. We tried the fixed-salary system but it did not work. There were too many wrong people, those who didn’t want to work, but just wanted to get money,” said manager of Novy Svet.

Insurance is another field where the system of commission is well developed. Armen Y. joined Spasskiye Vorota, one of the five top Russian insurance companies, in 1995, and is now an experienced insurance agent who heads an entire group of agents. He found the job through a school that teaches the insurance business, where he first got his knowledge of the profession. He turned out to be so valuable to the company that he was given the responsibility for directing commission-based agents and training new ones – and an additional fixed salary of $250 a month.

However, not all companies encourage the commission system. “We don’t use it. All of our employees have a fixed salary. But in order to encourage sales, we have introduced the bonus system where we pay 1% of total sales revenue to people involved in selling. But the fixed salary system still dominates. Working for commission never stimulates people to work for the good of the team,” said Boris R., human resource manager at SmithKline Beecham, a large pharmaceutical company.