Megag Ismael 2022

Career Readiness

American Corner
Contents of Workshop
This workshop was developed to meet the needs of students and young
professionals in terms of employability and further improve their language skills. It is
centered on a gradual, communicative and student centered approach of instruction.
It will include group activities with authentic material (texts, audio and video
documents); and vocabulary building exercises to allow the participants’ immersion
in an English environment all while keeping in mind the specificities of the local
context. It will enables learners to:
• Transition into the workplace.
• practice their language skills in realistic case studies
• learn more workplace terminology
Table of contents

01 02 03 04
Introduce write a CV
Talk about skills
The recruitment
yourself and your and qualifications
and a cover
process
job letter
Introduce yourself
and your job
Greeting
Formal or business professional: (15m)
•Good morning / Good afternoon / Good evening:
“Good morning, Ms Jones.”
“Good morning, everyone. I hope you are doing well this morning.’’
•Hello. How do you do?
This is not really a “How are you?” question. similar meaning to
“Nice to meet you.
•Nice to meet you. / Pleased to meet you.
A: “Good morning. How do you do? I’m Josef Rammas with X
Company.”
B: “Pleased to meet you Mr. Rammas.”
•How have you been doing? / How have you been?
It is a respectful way to ask “How are you?”
Informal Situations:
•Hello / Hi / Hey
Hello, Susan.
Hi, Lara.
Hey should be reserved for people you know well

•How are you? / How are you doing? / How is it going?

Careful! These questions should have very simple answers and should be focused on the
positive or neutral. Example answers include:
•Fine, thanks. And you?
•Great! You?
•Hi, Susan – good thanks. How about you?
•Doing well. And how have you been?
•Not bad. And you? How are you?
•Hello, Lara. How are you?* *Yes, sometimes the answer is with the same question.
•Good to see you. / It’s great to see you. / Nice to see you.
•Long-time, no see. / It’s been awhile. / When was the last time we saw each other?
Watch video1. Answer the questions.

1. Who do we see in the video?

2. What are their jobs?
3. What questions do they ask?
Listen to Audio1 then practice the
conversation
Telephone numbers and
emails.
Homework:
Say hello,
introduce yourself,
Say numbers 0–20.
Say the alphabet.
Spell your name.
Say the days of the week.
Write fifteen jobs you know. Make the other students guess them.
Talk about the recruitment process.
The recruitment
process
Recruitment
The process of finding people for particular jobs is
recruitment or, especially in American English, hiring.
Someone who has been recruited is a recruit, or in AmE, a
hire. The company employs or hires them and they join the
company.
A company may recruit employees directly or use outside
recruiters, recruitment agencies or employment agencies.
Outside specialists called headhunters may be used to find
people for very important jobs and to persuade them to
leave the organizations they already work for. Key people
recruited like this are headhunted in a process of
headhunting.
Applying for a job
Fred is an accountant, but he was fed up with his old job. He looked in the situations
vacant (vacancy) pages of his local newspaper, where a local supermarket was
advertising for a new accountant’s position. He applied for the job by completing an
application form and sending it in. Harry is a building engineer. He’d been working for
the same company for ten years, but he wanted a change. He looked at jobs with
different engineering companies on a jobs website. He made an application, ending in
his CV (curriculum vitae – a document describing your education, qualifications and
previous jobs, that you send to a prospective employer) and a covering letter
explaining why he wanted the job and why he was the right person for it.
Selection procedures
Dagmar Schmidt is the head of recruitment at a German telecommunications company. She
talks about the selection process, the methods that the company uses to recruit people.
‘We advertise in national newspapers and on the internet. We look at the backgrounds of
applicants – their experience of different jobs and their educational qualifications. We invite
the most interesting candidates to a group discussion. Then we have individual interviews
with each candidate. The head of the department is also present. We also give the
candidates written psychometric tests to assess their intelligence and personality.
‘After this, we shortlist three or four candidates. We check their references by writing to
their referees – previous employers, teachers, and so on that candidates have named in
their applications. If the references are OK, we ask the candidates to come back for more
interviews. Finally we offer the job to someone, and if they turn it down we have to think
again. (Some applicants may get other job offers at the same time as ours.) If they accept it,
we hire them. We appoint someone only if we find the right person.’
Replace the underlined phrases with correct forms of
words and expression from the previous texts.
 The Steps of the Job Search Process

