Unit 1: JOB SEEKING

Aims and Objectives

In this unit you will learn and practise vocabulary related to job seeking.

You will practise the following skills and functions:

reading for information
writing a CV and cover letter
preparing for an interview

The grammar of this unit includes:

Present Passive
Prepositions

Introduction

Exercise 1: True/False Statements

For each of the statements below, choose True or False.

Read the following text:

When choosing a career the first thing you need is self-awareness. This means looking at your skills, values, interests and personality, and analysing your strengths and weaknesses. You need to consider what you want from your career. To help others? Prestige? Responsibility or no responsibility? The second stage is to gather information on the opportunities open to you. Some careers, such as physiotherapy, are quite specific but may offer a large number of opportunities. Others are more open-ended, for example business management, though there may be either less demand or too many people looking for the same kind of work. Then comes the moment of truth – Making a Decision. At this point it is important to talk to friends, family and tutors. Many schools and colleges have a Careers Adviser who can help to inject reality into your ideas. If you have the chance, spend time with a person already working in your chosen career area. This can be far better than reading about it. Finally, when you have finished any special training or studies, you need to Take Action. Job Seeking involves finding out about employers and vacancies, writing your CV, applying for jobs, perhaps taking psychometric tests, and attending interviews.

Self-awareness means knowing and understanding yourself.

[?]
When choosing a career you must decide how you can help others.

[?]
An open-ended career offers a wider variety but not necessarily a greater number of opportunities.

[?]
Parents and teachers can help young people to make the right decision.

[?]
Schools and colleges always have a careers adviser.

[?]
Choosing a career and job-seeking are the same thing.

[?]
Successful job-seeking requires action.

[?]

Exercise 2: Listening

Now listen to the recording of the text of the previous exercise:

Exercise 3: Exposed Cloze

Use the correct word or expression from the list below to fill in the gaps in the sentences.

apply for
attend
find out
gather
such as
vacancy

Transcript:

Where can I find out about physiotherapy courses?

There are lots of places where you can get information, such as magazines and the internet.

Did you apply for that job you told me about?

The Palace Health Centre and Spa has a vacancy for a qualified physiotherapist.

They've asked me to attend an interview next week.

They sent a questionnaire to all the students to gather feedback about the course.

Where can I about physiotherapy courses?
[?]
There are lots of places where you can get information, magazines and the internet.
[?]
Did you that job you told me about?
[?]
The Palace Health Centre and Spa has a for a qualified physiotherapist.
[?]
They've asked me to an interview next week.
[?]
They sent a questionnaire to all the students to feedback about the course.
[?]

Psychometric Tests

Exercise 1: Selections

Chose the correct answer.

Read the following text:

Whether you are at school, college or university, or looking for a job, sooner or later you will be tested. Tested on what? Psychologists, companies and staff selection agencies use a vast battery of tests of all kinds. There is of course the classical IQ test, but in recent years many other types of test have been developed – for Communication Skills, Creative Problem-Solving, Emotional IQ, Ambition, Mental Toughness, Honesty, Hostility, Leadership, Management Skills, Organization Skills, Risk-Taking, Self Esteem, Sensitivity to Criticism, Social Skills, Team vs. Individual Orientation. And this is just a small selection. Since the first intelligence tests appeared in the early 1900s there has been a great deal of debate and criticism of them on the grounds that they are not objective, and that nobody agrees on what ‘intelligence’ is anyway, so you cannot test it, although one psychologist simply said: ‘Intelligence is what is measured by intelligence tests’. However that may be, the truth is that IQ tests, personality tests and aptitude tests are used all over the world and are not going to go away, so it is best to find out how different tests work and to practise. One good thing is that the more tests you do, the better you get at doing them!

a.
b.
c.

[?]
a.
b.
c.

[?]
a.
b.
c.

[?]
a.
b.
c.

[?]
a.
b.
c.

[?]

Exercise 2: Cloze

Fill in the gaps in the text below. For each gap there is only one correct answer.

Transcript:

What does IQ stand for? – It stands for Intelligence Quotient.

What does "vs." stand for? – It's an abbreviation of "versus", meaning "against" or "opposed to".

"Vast" is another word for enormous or very large, in number, size, or extent.

"Toughness" means being strong and able to resist stress and strain. The adjective is "tough".

"Honesty" is the quality of being honest , in other words truthful or sincere, never cheating or lying.

What is "hostility"? – A hostile person is someone who is unfriendly, aggressive or antagonistic.

Does "leadership" come from "leader"? – Yes, it means the ability to guide or direct people.

