Bashmakova_L_Yu_UNIT_1

28. Read the letter of application and answer the questions below.

Justine Trigger

100 Gunway Street Sherifftown NSW 2222 0000 000 000 (02) 1010 1010

j.trigger@email.com

October 28, 2010

Chaz Pistol

HR Manager

Giorgio Designs

GPO Box 511

Sydney NSW 2000

Dear Mr Pistol,

I wish to apply for the position of Bookkeeper, as advertised recently on the Giorgio Designs website.

I have been working as a bookkeeper for over almost two years for Alline Timber, having completed a Certificate IV in Financial Services (Bookkeeping) by distance education while working in my previous job as Office Manager for Tribute Music Studios.

During my time as a bookkeeper for Alline, as well as during my previous experience in office administration, I have had to develop and maintain strong organizational and time management skills in order to efficiently manage company finances and accounts payable/receivable.

Throughout my employment history, I have learnt to juggle both financial and bookkeeping responsibilities with general administration and customer service tasks. This has also helped to develop my organizational skills and has strengthened my ability to multitask.

Working for small and medium-sized companies, I am proficient in using MYOB software for managing company payrolls, accounts and financial statements. I have also had extensive experience in using Microsoft Office and have a typing speed of 105 wpm.

I have been commended by employers for my sharp eye for detail, and in all of my jobs have identified areas where the company could save money and improve efficiency.

I am also interested in fashion and fashion photography and am an avid follower of fashion trends, making me an ideal match for your company. My interest in photography has developed my eye for detail, which I utilize in my day-to-day work.

My resume is attached and I look forward to being able to discuss the position with you further.

Kind Regards,

Justine Trigger

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1.Who is the letter addressed to? What’s his/her position?

2.What position does the candidate want to apply for?

3.Where was the job advertised?

4.What experience does the applicant have?

5.What skills does the applicant obtain?

6.What is the applicant interested in?

29.Using the phrases in italic write your own letter of application.

SPEAKING

Did you attend an interview? What sort of questions were you asked? People who have an interview coming up real soon and are often afraid of what they'll be asked in the interview. Walking into an interview without knowing exactly what you are going to say is like trying to give a presentation without practice.

30. Replace the underlined phrases with correct forms of words and expressions from the

Fred had already (1) refused two job offers when he went for (2) a discussion to see if he was suitable for the job. They looked at his driving license and contacted (3) previous employers Fred had mentioned in his application. A few days later, the supermarket asked him if he would like the job and he (4) said yes.

Harry didn't hear anything for six weeks, so he phoned the company. They told him that they had received a lot of (5) requests for the job. After looking at the (6) life stories of the (7) people asking for the job and looking at (8) what exams they had passed during their education, the company (9) had chosen six people to interview, done tests on their personality and intelligence and they had then given someone the job.

31. Put these words in order to make up questions. Find out an appropriate answer to them. Act out this interview.

Questions

1)FairCom / your / What’s / at / job / ?

2)like / your / about / What / job / do / you / ?

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3)challenging / job / What / find / your / do / about / you / ?

4)easier / What / have / found / your job / that / you / makes / ?

Answers

a)To take part in different discussions related to different projects. We need to understand the project requirements and how different they are from company to company.

b)I am the General Manager, responsible for the technical and business operations in South America.

c)To have a very good knowledge of the Brazilian market, including what the main companies are and what they do in their business. It’s important to have deep technology knowledge and a good network of business contacts.

d)What I enjoy most about my job is the opportunity to work with different customers on different projects and in different areas, all at the same time.

32.Look at the questions that a recruiter asks a candidate during the interview. Where do you think each of the question should be placed. Answer these questions using your own ideas.

a)Why are you interested in this position?

b)Why are you the best candidate for this position?

c)Tell me about your worst boss.

d)Tell me about yourself.

e)How do others describe you?

f)What’s one of your weaknesses?

Job interview

R: __________

C: I graduated from University X with a major in communications. I’ve been working for the past year in public relations at a small company, but I’m looking to expand my horizons now and work for a larger corporate company like this one.

R: __________

C: I saw on your website that your company does a lot of work for improving literacy levels in public schools. In college, I participated in a number of programs like X, Y, and Z that aimed to encourage students in their education. I think that it would be a rewarding learning experience for me, and I believe that I could use my past experiences to excel in the position.

R: __________

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C: I would say that I’m not very experienced in making presentations. In my last job, I did not have a lot of opportunities to practice my public speaking because the company was so small. I would really like to work in a place that could allow me to develop that skill further.

R: __________

C: I’ve been very fortunate to not have any awful supervisors. With all of my bosses, I’ve learned a lot and discovered what type of management style I work the best under. I definitely respond better to set guidelines and organization, so my worst experience was with a supervisor who was a little disorganized. I learned how to work well in that kind of environment though because of my time with him. It’s important to use every challenging experience as a way to learn and improve, so I couldn’t call one boss worse than another.