Let's think about the search as a journey on a train. The train will
stop at many places along the way to its final destination, just as
job seekers complete multiple steps in their job search.
Step 1: Identify skills and areas of
interest
In the first step, job seekers need to identify
their skills and areas of interest.
When looking for a job, you should ask yourself,
what am I good at? What do I like to do? What
have I studied?
Your answers to these questions will help you to
create a clear, professional profile.
Step 2: Create a professional profile
In the second step, you create a professional
profile. You write information about your
education, your past work experience, volunteer
experiences, or special training. Your professional
profile can also list hobbies and interests that tell
more about you as a person. After reflecting on
skills and creating a profile, it's time to start
looking for a job. There are many places to search
for jobs online, in newspapers, and in person.
Step 3: Look for a job
In the third step, job seekers will need to read
and understand the advertisement or job
description. Then, decide if their skills match the
job description.
Step 4: Write a resume
In the fourth and fifth steps, the job seeker moves into
the application part of the process. In this part of the
process, job seekers send their information to the
employer to apply for a job.
In the United States, a person will send a resume and
cover letter to formally apply for a job. A resume is a
written
document of one's employment, education, and skills.
Step 5: Write a cover letter
The cover letter is a formal letter addressed to
the employer to introduce the job seeker, show
qualifications, and ask for an interview.
Step 6: Network and build relationship
In addition to cover letters, many people use networking events
as a way to introduce themselves to future
employers. This is the sixth step in the process. When
networking, job seekers talk to many people about their
skills and experience in conversations. Networking is focused on
meeting people and building relationships in
person. Whether it is through a cover letter or a short
conversation, job seekers are trying to get an interview for a
job.
Step 7: Interview for the job
As the seventh step, the job interview is the best chance
for the candidates to show their interest in the job and
demonstrate to employers how they are qualified for
the job. Formal interviews are often in person but can
sometimes be done by telephone or video. In all of
these interviews, the job seeker needs to be able to ask
and
answer questions briefly and clearly.
 Skills and qualifications
Skills are the ability, natural or learned, to do things well. Our skills are often divided by functional
skills, things you do, subject skills, things you know, and personal trait skills, ways that you act.
 Education and training
Two company managers, Kasia Gutowska and Nils Olsen, are talking.

KG: The trouble with graduates (people who’ve just left university) is that their paper
qualifications are good. They might have qualifications in interesting subjects, but they have
no work experience. They just don’t know how business works.

NO: I disagree. Education should teach people how to think, not train them for a particular job.
One of last year’s recruits graduated from Oxford University with a degree in philosophy and
she’s doing very well!

KG: Philosophy’s an interesting subject, but for our company, it’s more useful to do training in a
practical subject: it’s better for us if you train as a scientist, and qualify as a biologist or a
doctor, for example.

NO: Yes, but we don’t just need scientists. We also need good managers, which we can achieve
through in-house training – courses within the company. You know we put a lot of money
into management development, where managers regularly go on specialized courses in
leadership, finance, etc. You need to acquire experience – get knowledge through doing
things – for that. It’s not the sort of thing you can learn when you’re 20!

A master’s degree is a qualification you can get after one or two years of graduate study. A Master’s of Business
Administration (MBA) is a master’s degree in advanced business studies.
Complete each sentence with the correct word.
The right person
These words are often used in job advertisements. Companies look for people who are:

a methodical, systematic and organized – working in a planned, orderly way

b computer-literate – good with computers
c numerate – good with numbers
d motivated – very keen to do well in their job because they find it interesting
e talented – very good at what they do
f self-starters; they must be proactive, self-motivated, or self-driven – good at working on their own
g team players – people who work well with other people
Complete these extracts from job advertisements.
Look at this notice from PolyVec, a manufacturer of
plastic products.What is it about?