"Self Esteem" means having respect for or a good opinion of oneself.

"On the grounds of" is another way of saying "on|On the basis of".

"Aptitude" is not the same as "attitude". It means a natural talent or ability for something.

What does IQ stand for? – It stands Intelligence Quotient.
[?]
What does "vs." for? – It's an abbreviation of "versus", meaning "against" or "opposed to".
[?]
"Vast" is another for enormous or very large, in number, size, or extent.
[?]
"Toughness" means being strong and able to resist stress and strain. The adjective is "".
[?]
"Honesty" is the quality of being , in other words truthful or sincere, never cheating or lying.
[?]
What is "hostility"? – A hostile is someone who is unfriendly, aggressive or antagonistic.
[?]
Does "leadership" come "leader"? – Yes, it means the ability to guide or direct people.
[?]
"Self Esteem" having respect for or a good opinion of oneself.
[?]
"On the grounds of" is another way of saying " the basis of".
[?]
"Aptitude" is not the same "attitude". It means a natural talent or ability for something.
[?]

Exercise 3: Cloze

Fill in the gaps in the following sentences using “early”, “mid-“ and “late”:

Read the following text:

Notice the expression “in the early 1900s” used in the text. It means “in the first years of the twentieth century”. 1900s is pronounced “nineteen hundreds”. For years in the middle of the twentieth century you can say “in the mid-1900s”, and for years at the end of the century you could say “in the late 1900s” or “in the late twentieth century”. The prefix “mid-“ is used in other cases like “in mid-July” or “in mid-Atlantic”. You can also use “early”, “mid-“ and “late” to talk about somebody’s age. For example “She’s in her mid-20s” means she is about 24, 25 or 26.

Transcript:

He says he's in his late 40s but I think he's at least in his early 50s.

She's amazing. She's at least 37 but everybody thinks she's only 27, or somewhere in her late 20s.

How old is Jack? About 35? – Yes, he's in his mid- 30s.

Mary doesn't look after herself. She's only 42 or in her early 40s, but she looks much older.

When did Columbus discover America? – Was it 1496? I know it was in the late fifteenth century.

He says he's in his late 40s but I think he's at least in his 50s.
[?]
She's amazing. She's at least 37 but everybody thinks she's only 27, or somewhere in her 20s.
[?]
How old is Jack? About 35? – Yes, he's in his 30s.
[?]
Mary doesn't look after herself. She's only 42 or in her 40s, but she looks much older.
[?]
When did Columbus discover America? – Was it 1496? I know it was in the fifteenth century.
[?]

Exercise 4: Listening

Listen to these words and repeat:

Exercise 5: True/False Statements

A typical IQ test measures verbal skill, mathematical skill, logic and spatial skill. Normally a test contains many items, and both speed and accuracy are important. Here is a sample of just 10 items from a so-called ‘quick’ IQ test of 36 items. NOTE: This exercise is for you to practise your English, find out what kind of questions there may be in an IQ test in English, and above all is for fun, so DO NOT take your result too seriously, even if you get all the answers right or all the answers wrong!

The word "mineral" can be spelled using letters found in the word "parliament."

[?]
The sequence "triangle, glove, clock, bicycle" corresponds to the sequence of numbers "3, 5, 12, 2."

[?]
27 minutes before 7 o'clock is 33 minutes past 5 o'clock.

[?]
If written backwards, the number "one thousand, one hundred and twenty-five" would be written "five thousand, two hundred eleven."

[?]
The words, "auctioned, education, and cautioned," all use exactly the same letters.

[?]
Nine chickens, two dogs, and three cats have a total of forty legs.

[?]
Sixteen hours are to one day as twenty days are to June's length.

[?]
Three of the following numbers add up to the number 31: 17, 3, 2, 19, 5.

[?]
64 is the next logical number in the following sequence of numbers: 2, 6, 14, 30...

[?]
Frank is taller than John. Ralph is taller than Frank. Therefore, John is the shortest boy.

[?]

