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.pdfThere were times, reflected Brendan FitzPatrick as he sat in the Crown in Woodbridge, Suffolk, nursing his pint of lukewarm beer, when he felt quite sympathetic towards Adolf Hitler. Anyone who could force these cold, unfriendly, goddamned superior people into some kind of submission deserved a bit of support. He had been in the country for over three months now, and he had yet to meet a single one of them who seemed remotely worth helping across the road, never mind fighting and quite possibly dying for. He and around a thousand others had arrived in Ipswich from Glasgow where the US Air Force had deposited them, trainloads of nice friendly boys confidently expecting to be greeted most pleasantly, welcomed, and they had been treated more as enemy than ally, met with hostility and suspicion almost everywhere they went.
Even the countryside was a disappointment; Brendan, who knew his Old Masters, had expected something closely resembling a Constable painting (particularly as they were in Constable country), all small golden fields, stiles and haystacks , and he had found merely a flat grey landscape under a flat grey sky, that echoed his sagging spirits exactly. The joke was that there were only two seasons in England: winter and July. It didn’t seem very funny to Brendan.
* * *
And so it was at the end of three months that he found himself sitting in the bar at the Crown, cold, depressed, with a sense of nothing, absolutely nothing to look forward to.
At precisely the same time, Caroline Miller was walking up Quay Street towards the Crown, with a sense of desperation and hunger that was equal to, indeed, greater than his own.
Brendan FitzPatrick was not shy, but he was nevertheless hopelessly tongue-tied just at the sight of her. He had never seen anyone so indisputably a lady, just walking into a bar, quite plainly looking for a pick -up. Twice he cleared his throat and tried to galvanize his long limbs into moving towards her and twice he found himself rooted to the spot. He decided he would have to have at least another pint of their disgusting, warm, bitter -tasting beer before he dared to approach her.
* * *
They were friends before they were lovers, talking endlessly; he heard about her parents, her schooling, her odd solitary childhood and the screaming boredom of her war. And she heard about him, about the large Irish family he came from in Brooklyn, about his mother Kathleen, about his four sisters, Edna and Maureen and Patricia and Kate, and the small house near Fulton Street in Brooklyn where they lived, and about how Brendan was going to be the Gary Cooper of the forties or, well, maybe now the fifties and how his agent was confident, really confident, that he could make Hollywood; about his father who had died of a heart attack the day Brendan got his first ever part, before he could ever hear of it, and about Kathleen, so warm and loyal and proud (“You don’t know how lucky, how terribly lucky you are, Brendan”) and so determined he was going to make it she was practically packed, ready to go with him to Hollywood.
* * *
The three events that so totally changed her life all happened at once, early in 1944: Brendan taking her hand in his and telling her he had to move, that he was being sent to Beaulieu in Hampshire, but that he would be back, and when he was back he wanted to marry her; and then her father, her huge, kindly, useless father, dying quite suddenly, of a heart attack, and then her mother, having quite genuinely mourned his death, taking off to London with a squadron leader in the air force with almost indecent haste; and then she discovered she was pregnant.
Sick with fright, as much as from her condition, she tried to be calm, to think what to do, but she couldn’t begin; finally, oddly reluctant, driven to it by her utter despair, fearful of seeming to put pressure on him, she wrote to Brendan, asking for help. Brendan did not reply.
* * *
Sir William Hunterton asked Caroline to marry him on 31 December, the night she went into labour, and weary of loneliness, wounded almost beyond endurance by Brendan’s silence, fearful of what was to become of her, she accepted.
William had been a great friend of her father’s; he was forty-three years old, and had never married. He made it clear that he would never accept another man’s baby. She agreed with William that she would be doing the best possible thing for it in giving it away. The baby would be taken away at birth, before she had time to become involved with it, and first fostered and then adopted; it would be placed with a nice suitable family who would love it and give it a safe secure home. It was all very neat and tidy and was clearly the very best thing for everybody. Any doubts or conflicting emotions she experienced on the subject she crushed mercilessly; if Brendan had written, showed himself even halfway prepared to support her, then things might have been different; but as he had abandoned them both, then she had to do the best she could.
