2.5. Revision

 WRITING

Task 1. Your teacher will read you an article in Russian about the problems of searching for a job. Listen to it twice. Then work individually and render it into English using your active vocabulary. When you are done, join your learning teams. Present and describe your versions, together with other students in the team create one variant of the rendering and present it in class.

 SPEAKING

Task 2. Prepare a presentation “DOs and DON’Ts of job-hunting”. Use the ideas from the texts as well as your own ones. Enrich your presentation with active vocabulary units.

3. Applying for a job

 LISTENING

3.1. Looking for and applying for a job

Task 1. What do you know about the process of applying for a job in Russia? What steps are to be taken? Is the procedure the same in English-speaking countries? Discuss the questions with the group.

Task 2. You will hear and take notes on a lecture given by Graciano E. Matos, who works in a career counseling office at a college. He will explain how technology has impacted the process of looking for and applying for a job. The following items contain important vocabulary the lecture. Work with a partner. Using the context and your knowledge of related words, take turns trying to guess the meanings of the words in bold.

1. making phone calls to prospective employers

2. put your résumé with a cover letter in a stamped envelope . . .

3. The tools used are much more advanced, and they require more skills and expertise.

4. Technology has not so much changed the process as enhanced it.

5. This makes the search more open.

6. people of different socioeconomic backgrounds from all over the world

7. The Internet has become the tool of preference for getting more details.

8. You might have had a desk full of newspaper ads just to keep track of where you should apply.

Task 3. Work with your partner. Match the vocabulary terms with their definitions by writing the letter of each definition below next to the sentence or phrase containing the correct term in Task 2. Check your answers in a dictionary if necessary.

1. possible

2. a letter to explain what you are sending

3. improved

4. organize and remember

5. social and financial status in society

6. attempt to find something

7. ability

8. favorite way

Task 4. Now listen to the lecture. Take notes on your own paper. Make sure your notes are in a well-organized format. Then compare them with a partner.

Task 5. Write a one-paragraph summary of the lecture. Include these words in your summary:

traditional

computer

research

skills

apply

interview

technology

acquire

 VOCABULARY PRACTICE

3.2. Want ads

Task 1. Looking through want ads is one of the ways to find a job. Look at this job ad (informal)/ advertisement (formal) for the IT (Information Technology) industry.

Ambitious

Achievers¹

Up to £30k² basic³

Money motivated, eager, looking to work in a dynamic, fast-moving Industry?

We are looking for ambitious, dynamic sales professionals with the talent and drive⁴ to develop a rewarding⁵ career within the IT industry. You will work in close-knit⁶ teams, maintaining and developing relationships with a diverse⁷ range of clients.

Ideally you will possess some previous IT sales experience⁸ and a good knowledge of computers. Most importantly you will have a strong desire to succeed.

If you fit this description⁹ and are seeking a lucrative¹⁰ career in IT sales then call Claire Walden or Graham Keen on 01960 479 6021.

¹ people determined to succeed and achieve great things

² thirty thousand pounds

³ guaranteed minimum salary without overtime or bonuses

⁴ strong motivation

⁵ giving you a lot back

⁶ working in a close relationship

⁷ of different types

⁸ experience selling things

⁹ have these qualities

¹⁰ producing a lot of money

The text has some words with similar meanings in connection with work; learn them in pairs:

motivated and eager (person) dynamic and fast moving (industry/profession)

to seek a career in ... and to look to work in ... (note look to, meaning consider or hope,

not look for).

Task 2. Make these rather informal sentences more formal by using words and phrases from Task 1.

1. Do you often look at the job ads?

2. I haven’t worked in sales before.

3. There’s a lot of money in selling computers. I made 70k last year.

4. We sell quite a mixed range of products.

5. I thought I would apply for the job since it sounded just like me.

Task 3. Find expressions in Task 1 which mean the opposite of the underlined words or phrases.

1. a very loosely organised team

2. a very frustrating job

3. to have low motivation

4. a rather static and slow-moving profession

Task 4. Read the job advertisement and answer the questions.

1. Why does 'a career' sound better than 'a job'?

2. What are 'ambiguous' situations?

3. What expression means 'not depending on other people'?

4. What is the abstract noun that means 'your ability to find clever or imaginative ways of doing things'?

5. What mental quality do you need for this job?

6. What job do you think this advertisement is for?

 VOCABULARY PRACTICE