Exercise 6: Reading

Read this text in preparation for the following exercise:

The visually impaired create special challenges for psychometric test administrators. Most available tests are heavily dependent on the sight of the test taker, to read questions, analyse diagrams and locate spaces on answer sheets. When using psychometric tests for recruitment, employers must revise the tests for visually impaired people, unless the nature and form of the test are necessary to assess a matter relevant to the job. The best way for an employer to decide how to administer a test to visually impaired candidates is to talk to them about their needs. The candidate may have previous experience of similar tests and a strategy that works, but will in any case know how he prefers to access printed materials, and may have specialist equipment. Braille can be one way of administering a test, although time limits need to be at least doubled, but employers should bear in mind that the need for increased time limits in testing does not necessarily mean that a blind or partially sighted person will be slower at the job. Some tests are available in large print editions, while other candidates may prefer equipment such as magnifiers, CCTV, or tapes. If someone is employed to read the test aloud, or write down dictated answers, the assistant should not be someone the candidate knows, but should be introduced beforehand to discuss the candidate's needs. For computer based tests, font sizes, screen resolutions, brightness and contrast can be changed, making it easier for partially sighted people to access the materials.

Exercise 7: Transformation

The following pairs of sentences are a summary of the previous text. In each pair of sentences, complete sentence B so that it expresses the same idea as sentence A, using a Passive construction:

A. When people use psychometric tests with the visually impaired,
B. When psychometric tests with the visually impaired, [?]
A. they must revise the tests
B. the tests must [?]
A. and make them accessible,
B. and accessible, [?]
A. unless they are assessing a particular matter relevant to the job.
B. unless a particular matter relevant to the job . [?]
A. The test administrator should discuss with the candidate the best way to administer the test,
B. The best way to administer the test should discussed with the candidate, [?]
A. and if necessary the administrator should give the candidate extra time.
B. and if necessary the candidate should extra time. [?]
A. Also the administrator should allow the candidate to use special equipment or an assistant.
B. Also the candidate should to use special equipment or an assistant. [?]

Curriculum Vitae Writing

Exercise 1: True/False Statements

Read the following text and answer the questions:

Read the following text:

The most commonly used type of CV is chronological. Put your education, training and work experience in reverse order, with dates, placing the most recent first, and give an explanation for any gaps. When writing about previous experience, don’t just give the title of the post, but describe your responsibilities, tasks and achievements. Another type is the functional CV, which puts the emphasis on transferable skills and experience. People who have quite a lot of work experience, perhaps in a range of unconnected jobs, often use this type. In either case, bear in mind that the aim of a CV is to present yourself in the best possible light and to get you an interview. Your CV is probably the first impression a possible employer has of you, so it must be effective. Employers often receive hundreds of CVs, so yours has to stand out if you want to obtain interviews. Mention things you are good at, but don’t go over the top. Employers do not have time to read masses of information, so keep it clear, concise and specific, and be careful not to lie or exaggerate or you may get caught out in the interview.

There is a standard universal type of CV.

[?]
If there is a gap in your career because you spent two years travelling, you should explain this.

[?]
It is important to say what you did and learned in a job, and not just give the job title.

[?]
If you haven’t had much work experience, you should not use a functional CV.

[?]
If you don’t know what to put in your CV, it’s all right to invent.

[?]

Exercise 2: Exposed Cloze

Match these expressions with their definitions by typing them in the correct space:

achievement
bear in mind
get caught out
go over the top
in reverse order
put the emphasis on
range
stand out
transferable
unconnected

Transcript:

Something that somebody has succeeded in doing, usually with effort: achievement

Not related to something else or each other: unconnected

A number or variety of things belonging to the same category: range

Go too far, exaggerate, or overdo something: go over the top

Can be moved somewhere else or used for something different: transferable

For example 2005, 2004, 2003, 2002: in reverse order

Be noticeable, conspicuous or prominent: stand out

Remember a piece of information that could be useful in the future: bear in mind

Give weight or importance to something: put the emphasis on

This happens to you if somebody discovers you are not telling the truth: get caught out

Something that somebody has succeeded in doing, usually with effort:
[?]
Not related to something else or each other:
[?]
A number or variety of things belonging to the same category:
[?]
Go too far, exaggerate, or overdo something:
[?]
Can be moved somewhere else or used for something different:
[?]
For example 2005, 2004, 2003, 2002:
[?]
Be noticeable, conspicuous or prominent:
[?]
Remember a piece of information that could be useful in the future:
[?]
Give weight or importance to something:
[?]
This happens to you if somebody discovers you are not telling the truth:
[?]

Exercise 3: Reading

Here is a simple chronological CV.

CURRICULUM VITAE

Personal Details

Name	David Jenkins
Date of Birth	26 April 1978
Place of Birth	Manchester
Nationality	British
Marital Status	Single
Address	77 Lemmons Rd

Manchester 12 4QG :Tel: (0)61-2252319 :Email: biskit723@mac.com

Education and Qualifications

2000 (summer): RSA Certificate in Teaching English as a Foreign Language.