Work with a partner. Use the information in the notice to

complete this part of ferome's CV. Imagine the date on the notice
is this month.
Listen to a conversation between Jerome and his new assistant, Maria Doan,
on his first day as production manager. Which of these computer programmes
has Jerome used?
Write a CV and a
cover letter
UNDERSTANDING JOB DESCRIPTIONS – READING
A JOB ADVERTISEMENT
We're going to look at job descriptions. We will find out where to look for them and what
are some of the important parts we should look for when reading them.
When you begin looking for a job, you're probably going to search for jobs in job
advertisements. You will usually find these advertisements in newspapers and on
Internet job sites. So, we will take a closer look at an example of this kind of
advertisement and decide what you should look for when reading it.
When you begin your job search, you might first look for jobs in a local newspaper where
you live. In the United States, many newspapers are now online, and you can find
many jobs there. There are also websites that focus only on jobs like, in the US,
Monster.com. Also, many larger companies have information on their websites about
job openings, so you can go directly to the website of the company where you'd like to
work. You will probably start by looking in one, some, or all of these places for a job. It
is normal to try and narrow your job search to the field or area where you want to
work or where you have training. For example, school teacher, or office receptionist,
or truck driver, or nurse. This way, you can match yourself with jobs that you are more
likely prepared for and, therefore, you will have a better chance of getting an
interview. So, when searching through job advertisements, look for job titles related to
your area of training, experience, or interest.
Parts of a job advertisement

So, now let's look at some of the parts of the job advertisement. Say I am interested in helping people and I am an
organized person. I want to work in an office environment with other people. I find this job advertisement for a
client services coordinator, and I wonder, am I qualified to apply for it? Qualified means having the minimum
requirements to do a job.
For example, in one job this might mean you need to have a university degree. In another job it might mean you have to
have a license or a certification in a particular area like driving a truck or being a nurse. How do you know what
qualifications are needed? Well, the advertisement should clearly say this. It may say, “qualifications” or
“requirements”. Let's look at this ad and see what qualifications are required. Can you see where the qualifications
are?
The next question I should ask is, “what duties or responsibilities will I have to perform in this job?”
Duties and responsibilities are tasks that I do regularly in a job. Can you see what these are in this job
advertisement? Let's take a look again and see.
In this job, the duties and responsibilities are listed in the opening paragraph. They include greeting
clients answering telephones, performing other clerical functions. The word clerical means relating to
working in an office. If this job still seems like one I can do, because I'm qualified and I can perform
the duties and responsibilities well, then what do I need to do to apply for the job? Apply means to
put yourself forward formally for a job.
Let's take one final look at a job advertisement and look for this information. Can you find it? That's right,
at the bottom it says, fax or e-mail your resume to Pablo Cavero. And it gives his fax number and e-
mail address. So, if I want to apply for this position, I will send him my resume along with a cover
letter. In units two and three we'll help you prepare these two important things.
Work and Job
To find out what someone’s job is, you ask ‘What do you do?’ Kerstin talks about her job:

‘I work for a large European car maker. I work on car design. In fact, I run the design department and
I manage a team of designers: 20 people work under me. It’s very interesting. One of my main
responsibilities is to make sure that new model designs are finished on time. I’m also in charge of
design budgets. ‘I deal with a lot of different people in the company. I’m responsible for
coordination between design and production: I work with managers at our manufacturing
plants.’

You don’t say: ‘I’m a responsible.’

Margaux is talking about her work. Correct the expressions in italics.
Types of job and types of work
A full-time job is one for the whole of the normal working week; a part-time job is for less
time than that. You say that someone works full-time or part-time.
A permanent job does not finish after a fixed period; a temporary job finishes after a fixed
period.
You talk about temporary work and permanent work.
What is being advertised in each of these job advertisements (1–6)?
CV tips

A CV or curriculum vitae is a document about your education, career and objectives. Look at the tips:

A- Put your name and contact details at the top.

B-Talk about your career goal − professional objec ve.

C- Mention your skills (see Unit 4).

