Vocabulary

1) to slouch around	слоняться, болтаться без дела
2) a job interview	собеседование по поводу приема на работу
3) a potential employer	потенциальный работодатель
4) to make an appointment	назначить встречу
5) a representative	представитель
6) to set out	отправиться, (зд.) пойти
7) employer’s requirements	требования работодателя
8) to work overtime	работать сверхурочно
9) a fellow worker	сослуживец
10) a certificate	свидетельство, аттестат
11) to some extent	до некоторой степени

Ex. I. Read the text:

If an application letter and Curriculum Vitae satisfy your potential employer’s requirements he will make an appointment to see you. It means that you should be prepared for a job interview. It is a very important moment in the process of looking for a job.

Before going to the interview, try to get information about the company or the job you would like to get into. For example, if you have an interview at a large computer company, you will make a better impression when you are familiar with articles about this company. Doing anything well requires some information. That applies to job hunting too. Any good library has books, which will tell you the names of the companies in industries that interest you. Try to speak to people who work for that company. A job interview is a two way process. To some extent it is a dialogue. The better you will answer and ask questions during the interview, the better impression you will make upon your potential employer. If you are well informed, your confidence is up. People can feel that you are well prepared. You will be asked questions that you can answer easily. You won’t be nervous in an up coming interview. Your best guide is to rely on your common sense. There are, however, some basic rules common to most interviews. It is absolutely necessary to be dressed properly. Your clothes should be neat and modest.

Before setting out to the interview, make sure that you have taken all necessary documents such as your passport, diploma, Curriculum Vitae and different kinds of certificates. Take also a notebook and a pen.

Arrive at the office 10 minutes before your interview. If you are held up or cannot come at all try to telephone the Personnel Manager in order to inform him about it. Entering the office do try to smile. When greeting the representative of the company wait until he moves to shake your hand. You should also wait until he offers you a seat. Don’t panic, even if faced by more than one person. Don’t slouch around and look bored. Don’t smoke cigarettes or chew a chewing gum.

The most common questions people are asked at the interview are as follows:

• Why are you interested in joining our company?

• Why do you feel qualified for this job?

• What do you know about the company?

• Do you enjoy working in a team?

• Are you willing to work overtime?

Sometimes people are asked surprise questions. You should anticipate such questions as:

• Why should I hire you?

• What are your three greatest strengths for this job?

There are some topics you should avoid discussing with your interviewer.

In discussing your previous jobs avoid criticizing your former employers or fellow workers. Don’t discuss your personnel, domestic or financial problems unless you are specifically asked about them. If you are offered a job, it is appropriate to ask questions referring to the salary. You can state the salary you want, but not until the employer has introduced it.

At the end of the interview, you should know what the next steps will be: whether you should contact the interviewer again, whether you should provide more information about yourself, whether more interviews must be conducted, and when a final decision will be reached. Sometimes candidates are asked to fill in interview forms.

Ex. II. Answer the questions on the text:

1. What is a very important moment in the process of looking for a job?

2. What should an applicant do before going to the interview?

3. Where can he get information about the company he wants to work for?

4. What kind of process is a job interview?

5. What makes a person’s confidence go up?

6. What should an applicant take with him before setting out to the interview?

7. What matters mustn’t the applicant discuss with the interviewer?

8. What are the next applicant’s steps after the interview?

Ex. III. You have got an interview for a job. To do well at an interview you need to put in some thoughts first. The employer wants to know if you are a person he wants, so you will be asked about yourself. Think about it now.

1. What do I do well?

2. What are my good points?

3. Why would I like to get this job?

4. What are my spare-time interests?

5. What do I like doing and why?

6. What subjects did I like at school (at the University)?

7. Why do I want to change my present job?

Ex. IV. Work in pairs. You will want to ask questions too. Ask your interviewer about:

• the job itself

• training

• prospects

• further education

• your working place

• your working day

• your salary

Write your questions down and take them to the interview.

Ex. V. Read the dialogue with your partner and then fill in an application form.

Interviewer Come in … come in. It’s Mr. Chandler, isn’t it?

Mr. Chandler Yes, that’s right. How do you do?

Interviewer How do you do? Please take a seat.

Mr. Chandler Thank you very much.

Interviewer Well, I’ve got your application form here. I just want to check the information … is that all right?

Mr. Chandler Yes, of course.

Interviewer Now, you are 31, aren’t you?

Mr. Chandler Yes, I am.

Interviewer … and you aren’t married, are you?

Mr. Chandler No, I’m not … not yet.

Interviewer Uh, huh. You went to secondary school and technical college,

didn’t you?

Mr. Chandler Yes, I did.

Interviewer … but you didn’t go to university, did you?

Mr. Chandler No, I didn’t. I started work when I was 20.

Interviewer I see. You can speak French and Russian, can’t you?

Mr. Chandler Yes, I can … but not fluently. I speak French better than Russian.

Interviewer … but you can’t speak Spanish, can you?

Mr. Chandler No, no, I can’t.

Interviewer You’ve been to France, haven’t you?

Mr. Chandler Yes, I have … and to Germany and Russia.

Interviewer So I see … but you haven’t been to the Middle East, have you?

Mr. Chandler No, I’m afraid I haven’t, but I’d like to.

Interviewer Good.

MBI Ltd Application form JOB___________________ NAME___________________ AGE___________________ NATIONALITY__________________ MARITAL STATUS Married Single . EDUCATION Secondary School . Technical School . University . LANGUAGES French Spanish . Russian Arabic . COUNTRIES VISITED______________________________

S ection IV. Unemployment