1996 - 1999: Liverpool University, BA (Hons) 2:1 in Modern Languages

1990 - 1996: Longsight Comprehensive School, Manchester
4 'A' Levels: English, French, German, Philosophy
10 'O' Levels

Employment

2002 - present: Teacher of French and German, Holy Mount School, Aberdeen.
Prepare & present pupils for Advanced Higher French & Higher German exams. Report to parents, write pupil reports, liaise with colleagues with regard to pupil progress and resources. Organise extra-curricular activities.

2000 - 2002: English Language Teacher, Ace School, Malta.
Taught English at a variety of levels and ages. Responsible for course planning and exam preparation. Coordinated social events.

1999 - 2000: English Language Assistant, Lycée Champollion, Grenoble, France.
Taught conversation classes to all age groups (11-18). Developed own materials for use with classes.

Computer Skills

Office Applications: Microsoft Word, Microsoft Excel, Microsoft Power Point, Quattro Pro.

Internet Applications: Microsoft Internet Explorer, Netscape, Internet email, FTP.

Desktop Publishing: Adobe Page Maker, Adobe Photoshop, Freehand, Netscape Composer.

Language Skills

Fluent in French and German. Basic Spanish.

Activities and Interests

Travelling, learning about different cultures in the EU, foreign languages, writing, music, computers, sports.

References: available on request.

Exercise 4: True/False Statements

David Jenkins is interested in applying for a job as an English Teacher in a private language school in Strasbourg. Answer the following questions about David and his CV:

David Jenkins is male.

[?]
We know how old he is.

[?]
We know where he is from.

[?]
He tells us whether he is married or not.

[?]
He gives full contact details.

[?]
He gives full details of his education.

[?]
His education and professional experience are given in reverse order.

[?]
There are unexplained gaps in his education and career history.

[?]
In his career history David only mentions the title of the posts he held.

[?]
His professional experience is relevant to the post he is interested in.

[?]
He gives no information about other skills.

[?]
He gives a personal profile and describes his career aims.

[?]
Some of his interests are relevant to the post in Strasbourg.

[?]
He gives names and contact details of referees.

[?]
The layout of his CV is clear and consistent.

[?]

Exercise 5: Reading

Here is a simple functional CV.

CURRICULUM VITAE

Hoozit Menterbi
22, East Street
Glasgow
G14 5AB
hoozit@bignet.co.uk

My time in South America has caused me to consider new career goals. I am keen to work in the charity sector, particularly for an organisation that promotes the welfare of children. My aim is to use design and communication skills to raise awareness of issues in the developing world.

Key Skills

Ability to plan, organise and keep going when things get difficult. Increased awareness of other cultures and the effect of poverty on children. Experience of producing publicity material for a range of media. Competence with internet and web design software. Experience of marketing, advertising and conference organisation.

Career History

October 2003 - July 2004: Travelling and working in South America. Work undertaken was mainly teaching English and other service related activities in Colombia.

2000 - 2001: Multimedia designer, Scarlet Graphics Manchester.

Key features

Contributing to design of CDs, web sites, brochures and advertising material. Member of creative team of five designers and writers. Understanding of PR and marketing strategy. Tact, diplomacy and ability to deal with people at all levels. Working to tight deadlines.

Qualifications

1998: Higher National Diploma, Media Technology. Brighton Metropolitan University.

Key features

Development of multimedia authoring skills. Development of visual and written communication skills. Project on evaluating the impact of promotional material.

Interests

Travel, painting, languages, playing the accordion.

Exercise 6: True/False Statements

Hoozit Menterbi is applying for a job as assistant manager in a children’s charity. Answer the following questions:

We don’t know whether Hoozit Menterbi is male or female.

[?]
We know how old Hoozit Menterbi is.

[?]
We know what nationality Hoozit Menterbi is.

[?]
We don’t know whether Hoozit Menterbi is married or single.

[?]
Hoozit gives a telephone number.

[?]
We don’t know what school Hoozit attended before going to Brighton Metropolitan.

[?]
Hoozit doesn’t say what he or she did from 1998 to 2000.

[?]
Hoozit worked for Scarlet Graphics for one year.

[?]
Hoozit went to South America straight after working in Manchester.

[?]
There are unexplained gaps in Hoozit’s education and career history.

[?]
We don’t know whether Hoozit has a driving licence.

[?]
Hoozit gives a personal profile and describes his or her career aims.

[?]
Hoozit’s hobbies and interests are relevant to the post in the children’s charity.

[?]
Hoozit gives names and contact details of referees.

[?]
The layout of the CV is clear and consistent.

[?]

