Listening Comprehension II Who Should We Short-list?

Ex. 1. Before listening to the recording, read the advertisement below and decide what kind of person the advertiser is looking for. Highlight the important points in the ad.

Assistant Marketing Manager We are a well-known international manufacturer, based in the UK, and we are expanding our export marketing activities in our European headquarters in London. We are looking for a lively and intelligent person to join our team as soon as possible. The work will involve working in our London office, telephoning and corresponding with our overseas clients and agents, and some travel, mainly to European countries. Applicants should be fluent in at least one foreign language. Experience in marketing would be an asset but not essential. The successful applicant will be paid top London rates and provided with generous removal expenses.

Ex. 2. You’ll hear three telephone messages. Each of the speakers has held interviews with applicants for the job. Listen and take notes.

Report form:

Best candidate:…………………………Age:……………..

Education:………………………………………………….

Languages:……………………………………………….…

Work experience:…………………………………………..

Personality:…………………………………………………

Availability:…………………………………………………

Suitability:…………………………………………………..

Address:……………………………………………………..

Phone:……………………………………………………….

Ex. 3. Listen to the recording once again and put down the missing information.

Compare your notes with those of your partner. Decide which of the job applicants sounds most promising: Which of them will you put on the short list for a second interview in London? Which of the three candidates do you rate most highly, judging from what you’ve heard about them?

Ex. 4. With a partner act out your own interview between a representative of the company advertised above and an applicant for the job. Take it in turns to be the Interviewer and the Candidate.

Role Play

Panel Interviews

STEP I. Work in two large groups Each group should decide on one job that would be attractive and realistic for most of the members of the class to apply for. Perhaps this could be your ‘ideal job’ – the one you’d immediately apply for if you saw it advertised.

Write an advertisement for the job and, if possible, make copies for the other group to see. Alternatively, pin it to the classroom notice board or stick it on the white/blackboard.

STEP II. In this simulation, half the class will be playing the role of INTERVIEWERS and the other half the role of CANDIDATES. Each panel of interviewers works for a firm of consultants, and they will interview several candidates for both jobs advertised.

Decide which members of the class are going to play the roles of candidates, and which are going to be the interviewers. Follow the instructions below, according to your role.

1. Interviewers Work with the other member(s) of your panel. Decide what questions you are going to ask each candidate.

• What personal qualities are you looking for?

• Are you going to be kind to the candidates or give them a hard time?

Candidates Choose one of the jobs advertised.

Write a short letter of application for the job. (The letter will accompany your CV, if you have one.)

2. Interviewers Read the letter of application and any CVs you receive.

Decide which candidates look promising and what special questions you’ll ask each one. Make a list of questions.

Candidates Work with another candidate and decide what impression you’ll try to give.

Write a list of difficult questions you may be asked and make sure you know how to answer them.

STEP III. Now it’s time for the interviews to take place.

Each interview panel should have its ‘office’ in a different part of the room.

Candidates go to a different ‘office’ for each interview.

The CONTROLLER will tell you how long is available for each interview and work out a timetable that allows time for panels to see at least three candidates. Each panel must stick to this schedule, so that other panels are not kept waiting.

Candidates Between interviews you should wait in a separate area – preferably in another room or in the corridor.

STEP IV. When the interviews have finished, all the interviewers and all the candidates should meet in separate areas.

Interviewers Tell the other panels about the candidates you have interviewed.

You can recommend up to three people for both posts. Decide which candidates will be short-listed.

Candidates Imagine that you’re meeting in a local café. Tell the other candidates how you got on in your interviews.

• What mistakes did you make?

• Which of the panels conducted the best interviews?

• What advice would you give them about their interviewing techniques?

Decide which panels were the best.

STEP V. Now meet again as a class.

Interviewers Announce your short lists of successful candidates.

Candidates Announce which panel you voted ‘top interviewers’.

STEP VI. Work in groups or as a class Finally, discuss these questions:

• How did you feel at each stage of the simulation?

• What did you learn from doing this simulation?

• How did any real interviews you’ve had compare with this one?

• If you could do the whole simulation again, what would you do differently?

DISCUSSION

Discuss:

• the most important things in any work;

• job satisfaction / dissatisfaction the ideal job;

• the process of job hunting;

• job application;

• the way to prepare for an interview the impressions one should give in an interview;

• the questions asked during an interview.

GLOSSARY

application – a formal request for employment

career: the kind of work a person does, usually after learning how and usually for a long time

employment: work someone pays you for

hire: to give someone a job

manager: the person in charge of a group of workers

out of work: without a job

reference – a written testimonial supporting an applicant for employment, recommendation

resume: a piece of paper with your work and education history

rewards: good things you get in return for work (such as money or health insurance)

setting – the immediate surroundings, the place

skill: something that you can do well; ability that you have learned and practiced

to apply for a job – to make a formal request for a job

to short-list – to select as a candidate (e.g. for an interview)

want ads: advertisements, usually in a newspaper, for jobs that are available