R: __________

C: My colleagues describe me as a hard worker. I’m the first one to lend a hand in a project when it is needed. I’ve always been very self-motivated, and my colleagues know that they can count on me. When I first started at my last job, it was a new field for me. I had to ask for a lot of help at first, but I worked hard. My colleagues saw how quickly I improved in the first couple of months, and they respect me for that now.

R: __________

C: I’m really impressed by the work that your company does. I have had a lot of experience in the past working in similar fields, so I think I would fit in well. I am sure there are a lot of other qualified candidates for the job, but I am passionate about this work. I would dedicate myself to doing the best possible work.

R: __________

C: How would you describe your company’s management style? What does a typical day look like in this position?

33. These are the questions which are expected to be asked during an interview. Some questions are illegal. Opposite each question put letters HR if the question belongs to a Human Resource Manager, A if the question belongs to an Applicant, I if the question is Illegal to ask and T if it is Tricky. Choose 10 of them to ask your classmate. Discuss these questions.

_____ Tell me about yourself.

_____ Do you have experience in this field?

_____ What is your race?

_____ How successful have you been the past five years?

_____ How many hours per week/day are offered with this position?

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_____ How do you feel about working in a team?

_____ Do you prefer working with others or alone?

_____ Do you schedule people for primarily the same hours every week, or do they vary greatly?

_____ Why do you want this job?

_____ Why do you want to work here?

_____ Why are you looking for a job in a field that is not related to your major?

_____ What church do you go to? What religion are you?

_____ How do you handle stress and pressure?

_____ What are your salary requirements?

_____ What motivates you to do a better job?

_____ Do you think that the money is the best motivation?

_____ What is the best motivation in your life?

_____ How many hours will I work in this position?

_____ Did you have any trouble finding the office?

_____ What makes a job more enjoyable?

_____ What is your greatest strength / weakness?

_____ What is your height? What is your weight?

_____ Does “Success” have any meaning to you?

_____ Do you drink alcoholic beverages?

_____ Does this company have a policy of promoting from within?

_____ How can you help the company to reach its goals?

_____ How flexible are the hours?

_____ What clubs or organizations do you belong to?

_____ What has been your greatest achievement?

_____ What makes you want to work hard?

_____ Are you willing to work overtime?

_____ What would you do if your boss criticizes you for any reason?

_____ Did you get on well with your last boss?

_____ Have you ever been arrested?

_____ How do you accept criticism?

_____ This role requires strong communication skills. Are you are a good communicator?

_____ Tell me about your education.

_____ Do you own your own home?

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_____ Do you offer commission?

_____ Why did you study ..... ?

_____ Tell me about your professional qualifications.

_____ How would your friends describe you?

_____ Are there extra hours available during the holidays?

_____ What would you like to be doing five years from now?

_____ How do you get on with different types of people?

34.In pairs swap your CVs and letters of application with another pair and prepare questions you would like to ask each of them. When you have prepared the questions, interview one of the students whose CV you have read. After the interview, discuss the candidate with your partner. Would you employ him/her? Why? Why not?

35.Visit http://muzofon.com/search/job%20interview for audio information on a job interview.

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UNIT 2 COMPANY STRUCTURE

LEAD-IN

“Every company has two organizational structures: the formal one is written on the charts; the other is the everyday relationship of the men and women in the organization”. (Harold S. Geneen)

1.1. Discuss these questions. Look at the typical answers and agree or disagree with them.

1.What can you contribute to the company's goals?

a)I’m hard working. I enjoy carrying out duties assigned to

me, and will always ensure that my job is complete.

b)I’m a team player. I enjoy working with others.

c)I can work off my own initiative. I can be trusted to do my job without need to be supervised.

d)I am punctual and efficient. I’m good with time keeping and planning.

2.What type of a business would you like to work in?

a)I’d like to work in a large multinational corporation like Adidas, Siemens, Microsoft, McDonald’s, KFC, Ford, IKEA etc.

b)I’d like to work in a small firm in my native city/town.

c)I’d like to work in a dot-com company.

d)I was always dreaming to set up my own business.

3.What is a sole trader?

a)It’s an association of two or more people carrying on a business with the goal of earning a profit.

b)It’s a legal entity (юридическое лицо) with its own rights, priveleges and liabilities separate from the members who created it.

c)It’s a business owned and run by one person, where there is no legal distinction between the owner and the business. The individual acquires all benefits and risks of running it.

d)It’s a business in which the shareholder(s) own the businesses and their responsibility for

company debt is limited to the amount they have invested in the company.