Exercise 7: Cloze

John Swift has been explaining to Jane Doe how to write her CV and has shown her some samples. Fill in the gaps in their conversation:

Transcript:

John	Have you finished writing your CV yet ?
Jane	More or less , but there are one or two things I'm not sure about.
John	Such as?
Jane	Well I'm not sure whether to put in anything about hobbies and

interests. :John: Some people say you shouldn't, but I think it depends whether it gives a more complete picture of your personality. I mean, saying you like music and reading isn't much use, but playing an instrument in an orchestra shows you're an active team player. :Jane: What about referees? :John: Some people wouldn't agree, but I don't think it's necessary. Obviously you're only going to give someone's name as a referee if they're willing to say something nice about you. When you leave a job you can always ask them for a written reference to use when you apply for a job elsewhere. :Jane: Is it a good idea to attach a photo? :John: From the employer's point of view it's definitely helpful, I guess, but make sure it's a good photo! It depends on the job too. For anything involving public relations, personal appearance is important. :Jane: How about layout and so on ? Where do I put my personal details, at the beginning or the end? :John: In most countries the layout tends to be more or less the same, so you'd put your personal details at the beginning, like in those samples I showed you. In the States it's a bit different. Sometimes they put their personal details at the end. And of course they don't use the expression CV. They call it a résumé.

John	Have you finished writing your CV [?] ?
Jane	More or [?] , but there are one or two things I'm not sure about.
John	Such as?
Jane	Well I'm not sure [?] to put in anything about hobbies and

interests. :John: Some people say you shouldn't, but I think it depends whether it gives a more complete picture of your personality. I mean, saying you like music and reading isn't much use, but playing an instrument in an orchestra shows you're an active team player. :Jane: What [?] referees? :John: Some people wouldn't agree, but I don't think it's necessary. Obviously you're only going to give someone's name [?] a referee if they're willing to say something nice about you. When you leave a job you can always ask them for a written reference to use when you apply [?] a job elsewhere. :Jane: Is it a good idea to attach a photo? :John: From the employer's point of view it's definitely helpful, I guess, but make sure it's a good photo! It depends [?] the job too. For anything involving public relations, personal appearance is important. :Jane: How about layout and so [?] ? Where do I put my personal details, [?] the beginning or the end? :John: In most countries the layout tends to be more or less the same, so you'd put your personal details at the beginning, like in those samples I showed you. In the States it's a bit different. Sometimes they put their personal details [?] the end. And of course they don't use the expression CV. They call it a résumé.

Exercise 8: Listening

Now listen to the recording of the text of the previous exercise:

Letters

Exercise 1: Multiple Choice Questions

Chose the correct answer.

Read the following text:

When you send your CV, you must always send a cover letter, even if you send it by email. Make sure you have done your research on the company and that you address your covering letter to the right person. Use good quality plain paper and an easy-to-read font. Concentrate on the specifications of the advertisement and draw attention to any important and relevant details in your CV, but do not reiterate your CV. The tone of the letter should respond to the tone of the advertisement and job description, and it usually comprises about three paragraphs. In the first paragraph, say what vacancy you're applying for, and where and when it was advertised. In the second paragraph, show how your experience and abilities link to the needs of the company and why you want to work for them. In the third paragraph, say when you can start work or attend an interview, and conclude with a confident: 'I look forward to hearing from you'. Before sending it off, check for errors, make sure the appearance and tone feel right throughout, and don’t forget to sign it!

Which is correct?
a.
b.
c.

[?]
‘Plain paper’ means:
a.
b.
c.

[?]
Which is correct?
a.
b.
c.

[?]
The language you use in your letter should:
a.
b.
c.

[?]
Your letter should explain:
a.
b.
c.

[?]
It is a good idea to explain:
a.
b.
c.

[?]

Exercise 2: Cloze

Fill in the gaps in the text below. For each gap there is only one correct answer.

Transcript:

The layout of a cover or covering letter in English is simple. Put both addresses at the top, yours on the right and the recipient's on the left. You do not need to use punctuation (commas and full stops) in the addresses or in the salutation. Put the date on the right under your address. If you need to quote a reference number, put it on the left above or below the salutation. If you are writing to a man and you know his surname is Smith, begin with "Dear Mr Smith" and end with "Yours sincerely". If you are writing to a woman whose surname is Smith and you know she is married, begin with "Dear Mrs Smith" and end with "Yours sincerely". If you know she is not married begin with "Dear Miss Smith". If you don't know whether she is married or not, use "Dear Ms Smith". If you are writing to a man and you don't know his surname, begin with "Dear Sir" and end with "Yours faithfully". If you are writing to a woman and you don't know her surname , begin with "Dear Madam" and end with "Yours faithfully". If you don't know whether you are writing to a man or a woman, begin with "Dear Sir or Madam" and end with "Yours faithfully".