Her daughter was born on 1 January, 1945 at the hospital in Ipswich, Suffolk. The next day she was taken away.
* * *
In a German hospital near Munich that very same day, after months in coma, surgery and intensive care, Flight-Lieutenant FitzPatrick was finally deemed well enough to be given the unread letter from Caroline Miller that had been in his pocket the day he was shot down.
* * *
Brendan came back ten months later on the day Caroline Hunterton went to sign the adoption papers, and reclaimed his ba-
by.
It was not easy of course: in fact it was horrendously difficult, a nightmare of complex legalities, of appalling officialdom. Several times, as the battle raged, he was tempted to abandon the whole idea. Then he thought of her, his daughter, with Caroline’s blood in her veins, and knew he had to go on and have her. Finally, on a dark, foggy day early in January he could take her back home to New York.
* * *
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New York
1951–1969
Fleur FitzPatrick went to a Catholic school in Sheepshead Bay and was always top of every class, every subject; she excelled in maths, she had a grasp of physics and Latin that awed her classmates into silence, and she had never got below an A minus for English, but nobody minded, nobody taunted her with being a swot, because she was also brilliant at games; she could run faster and jump higher than most of the boys, and she could wield a baseball bat more ferociously and more effectively than most of them too. And then there was her power of mimicry: Fleur FitzPatrick, it was well known, could not just take off Mr Lowell the music master, she became him, with his careful, over-light walk, his waving hands, his slightly manic gaze, while her impression of Mr Hicks, the head, with his awkward, self-conscious air, his rather desperate way of looking round a room, was so exact that even the staff, confronted by it, would delay rebuking her for as long as they dared in order to savour its delights. Everyone said she should be an actress; but Fleur had seen enough, in her short life, of the problems, the deprivations, the heartaches of the theatre, and she had no stomach for any of it. She wanted to shine on a different stage: one where there was less competition and more opportunity. She wasn’t sure of the exact nature of the stage yet, but she knew she would find it.
* * *
She found an apartment she could afford six weeks later, after tramping up what seemed like a hundred flights of stairs, jumping up and down on a thousand creaking, dodgy floorboards, haggling with dozens of hatchet-faced, wall-eyed landlords and ladies. It was a tiny top floor of a brownstone on the Upper West Side, running between Amsterdam and Columbus and within walking distance of Zabar’s Deli. It was really not an apartment at all, just a large room, with a tiny bathroom off one side of it, and a tinier kitchen off the other; it had no heating or air-conditioning, and the hot water system was primitive to put it mildly and either came out so hot it scalded, or so cool it was hardly worth the bother. But the ceiling was not covered with polystyrene tiles, and the walls were not coated in embossed paper, and the sash window was tall and had a wooden curtain rail and looked over the yard which actually had a tree in it, albeit slightly dusty, and there was a small, pretty iron grate which, though clearly no use at all for containing a fire, was a charming accessory to the room. The apartment was extremely cold when she looked at it, and she could see it would be extremely hot a few months later. The neighbourhood was colourful, noisy, ethnic, full of crying babies, fighting kids, loud, late music, a fair amount of crime – and friendly faces.
Three years later she moved to Upper East Side. Her new apartment at 30 Waterside Plaza, apt.9F, New York, N.Y.10010, was gorgeous: a huge studio room, a small bedroom, and a kitchen, and a bathroom. It was exactly what she had promised herself.
/after “An Outrageous Affair” by Penny Vincenzi/
TEXT 2.
Want that job? Do your homework
A secretary may be required to attend two interviews and to take a psychometric test.
It used to be said that bosses decided on whether to employ a secretary in the first five minutes of an interview. But such interviews are a serious business now, and a secretary will often attend two interviews when applying for a job – and could be asked to take a psychometric test as well.
Malic Rodgerson, of Joslin Rowe, recruits secretaries for top City jobs. His advice to interviewees is to read up on the company beforehand. “A first interview should be about showing an interest in the job, keep the ‘what’s in it for me?’ for the second one,” he says.