D- Include your qualifications (see Unit 4).

E- Write about your experience and your achievements.

F-You can mention relevant interests.

G- Use keywords relevant to the employer, ones that will be picked out by automated systems.

H- Avoid exaggera ons − saying something is better or more important than it really is.

I- Be concise − not more than two pages, preferably one.

A recruiter is making comments about various candidates’ CVs. Which point does each comment refer
to?
 Parts of a CV
Layout is the way that information is arranged on the page. Clear layout is very important for CVs.
Complete this CV with headings
WHAT IS A COVER LETTER?

In addition to a resume, job seekers include a cover letter as part of

their application.
There are three main reasons to write a cover letter:
- A written letter shows the applicant's personal style,
- Explains the applicant's qualifications for the job
- and formally asks for an interview.

A cover letter is a one-page formal letter and there are some parts
that look the same in each cover letter. The cover letter helps
an employer to understand more about the applicant and helps to
direct attention to certain parts of the resume.
Why write a cover letter?
Reason 1: To show your personal style

The first reason for writing a cover letter is that it shows the applicants personal style or
personality. Job seekers choose very specific words to introduce themselves to an
employer. This is how they show their personal style. For example, Tom and Beth
are both applying for the same job as an international student advisor. In his cover
letter,
Tom writes,
“I am interested in working with international students.”
Beth writes,
“I am very excited to meet and work with international students.”

The word choices in these examples show us their personal styles. We see that Tom is
interested in working with international students, but Beth is very excited to meet
and work with international students. Beth's personality is much clearer with her
word choices, “excited to meet” and “work with”.
Reason 2. To explain your qualifications for the job

The second reason for writing a cover letter is to explain the applicant's qualifications for
the job. Using our same candidates Tom and Beth, let's see how they would write a
short description of their qualifications.
Tom writes,
“I have two years of experience working as an activities director of a language school.”
Beth says,
“as a Resident Advisor, I advise students on counseling on personal, cultural and
immigration issues, as well as organize professional, social and cultural programs.”
From the short descriptions in their cover letters most employers would want to read
Beth's resume to find out
more about her experience.
Reason 3. To request an interview

The third reason, for writing a cover later is to formally ask for an interview. When
applicants know the name and the contact information of the hiring manager, they
may say that they will call at a certain time to arrange for an interview.
For those who do not know who the hiring manager is, they should give their phone
number or email address so the employer can contact them.
PROFESSIONAL WRITING: LETTER FORMAT

In the United States, professional writing follows a standard format or order and includes
four parts.
- The first part is the heading which includes the writer's address and contact
information, the date, and the reader's name and address.
- The second part is the salutation.
- The third part is the three body paragraphs, opening paragraph, middle paragraph,
and closing paragraph.
- And the fourth is the closing which includes a complimentary close, a signature, and a
typed name.
1. The Heading

First, the heading of a letter begins with the writer’s address and additional contact
information such as e-mail address or phone number in the top left corner.

Notice how this job seeker, Beth Bradley, wrote her information here. The date follows
the US format of month, day, and then year. Don't forget the comma separates the
two numbers. For example, Beth wrote this letter on
April 26th, 2016.
The next part includes the full name and address of the reader. In this example, Beth is sending the letter
to Jane Doe who is the Director of the Office of International Programs at the University of Texas. In
addition to the first and last name of the reader, Beth also writes the title and the department as Jane
Doe is part of a large university. Since you may not know whether the reader is a man or woman, it is
acceptable to write the first and last name only followed by the job title. Nowadays, many job
applications are completed online, and job seekers may not know who the reader will be. In this case,
it is acceptable to leave the name off of the reader’s address and simply put the department and
address of the organization.
2. The Salutation
The second part of the letter is the salutation, or official greeting, and always begins with
the word “dear”. Because this is a greeting, it is better to have a person's name.
Following the word “dear”, Beth uses the person’s full name and a comma.
Beth knows the name of her reader, but if she didn't know she could write, “Dear Hiring
Manager”. Generally, the salutation is better if you have a person's name. But
sometimes job advertisements do not provide the name of the employer.
3. The Body Paragraphs
Next, come the three body paragraphs of the letter. This is where you introduce yourself, explain your qualifications,
and ask for an interview.
- The opening paragraph tells the reader that you are applying for a specific job.
- The middle paragraph is where job seekers explain their skills and how they are qualified for the specific job.
- The last paragraph is important because the closing should make a positive impression of the candidate.
4. The Closing