The layout of a cover or covering letter in English is simple. Put both addresses at the top, yours on the right and the recipient's on the [?]. You do not need to use punctuation (commas and full stops) in the addresses or in the salutation. Put the date on the [?] under your address. If you need to quote a reference number, put it on the left above or below the salutation. If you are writing to a [?] and you know his surname is Smith, begin with "Dear Mr Smith" and end with "Yours sincerely". If you are writing to a woman whose [?] is Smith and you know she is married, begin [?] "Dear Mrs Smith" and [?] with "Yours sincerely". If you know she is [?] married begin with "Dear Miss Smith". If you don't [?] whether she is married or not, use "Dear Ms Smith". If you are writing to a man and you don't know his surname, begin with "Dear Sir" and end with "Yours faithfully". If you are writing to a [?] and you don't know her [?] , begin with "Dear Madam" and end with "Yours faithfully". If you don't know whether you are writing to a man or a woman, begin with "Dear Sir or Madam" and end with "Yours faithfully".

Exercise 3: Reading

Exercise 4: Reading

Read the cover letter that Pamela wrote:

123, High Street
London A12 4BC
Tel: 01234567890

ABC Recruitment
44 Soho Square
London EC1 4BE

1st December 2005

Re: Personal Assistant PA/69

Dear Sir or Madam

I am writing to apply for the post of Personal Assistant advertised in today's Times.

As you can see from my CV, I have had six years' experience as a personal secretary. Five of these have been in films and television. I believe that both my skills and personal attributes match the requirements you seek for this role and that I would be able to contribute effectively to the team and the organisation.

I will be available for interview at any time and am able to take up a new appointment immediately. I look forward to hearing from you.

Yours faithfully

Pamela Roberts

Exercise 5: Reading

Read the following job advertisement from this month’s Travel Gazette:

Ref	Hotel Receptionist 2366/M
Location	Bayswater, London

The busy 4-star Baycourt Hotel is seeking to employ an experienced Hotel Receptionist. You must have a minimum of 6 months recent Hotel Reception experience, excellent interpersonal skills and immaculate presentation. You must be conscientious with an outgoing personality and able to provide an excellent service to clients, whilst maintaining the high standards of this hotel. This is a fabulous position working in a modern hotel dealing with guest relations, preparing bills and dealing with reservations accurately and efficiently. If you meet the above criteria and feel that you are the right person for this position, send your CV immediately to: Veronica Jones, Biskit Recruitment, 77 High Street, London EC2 3AB.

Exercise 6: Cloze

Now reply to the advertisement by completing the following cover letter. These are your personal details:

Name	Victor Bennett
Address	Hotel Los Gringos, Playa San Miguel, Mallorca.

Transcript:

Hotel Los Gringos
Playa San Miguel
Mallorca
Tel: 34-971999999

Biskit Recruitment
77 High Street
London EC2 3AB

24 May, 2006

Ref: Hotel Receptionist 2366/M

Dear Ms Jones

I am writing to apply for the position of hotel receptionist advertised in this month's Travel Gazette.

As you can see from my CV , I have a Diploma in Tourism and four years' experience in different hotels. Two of these have been in Mallorca. In my present post I am responsible for a team of three assistant receptionists, reservations and billing. I am a very friendly, outgoing person and possess excellent communication skills. I believe that both my skills and experience would enable me to contribute effectively to maintaining the high standards and reputation of the Baycourt Hotel.

I will be available for interview in London at any time after May 31, and would be able to take up a new appointment immediately after that date. I look forward to hearing from you.

Yours sincerely

Victor Bennett

Hotel [?]
[?] San Miguel
[?]
Tel: 34-971999999

[?] Recruitment
77 [?]
[?] EC2 3AB

24 May, 2006

Ref: [?]

Dear [?]

I am writing to apply [?] of [?] advertised in [?] Travel Gazette.

As you can see [?] , I have a Diploma in Tourism and four years' [?] in different hotels. Two of these have been in Mallorca. In my present post I am responsible for a team of three assistant receptionists, reservations and billing. I am a very friendly, outgoing person and possess excellent communication skills. I believe that both my skills and experience would enable me to contribute effectively to maintaining the high standards and reputation of the Baycourt Hotel.