Find out what the company specialises in, what its goals and expansion plans are. A mission statement1 in the annual report makes good reading, he suggests, because it also gives a good idea of the culture of the company. “Remember, an interview is a two-way business. Show interest by asking about training and whether it is in-house or external. This gives you an insight into how much is spent on it.”
Lindsay Petrie, of Office Angels, says research will enable you to ask interesting questions.
“When interviewers ask if you have any questions they don’t mean ‘Have you got a canteen?’.” she says. “They want to know how interested you are in the company’s work.”
“Ask about the opportunities to develop your skills and knowledge base. And if you don’t understand something, ask. Anticipate questions on your abilities, Ms Petrie says, and be ready to answer in detail. For instance, don’t just say you know how to organise conferences – give specific examples.” The Tussauds Group, which employs just under 100 secretaries throughout its leisure attractions, uses psychometric testing which measures ability, style of work and personality for the second interview. Sarah Malone, its human resources manager, says the results are analysed by a computer, which then suggests questions to ask and gives information on personality and team-work ability.
A CV, Ms Malone adds, reflects a secretary’s standard of work and ability to sell themselves. She lists organisation, communication, excellent information technology (IT) skills, initiative and remaining calm under pressure as the key skills she seeks. “Good preparation for an interview is paramount,” she says. “There is nothing worse for the interviewer than hearing that the candidate knows practically nothing about the company.”
The Electronic Boutique, in Bracknell, Berkshire, is a fast-growing, forward-looking company. Yet Julia Birkett, its human resources manager places shorthand at the top of the list of skills she seeks.
IT skills are, of course, important but what she really looks for is someone who is bright, eager and confident. Personality, she says, is everything. The company employs eight secretaries, so teamwork is important. They are selected, Ms Birkett says, with a view to promoting them into managerial roles.
“Employers want to learn about the interviewee as a person, so be yourself, be natural – and be truthful,” says Mr Rodgerson.
1 mission statement — изложение в письменном виде поставленных целей и путей их достижения
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/Susan MacDonald/
TEXT 3.
Безработица
Когда человек оказывается без работы, он практически всегда начинает чувствовать себя ненужным, отверженным и неполноценным. Здесь имеется своего рода заколдованный круг: депрессия вследствие потери работы – состояние апатии – потеря социальных связей – неудачные попытки найти работу – депрессия. Да, со временем шансы найти новую работу уменьшаются (плюс к тому, вы постепенно теряете свою квалификацию и не приобретаете новых навыков). И начинается процесс вашего падения по социальной лестнице. Основная рекомендация – если уж вы потеряли работу, не затягивайте с поиском нового места.
Как искать работу, чтобы ее найти?
Не считайте себя виноватым в том, что вы потеряли работу. То, что вас уволили, не означает, что Вы профессионально непригодны: очень может быть, что вы оказались чересчур хороши для вашего начальника. Если же вы сами оставили свое прежнее место, потому что там не было ни перспектив, ни заработков, а только напрасная трата времени – то честь вам и хвала, что вы нашли в себе силы позаботиться о собственном благополучии и стали ценить себя по достоинству.
Лучше всего заняться поисками новой работы, не бросая прежней. Когда найдете – тогда можете с гордостью увольняться. Это психологически будет легче, чем просто отчаянный «рывок в никуда». Разумеется, наличие «старой работы» в какой-то степени ограничит время, которое Вы можете потратить на поиски нового места. Но в этом случае взвесьте, что будет эффективнее: оставаться во время поиска на старой работе, или, если эта работа занимает практически все ваше время, расстаться с этим местом и потом уже искать новое.
Самое главное – поиск работы надо превратить в работу. И относиться к этому соответственно. С упорством, переходящим в упрямство, обзванивать все новые и новые места. Точно по графику, как если бы вы ходили на работу, ходить в газетный киоск за газетами с объявлениями о вакансиях. Вести письменный график встреч, картотеку звонков. Искать везде, где только можно, и со временем отсеивать все ненужное, типа сетевого маркетинга.
Можно, конечно, довериться всевозможным рекрутинговым агентствам, но от вас здесь мало что зависит: такой поиск редко заканчивается успехом. Поэтому лучше, наверное, надеяться на свои силы и умение. Да, это труднее, зато вероятность получить работу намного выше.