The end of the letter includes a complimentary close, a signature, and the applicant's
typed name. The complimentary close that is used most often is “sincerely” followed
by a comma. The signature is usually
handwritten by the applicant followed by the typed name.

Formatting the Letter

As for the format, all parts of the letter should be along the left side of the paper. The
lines should be singlespaced, with extra spaces between each of the parts. Writers
should try to fit all of the parts onto one page.
 Find out if you should send your application by post or email. If by email, you can copy
your cover letter into the email, or send it as an attachment. Look at Maria’s cover
email.

If writing a letter, start Dear Sir or Madam, or Dear , with the name of the person if you know
it, and end Yours sincerely. Cover emails and letters should also be concise − less than one page.
Complete this cover email by choosing the correct expressions.
COVER LETTER PARAGRAPH 1 – INTRODUCING
YOURSELF

The first paragraph of a cover letter must include:

1. a statement of application (applying for a job),

2. the specific title of the job opening, and
3. your source of information.

This is the part of the letter in which applicants show their interest in the position. Remember that the opening
paragraph also needs to get the employer's attention.
Let's look at an example job seeker, Beth, who is applying for a position as an International Student Advisor.
In the opening paragraph of her cover letter, Beth starts by explaining that she read an article and the job
advertisement in a newspaper, the Austin Times.
She puts this information in the first sentence. After mentioning where she saw the advertisement, her second sentence gives a clear
statement of application with the title of the job opening. In the last sentence of this paragraph, Beth highlights or focuses on her
education and area of specialization. This is a short paragraph, but it tells an employer some important information about her. She
knows about the student population, and her education makes her a good match for the position.
There are many ways to write an opening paragraph. Each writer organizes and explains ideas differently with their personal style.
Let's look at another example from reading one. Tomoko's cover letter.
Tomoko begins with the source of her information. She read about the job opening for an Administrative Assistant in the Seattle
Times. Tomoko chooses a more indirect approach. By saying that she read about a job opening, and then gives the job title.
The next sentence expresses her interest in the position because she shows that she understands the company's
needs and that she is qualified to help them. In her last sentence, she chooses to highlight her language skills, work experience, and
office skills.
Again, this is a short paragraph, but it tells the employer that the applicant knows something about the company
and that she has the skills to help the company. Job postings are not only found in newspapers nowadays. Sometimes job seekers
mention the source of information in the first sentence of the opening paragraph, especially if it is through a personal reference. If the
source of information is a person or a website, the job applicant might write something like this:

1. “At the XYZ regional conference, your colleague, Jannie Qin, told me about the job opening for an
Executive Assistant.“
2. “I am applying for the position of Administrative Assistant announced on the IronGate.com website.”
 COVER LETTER PARAGRAPH 2 – HIGHLIGHTING
YOUR SKILLS IN THE COVER LETTER

In paragraph two in the body of the cover letter, you will summarize two or three examples from your
education, experience, and interests to show a future employer how you are qualified for the job. The
examples that you choose will explain or support the information in your resume not just repeat
what's in your resume. This paragraph is your chance to really stand out from all of the other
applicants. Remember that employers are looking for people who can help their business or
organization be successful. Focus on how your skills and qualifications will help them. When you are
applying for a specific position, it is a good idea to use the job description or advertisement as a guide.
The job description is very useful because it has key words about the skills and experience needed to
do the job.
Our applicant, Beth, read a job description for an International Student Advisor, with the key words “international students”, “two years of
experience”, and “excellent communication skills”. Using the sample cover letters from Reading One, let's look and how Beth focused on
her skills in the second paragraph of her cover letter.
 In the beginning sentences, she writes about her current job as a resident advisor. She gives very specific information about the students she
helps and the interpersonal and organizational skills she uses. In her first example, she explains that she works with 40 students, advises
them, and organizes programs. The last three sentences of this paragraph focus on her experience as a student when she assisted with
international student orientation and learned more about international cultures and communications. Now, let's see how Tomoko
show's her skills and qualifications in the cover letter.