I will be [?] in London at any time after May 31, and would be able to take up a new appointment immediately after that date. [?] to hearing [?].

Yours [?]

[?]

Exercise 7: Selections

Brenda Pratt decided to answer the same advertisement as Victor. Choose the correct sentence, A or B, to help her with the cover letter:

Interviews

Exercise 1: Multiple Choice Questions

Chose the correct answer.

Read the following text:

Getting ready for the Interview – Part 1

You saw the advertisement, sent off your CV and that cover letter you prepared so carefully, and you kept your fingers crossed. Wow! You have been invited to an interview! Part of any effective job search includes preparing for the interview, so now you need to make sure you don't blow your chances. If you have not already done so, make sure you do your homework and find out about the employer and the job. What do they do, make, or sell? Who are their customers and competitors? What exactly will the job involve? What sort of person do you think they want? How can you best match your skills to the job? Then think about the interview itself. Will it be a one-to-one interview? Who will be interviewing? Will it be an agency, a technical person in the company, or the Human Resources department? Will you have to take an IQ test or some other kind of test? Find out beforehand what you will be asked to do. If you are disabled, contact the agency or employer prior to the interview if you require any particular arrangements.

‘You kept your fingers crossed’ means:
a.
b.

[?]
‘Don’t blow your chances’ means:
a.
b.

[?]
‘Do your homework’ means:
a.
b.

[?]
The text implies that:
a.
b.

[?]
‘beforehand’ means:
a.
b.

[?]

Exercise 2: Exposed Cloze

Use the correct word or expression from the list below to fill in the gaps in the sentences.

beforehand
blow
disabled
fingers
homework
involve
one-to-one
send off

Transcript:

John wasn’t making much progress learning Russian so he decided to take one-to-one classes.

Did you send off your application for that job?

Have you got much homework to do for school tomorrow?

When you have to speak in public it’s normal to feel nervous beforehand .

She’s manages to lead a normal life in spite of being disabled .

I’ve bought a Christmas lottery ticket. Now let’s keep our fingers crossed.

Get your hair cut and take that ring out of your nose or you’ll blow your chances of getting the job.

Does the job involve a lot of travelling?

John wasn’t making much progress learning Russian so he decided to take classes.
[?]
Did you your application for that job?
[?]
Have you got much to do for school tomorrow?
[?]
When you have to speak in public it’s normal to feel nervous .
[?]
She’s manages to lead a normal life in spite of being .
[?]
I’ve bought a Christmas lottery ticket. Now let’s keep our crossed.
[?]
Get your hair cut and take that ring out of your nose or you’ll your chances of getting the job.
[?]
Does the job a lot of travelling?
[?]

Exercise 3: Listening

Now listen and repeat in the spaces provided:

Exercise 4: True/False Statements

For each of the statements below, choose True or False.

Read the following text:

Getting ready for the Interview – Part 2

If you have been invited for an interview, it is presumably because you have the technical qualifications or skills to do the job. To answer a question like "Why are you the ideal candidate for this position?" it is not enough to refer to your qualifications and experience. What really determines whether you will be offered the post is showing you have the attitudes, skills and personality that would enable you to fit well into the company. How do you do this? Before an interview, prepare examples that back up the skills and aspects of your personality that you want to showcase. Anybody can say: “I am a responsible hardworking person”. It is more convincing, however, if you explain how in your last job your boss was away for a month, left you in charge of the project, you had to work very long hours, but achieved results that the company was delighted with. You work well under pressure? Doesn’t being regional billiards champion four years running show this? You are a good team player? What about the fact that you were captain of the college handball team, or part of a market research team in your last job? Remember, though, that any information you give the interviewer is subject to verification.

Employers are only interested in your technical skills and qualifications.

[?]
Employers are interested in how you would fit in with the company.

[?]
It is a bad idea to make generalisations about yourself if you cannot give examples.

[?]
The text implies that sporting achievements may be of interest to the interviewer.

[?]
It does not matter if you give false information because the employer will never check.

[?]

Exercise 5: Multiple Choice Questions

Choose the word or expression that is closest to the meaning in the text of the word(s) given:

Exercise 6: True/False Statements

Read the following text and answer the questions:

Read the following text:

Getting ready for the Interview – Part 3

The interviewer may want to clear up or go over certain specific points in your CV, such as what equipment you used in your last job, but will usually ask other questions aimed at finding out what kind of person you are. For example ‘How would you describe yourself?’ or ‘What are your major strengths?’ You need to be prepared for these questions, but an interviewer judges your personality by listening not only to what is said, but also to the way it is said. Above all, DO NOT try to memorize answers. This can be fatal! You may come across as a robot in the interview. Your actual response will depend upon the way the question comes up in the interview. Remember to pause briefly to consider your answer. Responding too quickly may give the impression it is a memorized answer. Remember that your body language while listening and speaking also says a lot about you. Don’t sit there like a statue, but don’t wave your arms around like a madman. To prepare for the interview, you could run through some typical questions with a friend or record yourself on video. Some people even pay professional consultants for interview practice and advice.