Смотрите шире на потенциального работодателя! Вакансия может оказаться и там, где о ней не сказано открыто. Допустим, если растущая фирма приглашает рекламных агентов, может быть, ей понадобятся и сотрудники по основному профилю деятельности?
Можете встать на учет на бирже труда. Но не ради пособия по безработице, и даже не ради тех вакансий, которые будут вам предложены. На биржах труда часто организуют различные курсы для обучения новым специальностям. А дополнительные знания и умения при поиске работы будут совсем не лишними.
Интересуйтесь не только работой по основному профилю: может быть, вы сумеете делать что-то еще, хотя бы какое-то время? В конце концов, можно согласиться на какой-то промежуточный вариант, который позволит вам не умереть с голоду пока вы ищете что-то более привлекательное. Может быть, это будет место менее престижное чем то, что у вас было раньше: в этом случае расценивайте вашу промежуточную работу, как шаг назад, который необходим для хорошего разбега.
Не ленитесь лично приходить на десятки собеседований, причем каждый раз основательно готовиться к каждому. По возможности, побольше узнайте о том предприятии, куда устраиваетесь на работу (совсем хорошо будет, если вы определите и свое предполагаемое место в данной структуре, чем конкретно вы можете быть полезны). Если в данной структуре принят определенный стиль в одежде сотрудников – постарайтесь, придя на переговоры, этот стиль соблюсти. При этом ваша одежда должна быть не обязательно дорогой, но аккуратной! Что же касается непосредственного ведения беседы – умейте быть дипломатом. Излишняя откровенность, как и излишняя скрытность – не лучшее средство ведения диалога. Если боитесь во время разговора что-то забыть или сбиться с намеченного плана – составьте свое резюме (это, кстати, требуется в большинстве солидных фирм). И главное – не заискивайте перед потенциальным работодателем. Нелишне упомянуть, что вы можете быть полезны либо данной структуре, либо другой такой же. И совсем азбучная истина – перед собеседованием просто необходимо выспаться и хотя бы легко позавтракать.
Не комплексуйте по поводу собственной фигуры или лица, особенно если на вашей предполагаемой работе внешность – не определяющий фактор. Потому что при таких комплексах, даже если вы умны, обладаете способностью прогнозировать ситуацию, имеете соответствующее образование, без проблем общаетесь с компьютером и прекрасно ладите с людьми, – ваш предполагаемый работодатель видит совсем другое: сжатую в комок фигуру, испуганный взгляд. И тогда он начинает оценивать вас с вашей же негативной позиции. Скажите себе: если в этой конторе нужны не знания и ум, а только привлекательная внешность, зачем это Я буду работать в такой несерьезной структуре?!
И научитесь не воспринимать отказ как крах всей жизни или личную обиду. Это ни в коем случае не говорит о том, что вы никуда не годитесь. Ни в коем случае не стоит сдаваться после первой, второй и даже десятой неудачи. Если проявить в этом вопросе достаточную «волю к победе» и не бояться потратить на поиски привлекательного места нe один месяц – результат будет обязательно. Просто нужно действовать, а не страдать. Как говорится, бог может помочь выиграть в лотерею, но нужно сначала хотя бы лотерейный билет купить!
/из «Азбуки психологической безопасности» Н.Н. Нарицына/
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Other activities at school or college
Employment history starting with your present or most recent position
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Membership of institutes, societies
Personal information
Position applied for ______________________________________________
Source of application (e.g. name of newspaper, agency) __________________
Surname / family name ___________________________________________
First names / Christian names ______________________________________
Date of birth ____________________________________________________
Address _______________________________________________________
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Telephone number _______________________________________________
Marital status ___________________________________________________
Age of children__________________________________________________
Nationality _____________________________________________________
Have you a current driving licence?__________________________________
Do you own a car? _______________________________________________
Leisure activities ________________________________________________
Date available for work
Personnel dept. to complete
Starting date ________________ Position_____________________________
Grade ___________ Dept. ______________
1st year holidays ____________ Minimum notice ______________________
Wages dept. to complete
Index _____________________ Address _____________________________
_________________________ Personal file ________________________
For company use only
Personnel dept. interviewer ______ Engaging dept. interviewer ___________
Date __________________________________________________________
Comments:
3. Covering letter
Instructions to job applicants often go like this: “The completed form, together with a covering letter in the applicant’s own handwriting, should be returned to – (name of employer) by – (last date for accepting applications).”