She begins with her administrative skills and says that she has ten years of experience
with Microsoft Office as well as several web-based programs. Her next example focuses
on her language skills. She writes about her experience studying in Spain and her
volunteer experience with people of diverse cultures. Tomiko ends the paragraph well by
connecting those skills to the company's needs. The job posting says that they need an
administrative assistant with strong computer skills and interpersonal skills. Tomiko does
a good job of explaining that she has those skills.
 COVER LETTER PARAGRAPH 3 – CLOSING

In this paragraph, job seekers make a request to interview for the job, tell how they will follow up with the application,
and leave the reader with a positive impression. These items can be written in any order. The goal of this paragraph is
to summarize your interest in the job and show the employer that you are ready for the next step, a job interview.
Although job seekers do not make the decision about the interview or schedule, they should plan to call or email the
employer soon after sending the application. This shows that the applicant is serious about the job and may lead to
an interview. Let's look at our example applicant in the United States, Beth, and see how she wrote the closing
paragraph of her cover letter.
She begins this paragraph by summarizing her experience and showing her interest in working at the University of Texas.
She then leaves a positive impression by thanking the reader when she says, “thank you for taking the time to
review my resume.” She also tells the reader that she plans to move to Austin at the end of May and that she will be
available for an interview at any time. This information is only necessary if you do not live in the same location as
the employer. You can see that Beth continues to making her positive impression with phrases like “would be
delighted to meet with you” and “I look forward to speaking with you soon”. Because of her positive impression, her
summary of qualifications, and her interest, Beth's closing paragraph is very effective. Let's look at another example
with Tomoko's closing paragraph.
Tomoko begins the paragraph with a very polite request for an interview by saying, “I would appreciate the opportunity to discuss
my qualifications in an interview.” Her request is very indirect or polite but both applicants are clearly asking for a chance to
meet the employer in person. In the next sentence, Tomoko says, “I will contact your office your office next week.” We don't
know if this will be a phone call or email, but she can do one or both. Like Beth, she also gave a specific time by saying next
week. Tomoko also leaves a positive impression by thanking the reader and expressing her interest in meeting in person when
she says, “thank you for your consideration of my application” and, “I look forward to meeting with you.” At the end of the
cover letters, both job applicants add a complimentary close, “sincerely”, followed by a comma, their signature, or
handwritten name, and then their typed names. Your signature shows your personal style, so be sure to write neatly and
clearly so that the reader can understand your name.
Table of contents

05 06 07 08
Prepare/ Give Talk about the Take a
Attend an a short structure of telephone
interview presentation companies booking
- Take messages/
Send text
messages
OVERVIEW OF THE JOB INTERVIEW
In this unit, we're going to talk about the last step in the job search process,
the job interview. By now, you've written a great resume and cover letter
and you've got a job interview.
This is your chance to answer questions about your skills and qualifications, ask
questions about the job or the company, and make a positive impression
on the employer. Later we will focus on the language of questions, show
you some sample questions you could hear in a job interview, and how to
answer them.
Let's begin with some basic information about job interviews. A job interview
is a formal meeting between an employer and a job seeker to decide if the
person should get the job. The employer is called the interviewer and is
the person asking the questions. The job seeker is called the interviewee
and is the person answering the questions. Job interviews are usually in
person or face-to-face and are quite formal. Sometimes, interviews can be
done by phone or video conference. To be more successful, job seekers
can prepare for an interview by practicing answers with specific examples
of their skills and qualifications from their past experience.
 Preparing for a job interview
Interviews are a great chance to explain your qualifications and transferable skills with
examples or short stories. For example, many employers look for people who can show
leadership skills or creativity in solving problems. You can prepare answers that show
you
have these skills by using examples from your past work experiences or education.
Remember, you're not memorizing answers but just preparing some short specific examples
that you can use to answer common interview questions. For example, if an interviewer
said,
“tell me about a time that you solved a problem,” I would talk about how I created a
document to help other teachers plan their schedules.
Here's another example question. If the interviewer says, “what did you learn from working
at
XYZ company?” I would answer by saying, “I learned many things about new software and
computer programs to manage information in a busy office.”
Make a positive first impression