The interviewer will only check information on your CV.

[?]
You should prepare your answers to typical interview questions, but not memorise them.

[?]
How you say something is at least as important as what you say.

[?]
You should be careful with your body language.

[?]
It is best not to move during the interview.

[?]
It is a good idea to practise your interview technique.

[?]

Exercise 7: Multiple Choice Questions

Choose the explanation that is closest to the meaning in the text of the word(s) given:

Exercise 8: Cloze

Fill in the gaps in the text below. For each gap there is only one correct answer.

Transcript:

One of the main|major (or principal) problems (or drawbacks) with English vocabulary at an advanced level is that there are so many synonyms. This is because English draws on (or uses) vocabulary from many origins – Germanic, Latin, Greek, and others. You need to be careful because there may be differences in the way synonyms are used. For example we speak about the 'Statue of Liberty' or 'freedom of speech'. Words such as 'problem', 'natural', 'regional', are relatively universal in other European languages, but there are also 'false friends', words that are the same in different languages but mean something different, for example 'actual', 'fatal', 'eventually'. Another difficulty is phrasal verbs (i.e. verbs with a preposition or adverb, such as 'clear up', 'run through') and idioms (e.g. 'keep your fingers crossed', 'blow your chances'). The correct use of synonyms, phrasal verbs and idioms depends on the context or 'register' (spoken or written, formal or informal etc), and the only way to learn this is through careful observation and practice.

One of the [?] (or principal) problems (or drawbacks) with English vocabulary at an advanced level is that there are so [?] synonyms. This is [?] English draws on (or uses) vocabulary [?] many origins – Germanic, Latin, Greek, and others. You need to be careful because there may be differences in the way synonyms are used. For example we speak about the 'Statue of Liberty' [?] 'freedom of speech'. Words such as 'problem', 'natural', 'regional', are relatively universal in other European languages, but there are also 'false friends', [?] that are the same in different languages but mean something different, for example 'actual', 'fatal', 'eventually'. Another difficulty is phrasal verbs (i.e. verbs with a preposition or adverb, such as 'clear up', 'run through') and idioms (e.g. 'keep your fingers crossed', 'blow your chances'). The correct use of synonyms, phrasal verbs and idioms depends [?] the context or 'register' (spoken or written, formal or informal etc), and the only way to learn this is through careful observation and practice.

Exercise 9: Multiple Choice Questions

The following is a selection of typical interview questions with suggestions for answers. In each case decide which suggestion it would DEFINITELY NOT be a good idea to use:

Exercise 10: Exposed Cloze

It is impossible to give a complete list of questions and answers, and questions can be expressed in different ways even though they ask basically the same thing. As you can see from the last exercise, however, you need to think carefully about how you are going to answer. Make yourself familiar with as many types of question as possible, and practise. Some people do this by going to as many interviews as possible! Here are some more typical questions. Fill in the gaps with one of these prepositions:

about
about
for
in
in
in
in
on
on
to

Transcript:

Tell me about yourself.

You have five minutes. Sell yourself to me.

Do you like instructions, or to do things on your own?

How important is money in your life?

How did you get on with your boss in your last job?

What do you enjoy doing in your spare time?

Why did you apply for this job?

Where would you like to be in five years?

Why do you want to live in this area?

How do you feel about travelling?

Tell me yourself.
[?]
You have five minutes. Sell yourself me.
[?]
Do you like instructions, or to do things your own?
[?]
How important is money your life?
[?]
How did you get with your boss in your last job?
[?]
What do you enjoy doing your spare time?
[?]
Why did you apply this job?
[?]
Where would you like to be five years?
[?]
Why do you want to live this area?
[?]
How do you feel travelling?
[?]

Exercise 11: Selections

Here is some more basic advice for the interview, but in each case one sentence is wrong. Choose the correct sentence:

Checklist

Use the following list to check whether you have obtained full benefit from this unit. You should be able to:

read a job advertisement
prepare a CV
prepare a cover letter
prepare for an interview

You should also have greater skill and confidence in the use of:

Present Passive
Prepositions