The covering letter is sometimes referred to as “a letter in support of your application” – and that is what you must try to write. It gives you an opportunity to strengthen your chances, but only if you
REMEMBER these rules:
1.Don’t simply repeat information already given on the application form. A candidate for a job who does that is wasting his own and the employer’s time.
2.Don’t ramble. The covering letter must be carefully planned – a tight piece of writing – everything to the point.
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3.Do highlight the strongest point (s) in your favour. Draw attention to personal qualifications and / or experience that specially fit you for this job and say (briefly, clearly and firmly) why you believe that you are right for the job.
This covering letter shows you how it should be done. (Addresses have been left out here to save space.)
Junior receptionist: Foxbridge Health Centre
Dear Madam,
I am enclosing my application form for this post. I believe that my answers to the questions show that I am a suitable applicant.
My experience as a part-time volunteer at the St. John’s Ambulance Brigade Headquarters in Foxbridge (see section 4 of the form) is my strongest qualification.
The training I had as a switchboard operator would be useful to me in a busy health center. I have also worked in the records office. Most important is the fact that I had experience (under supervision) as a receptionist, helping the members of the public who called at the headquarters office enquiries.
My St. John’s Superintendent (the first of the referees named on the form) was pleased with my work.
I enjoyed the experience and it has made me keen to find full-time employment in similar work. I am sure that, with the training you give, I could soon become a useful member of your staff.
Yours faithfully, Ann Smith
4. Curriculum vitae
Curriculum vitae = CV = résumé (USA) = brief personal history
CVs are required for all except the most junior jobs, and are used as a basis for assessment and comparison of applicants for a job.
CVs provide information about an applicant, set out in a way that is easy to read. They should include:
name, address and telephone number
date and place of birth
nationality
married or single (give the ages of any children)
dates and places of education
examinations passed, especially if internationally recognised
knowledge of English and of other languages
previous employment and work experience
outside interests, hobbies, etc.
CVs should be typed on plain white paper
CVs can vary slightly in the layout, but all give the same basic information
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Richard Henry Mortimer |
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52 Heath Road, Belldale CR529TZ Tel: (5367) 529413 |
Date of birth |
15.7.1945 |
Nationality |
British |
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Married. 3 daughters aged 18, 15 and 13 |
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Carfitt County School |
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1956–1963 9 O-levels 3 A-levels |
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Redbrick University |
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1967–1969 Research at Redbrick |
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5. Job Advertisеments
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Print Production Manager Wanted
A well-known print company, now well established in the UK and in the Far East, wishes to set up a manufacturing base in Europe. An experienced manager, responsible to the Production Director, is required to assist in setting up the department and will then take charge of the day-to-day work.
The successful applicant will have had experience of modern methods and machines especially in the printing, multicolour work and finishing processes. He / she will have had at least three years’ experience in cost-effective management. A good working knowledge of English is essential.
We offer excellent pay and prospects, with 4 weeks’ holiday a year plus public holidays, a company pension scheme.
Interviews will be arranged in the nearest large town to applicant’s home. Write, with CV, to The Personnel Manager, Box 32509, Daily News, Kemsworth Street Comston, United Kingdom SG153 22AH.
Southern Leisure Hotels
GROUP MANAGER
required for six luxury hotels offering 4-5 star accommodation to visitors from home and abroad. At least five years’ managerial experience in the hotel industry required, plus fluency in English, French and one other European language.
Excellent salary, pension scheme, holidays, company car and other benefits.
Write with full CV to Mr George Davits. Director, Southern Leisure Hotels Ltd, 24 Lakeland Road, Bedhampton, Mendleshire KR5 9UJ.
JUNIOR ACCOUNTANT
Accountant requires assistant, preferably with previous experience. He / she must have an aptitude for figures. As the firm has many clients with businesses in Europe, fluency in English, French and German is essential.