Finally, job seekers should make a positive

impression by looking professional. They do this
by wearing professional clothes such as a
business suit or dress. You should be on time or
early to the interview. During the interview, keep
eye contact with the interviewer. Give clear and
honest answers and bring extra copies of
important documents like resumes or
certifications.
Interview Tips
Job Interviews are your chance to sell your skills and abilities.
Job Interviews also give you a chance to find out if the job and company are right for you. Follow the tips here to
be successful in your interviews.

Review common interview questions.

Practice answering them with someone else or in front of a mirror. Come prepared with examples or short stories
that relate to the skills that the employer wants, while emphasizing your:
• Strengths
• Flexibility
• Leadership skills
• Ability and interest to learn new things
• Additions to the organizations in which you have worked or volunteered
• Creativity in solving problems and working with people

Before the interview, know how well you qualify for the job. For each requirement listed in the job advertisement, write
down your qualifications. This can show you if you don’t have a particular skill. Plan how you will talk about that in
the interview to persuade the interviewer that you can learn the skill.
Make a list of questions that you would like to ask during the interview. Pick questions that will demonstrate
your interest in the job and the company. This might include commenting on the news you learned from the company
website, and then asking a question related to it. Also ask questions about the job you will be expected to perform,
like:
• What are the day-to-day responsibilities of this job?
• How will my responsibilities and performance be measured? By whom?
• Could you explain your company structure?
• What computer equipment and software do you use?
• What is the organization's plan for the next five years?
Be prepared. Remember to bring important items to the interview:
• Notebook and pens to take notes
• Extra copies of your resume and a list of references
• Copies of letter(s) of recommendation, licenses, transcripts, etc.
• Portfolio of work samples
On the day of the interview, remember to:
• Plan your schedule so you arrive 10 to 15 minutes early.
• Go alone.
• Look professional. Dress in a manner appropriate to the job.
• Leave your MP3 player, coffee, soda, or backpack at home or in your car.
• Turn off your cell phone.
• Bring your sense of humor and SMILE!
Display confidence during the interview, but let the interviewer start the conversation. Send a positive message
with your body language.
• Shake hands firmly, but only if a hand is offered to you first.
• Maintain eye contact.
• Listen carefully. Welcome all questions, even the difficult ones, with a smile.
• Give honest, direct answers.
• Develop answers in your head before you respond. If you don't understand a question, ask for it to be repeated or
clarified. You don't have to rush, but you don't want to appear indecisive.

End the interview with a good impression. A positive end to the interview is another way to ensure your success.
• Be courteous and allow the interview to end on time.
• Restate any strengths and experiences that you might not have emphasized earlier.
• Mention a particular accomplishment or activity that fits the job.
• If you want the job, say so!
• Find out if there will be additional interviews.
• Ask when the employer plans to make a decision.
• Ask for a business card or contact information of the interviewer(s). Don't forget to send a thank-you note or letter
after the interview.
Presentations
Presentations 2: key steps
Key steps: introduction
Anne-Marie Duval works for a firm of management
consultants. She is responsible for recruiting
consultants for the firm. She has been invited as
a guest speaker to an international conference in
Cannes to talk about the subject of recruitment.
Key steps: main part
Key steps: closing
Correct the mistakes below, from another presentation. There is one mistake
in each item.
Presentations 3: audience interaction
Closing and dealing with questions
Anne-Marie is bringing her presentation to a close and invites questions from
the audience.
-
Test Topics:
Job intervew
- Cover letter
- How to find a job
- Presentation
- Discrimination at work
END