Text 1 starting a career

Exercise 1. Read and translate the text

In many countries, businesses, the private sector, provide the majority of jobs. But one could also make a career in government or in the not-for-profit sector. Career is more than just a job. It is something that may include a lot of separate jobs. People, as a rule, move from job to job during their lifetime.

A career involves choices of occupation. There is work that we enjoy and feel good about. And there is work that we don't enjoy. Every career includes some work of both kinds. How much of each kind there is in your career depends very much on decisions that you yourself make.

Seeking work (particularly first job) that is interesting and rewarding requires effort and careful thought. What can help to make career choices? What makes people give up their jobs? How to take the first steps in starting a career? These questions are very often asked. Here are some hints that may be useful.

First you must assess your interests and abilities. Self-assessment is useful in helping you decide what to look for, what career to pursue. When you have a clear idea of the kind of work you would like to do and you are ready to look for a specific job, you should explore the labour market, visit job centres, talk to friends, read advertisements about vacancies. After that you must start writing and sending out resumes or CVs. Your resume not only sums up your experience and education but also advertises you to potential employers. Its purpose is to arouse employer's interest in you and thereby to gain an interview.

Employers want to hire people who fit the job; they want to fill the vacancies with competent people. If there is a personnel department in the company then the staff help to recruit a qualified applicant. Employers usually consider professional qualifications and personal characteristics. Preference is given to applicants who can maintain good relations, who have positive attitudes, who can work in a team and under pressure.

It is important for the resume to be good-looking and accurate.

Before writing your resume, ask yourself what an employer would want to know about you, what tasks you could perform, what kind of experience you have had, what skills you can offer and what job you expect the employer to give you.

Exercise 2. Complete the following sentences. Consult the text:

1. A career involves....

2. A person is ready to look for a specific job when... .

3. Self-assessment is useful in... .

4. Employers want to hire people who... .

5. A resume sums up... .

6. The purpose of one’s resume is to arouse... .

7. It is important for the resume to be ... .

8. Before writing your resume ask yourself what... .

9. There are many jobs in the financial systems, such as... .

10. Seeking job requires... .

Exercise 3. Give answers to the questions.

1. Where can young people make a career?

2. Do people change jobs, occupations and careers? What makes them do it?

3. How can one make the first steps in starting a career?

4. What should precede writing resumes?

5. What is the purpose of a resume?

6. What employees do employers want to hire?

7. What skills are appreciated by employers?

Text 2

Exercise 1. You will hear a telephone message, containing the information about an applicant for the job. Write down the missed information, use figures, words or word-combinations.

A. Name _________________________

B. Age __________________________

C. Education ______________________

D. Language ______________________

E. Last job _______________________

F. Character: confident and __________

G. Telephone _____________________

Exercise 2. You will here a story of a teacher. While listening choose the correct variant of the ending of each sentence.

1. The narrator was afraid that her students wouldn’t accept Daniel because he

1. acted strangely 2. wore poor clothes 3. had bad manners

2. According to the narrator the residents of the village

1. were fabulously rich 2. were well-to-do 3. lived in misery

3. Daniel came up to Charles during the game to

1. encourage 2. show him how to hit the ball 3. tease him

4. The narrator thought that her students

1. were gentle most of the time 2. could be indifferent at times 3. could be cruel at times

5. When Daniel gave his Christmas gift to the narrator she

1. was taken aback 2. was disappointed 3. got fairly excited

6. the narrator thinks of Daniel

1. only at Christmas 2. once in a while 3. very often

7. The narrator’s daughter loves her mother’s story about Daniel because she

1. can do the end of the story herself 2. admires Daniel’s personal qualities

3. knows Daniel has become successful

Text 3

Exercise 1. Read the text, state the main idea of the text and headline it.

The greater part of promising students studying in industrialized countries does not return home upon graduation and stay on there. Besides, most intelligent people, especially scientists, wishing to make more money and improve their living and working conditions go to other countries.

Afro-Asian and Latin American countries as well as Central European countries in transition lose lots of skilled specialists annually. Western powers drawing numbers of specialists out of poorer countries benefit a lot. For example, in some years, the profits received by US corporations from the use of Third World experts exceeded their "aid for development". Russian students engaged in research at universities want to continue it upon graduation.