Generous salary and benefits are offered.
Write enclosing a CV to:
Mr John Anderson, Milne, Nation and Partners, Lynn House, King’s Road, Poynton BV6 8MN.
CASTLE HOTEL
Assistant Manager
A privately owned group of hotels with extensive leisure facilities catering for overseas visitors is looking for an enthusiastic person to assist in the expansion of the hotel.
The successful applicant, will have experience of all aspects of hotel work and at least one year’s experience as an Assistant Manager.
Applicants need a good knowledge of English and possibly two other languages.
Generous salary, bonus, good holidays and excellent prospects for promotion within the group.
Apply in confidence with full curriculum vitae and a recent photograph to:
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Mr G. Bateman, Castle Hotel, Green Street; Barton BR7 8QT
Executive Personal Assistants
Maternity Leave Cover
£15,337–£18,197
We have three high-profile opportunities for efficient Secretaries to join us in providing administrative support for Executive Trust Directors.
Your responsibilities will include arranging and servicing meetings, coordinating papers, collating agendas and taking minutes. You will brief directors prior to appointments, deal with all incoming correspondence and generally prioritise their workload. Working as part of a team, you will also be expected to cover during the absence of your fellow executive PAs.
Your audio and WP1 skills should include a working knowledge of MS Office and Word for Windows. We’ll also expect you to have well-developed organisational and planning skills together with a genuine ability to communicate with people at all levels. We would like one post-holder to commence at the end of February and the other two towards the end of March. All assignments are for an initial period of six months, with the possibility of extension thereafter.
For an application pack please telephone 0171-463 2520/2582 quoting Ref PA. The closing date for receipt of completed application is Monday 19 January 1998. Interviews are scheduled for Monday 26 January 1998.
The London Ambulance Service NHS Trust is committed to equal opportunities. We also operate a smoke-free workplace.
Executive Secretary
On behalf of our client, a major international computer company, at London Waterloo, we have a requirement for an experienced Executive Secretary. You must be professional, confident and able to manage a challenging Executive Office, with at least four years relevant experience you will be actively involved in a global business. You can look forward to excellent salary and benefits together with on-going training and support.
Please fax your CV with covering letter to Ann-Maric Lydon on 0171 202 5904, Tel: 0171202 5414. Vacancies also at our Bedfont Lakes (Staines) location, Tel: 0181 818 4113
Head of English Language Service
Your job: Based at Swisscom’s headquarters in Bern, Switzerland, the English Language Service serves a potential customer base of some 20,000 employees. As head of this unit, reporting to the Head of Language Services, your main responsibilities will be customer satisfaction, staff management and ensuring impeccable quality of the work produced by your internal and external employees. You will also be expected to produce any type or level of translation (including speeches, legal texts etc.) independently and without the need for revision.
Your profile: In addition to an irreproachable standard of English, which is your mother tongue, you have a profound knowledge of the German language and culture. Your educational background is excellent and includes a degree in German (French and / or Italian are also an advantage) and a diploma or equivalent in translation. You have broadbased experience in professional translation (ideally in telecommunications) and in managing other translators, both inhouse and freelance. Furthermore, you are able to use your initiative, flexibility and sound interpersonal skills in order to cope with the pressure of working to tight deadlines.
Your next step: Please send your application dossier to the address below, quoting reference 5198. For further information, please contact
Paul O’Neil (tel. 0041 31 342 73 38, e-mail: paul.oneil@swisscom.com).
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Swisscom has set itself the aim of achieving progress in communications across its entire spectrum of operations. Digital and intelligent networks, on-line services and multimedia applications are just a few of the fascinating fields in our range of activities. We are constantly breaking through new barriers to connect people. That is our job, that is our future.
6. Interviews
Here are examples of parts of two possible interviews with Miss Ott.