KEY VOCABULARY

1)Accounting department – бухгалтерский отдел

2)advancement/promotion – продвижение; повышение; рост

3)(to) appoint – назначать

4)asset – собственность физического или юридического лица; актив (компании)

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5)authority – полномочие

6)(to) be accountable to/be responsible to – отвечать перед к-л; быть подотчетным

7)board of directors – совет директоров

8)CEO (chief executive officer) (AmE)/managing director (BrE) – генеральный директор компании/президент компании

9)customer – покупатель, потребитель

10)(to) dissolve – прекращать деятельность

11)drawback – недостаток

12)expenses – расходы

13)goods – товары

14)hierarchy – иерархия

15)income – доход

16)(to) involve in – вовлекать в

17)legal entity – юридическое лицо

18)limited liability – ограниченная ответственность

19)(to) make a profit – получать прибыть; извлекать прибыль

20)to pay off debts – погашать задолженность

21)(to) pay a tax – платить налог

22)Personnel/Human Resources department – отдел кадров

23)Production department – производственный отдел

30)Purchasing department – отдел материально-технического снабжения/отдел закупок

31)(to) run a company – управлять компанией

32)(to) report to – находиться в прямом подчинении; докладывать к-л

33)R&D department – научно-исследовательский отдел

34)(to) provide opportunities – обеспечивать возможности

35)shareholder – акционер

36)sole owner/proprietor(BrE or AmE)/sole trader (BrE) – частный предприниматель

37)stock exchange – фондовая биржа

38)(to) stand for – означать, расшифровываться

READING TEXT 1

2. Skim the text to grasp the general idea. Decide if the following statements are true (T) or false (F).

1) Shareholders are the owners of the company which shares they have.

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2)A managing director is responsible for producing management accounts and financial reports.

3)A junior manager might be accountable to an employee.

4)Within a hierarchical organizational structure employees can use their chance of promotion.

Company structure

Companies can have many organizational structures, but the most typical one consists of the shareholders, board of directors, the officers and employees. Shareholders own parts or shares of the company, invest money for future dividends and for the potential increased value of their shares and choose directors of the company to look after their interests.

At the top of the company hierarchy is the Board of Directors or the Board. It has the ultimate decision-making authority and a power to set the company's policy, objectives and overall direction, hire, monitor, evaluate and fire the managing director and senior executives etc. The Managing Director or Chief Executive Officer (CEO) has the major responsibility for running of the company, including setting company targets and keeping an eye on all departments.

Senior executives or managers head the various departments or functions of the company. Traditional departments include Human Resources (HR), Accounting, Marketing, Sales, Administration, Technology and Production. HR department is responsible for recruitment and selection of new employees, employee motivation and a range of other people focused activities. A Marketing department is responsible for market research and marketing planning.

The larger the department, the more titles it has as specific duties are assigned to people within a department. The Distribution Manager is responsible for controlling the movement of goods in and out of the warehouse, supervising drivers and overseeing the transport of goods to and from the firm. The Production Manager is responsible for keeping a continuous supply of work flowing to all production staff and also for organizing manpower to meet the customers' orders. The Sales Manager is responsible for making contact with customers and obtaining orders from those contacts. The Company Accountant controls all the financial dealings of the company and is responsible for producing management accounts and financial reports.

Reporting in organizations often takes place down the line. An employee might report to a supervisor, who reports to a junior manager, who then reports to a senior manager – communication and instructions can then be passed down the line.

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This particular organizational model is sometimes described as resembling a pyramid, with the decision making process starting at the top and each successive layer having authority over the next. This means that with the exception of the individual who is considered at the top of the pyramid, such as CEO, everyone in the organization is directly accountable to someone else.

There are some advantages to using a hierarchical organizational structure. Typically, each position within the company structure is well defined. Hence, it is very easy to determine who should be responsible for specific issues that may arise during the operation of the company. Employees have easy access to the requirements for promotion to certain positions and know how to go about rising within the organizational structure. The chance to receive support from the company, including financial support for education in areas relevant to the operation, is often present, which helps to motivate qualified employees to remain with the organization rather than seek opportunities elsewhere.

There are also some potential drawbacks. Since the commands are so clearly defined, the effectiveness of the operation often rests on how well people at each level manage those who report to them. This means that corrupt management can often do a great deal of damage before the issue can be addressed and corrected. In addition, if managers are not open to feedback from employees, this can help to reduce morale in the workplace, limit potential for advancement based on personal whims of the managers, and prompt valuable employees to seek opportunities with other organizations.

3.Find in the text English equivalents to the following Russian words and word combinations.

Совет директоров, акционеры, управлять компанией, быть ответственным перед, стоимость акций, ставить цели, руководить отделом компании, докладывать/представлять отчет, руководящий состав, получать поддержку, должность четко определяется, недостаток, преимущество, прихоть/желание, иметь властные полномочия над к-л, решать вопросы, выполнять заказы, передавать дальше/перенаправлять, определять, искать возможности, иерархия, возлагать обязанности, оставаться в (компании), продвижение, ослаблять моральный дух.

4. Match the words and word combinations with their definitions.

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