MR ANDERSON: |
Good afternoon, Miss Ott. |
MISS OTT: |
Good afternoon, Mr Anderson. |
MR ANDERSON: |
Do sit down. |
MISS OTT: |
Thank you for postponing this interview. |
MR ANDERSON: I’m glad we were able to do so. Did you have a good jour-
|
ney? |
MISS OTT: |
Yes, thank you. |
* * *
This short conversation has established a relaxed atmosphere, but it could have been quite different if Mr Anderson had not given Miss Ott the opportunity to thank him for postponing the interview and the interview had started like this:
MR ANDERSON: Good afternoon, Miss Ott. Sit down. I see you have no further qualifications since you started working for your father. Did you attend any classes?
MISS OTT: No. The office hours are very long and as my father was in hospital for some months I often worked very late.
* * *
Here are examples of parts of two interviews:
EMPLOYER: I see you give reading as one of your interests. What kind of books do you read?
APPLICANT: Oh, anything.
EMPLOYER: Do you prefer fact or fiction? APPLICANT: I don’t mind which.
* * *
EMPLOYER: I see you give reading as one of your interests. What kind of books do you read?
APPLICANT: I like autobiographies, history and some historical novels, and sometimes a mystery or a murder for a change.
EMPLOYER: Are these in your mother tongue or are they in English? APPLICANT: Both, but I must confess they are usually in my own language.
* * *
POINTS TO NOTE
The first example is unsatisfactory because it says nothing about the applicant, and the employer would have to ask many more questions to get any information.
In the second conversation the applicant gives details, briefly and to the point, and the interviewer does not need to probe further.
* * *
Some interviews are conducted by a board (with several interviewers). Here is an example:
A:We need to streamline (модернизировать) some of our procedures.
How would you go about it?
YOU: I would study the present system to see what improvements could be made and assess the feelings of the staff before making any decisions.
В: A long-serving and loyal member of staff is absent for odd days more and more frequently. What would you do? Dismiss him?
YOU: No. I would try to talk to him. He may be ill but does not want to say so. He may have personal problems which, with help and understanding, could be solved.
С: I’ve heard this morning there is a sudden fall in the Dow Jones index.
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Do you think this will have any effect on the economy?
YOU: Not in the long run. I expect both London and Tokyo will follow Wall
Street, but I think the economy will pick up again fairly quickly.
D:Why do you want to leave your present job?
YOU: There is no prospect of promotion where I am at present and I would like something more challenging.
В: Do you agree with paternity leave? YOU: Yes. Most certainly I do.
A:What is your opinion of flexi hours?
YOU: I don’t like the idea. It is very unsettling to have colleagues coming and going at different times.
POINTS TO NOTE
The questions are far-ranging.
Questions may be asked in quick succession to test an applicant’s reactions and ability to switch from one subject to another.
Board interviews are usually conducted for high-powered or executive jobs.
* * *
Britannic Fashions wish to appoint an Assistant Sales Manager to travel both in the UK and Europe. This is an example of the range of questions which may be asked and the type of answers which may be given.
MR X: You state you have had sales experience in Italy and Spain. Who were you with, and what area did you cover?
APPLICANT: In Italy I travelled for Mario Gallo, the well-known fashion house. I covered the area north of, and including, Bologna. In Spain I was with Casa Caga, and my area was a radius of about 100 miles around Valladolid.
MISS Y: Why did you choose those countries?
APPLICANT: Because I wanted to gain experience in selling in both countries.
MR Z: Was your knowledge of the languages adequate for the job? APPLICANT: Yes. Italian is my mother tongue, and I studied Spanish at
school and spent many holidays in that country. MR X: Why do you want to come to England?
APPLICANT: Again to widen my experience and to use my English.
MR Z: This job involves a lot of driving in England. Have you driven in England?
APPLICANT: Yes, many times. I often visit relatives here.
/from “Applying for a job in English” by M.D. Spooner, J.S. McKellen/
7. List of adjectives
ambitious |
mean |
arrogant |
menial |
awkward |
mundane |
bright |
nasty |
challenging |
natural |
clever |
neat |
competitive |
outgoing |
confident |
overconfident |
cordial |
particular |
demanding |
personable |
eager |
polite |
efficient |
prestigious |
effusive |
pretty |
exceptional |
professional |
excellent |
quick |
exciting |
responsible |
experienced |
rude |
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